Area Update
Updated November 2005
Updated November 2005
Mission Staff:
Carmelo Alvarez continues to serve as a CGMB missionary assigned to the Latin American Evangelical Pentecostal Commission (CEPLA).
Jorge L. Bardeguez continues to serve as a CGMB missionary assigned to coordinate the theological education program of the Christian Mission of Nicaragua, based in Managua.
Angela Fife completed a one-year term of service as Global Mission Intern assigned to Colegio El Pacifico, in Mazatlán, Mexico, on July 31, 2005. Angela worked with social and youth programs of the Christian Congregational Church in Mazatlán and she also taught English at the school, an educational institution affiliated with the Christian Congregational Churches of Mexico.
Daniel Gourdet continues to serve as CGMB missionary assigned to work as development and educational consultant with the National Spiritual Council of Churches of Haiti (CONASPEH), based in Port-Au-Prince. On July 15, Sandra Gourdet concluded her assignment as Dean of the theological seminary and began her new ministry as CGMB Area Executive for Africa. Daniel completes his assignment in December 2006.
Elena Huegel continues as project coordinator for the design and development of the Pentecostal Church of Chile (IPC)’s new Shalom Conference Center.
Erin Larsen will conclude her term as Global Mission Intern assigned to educational and social service activities of Colegio Internacional, a Disciples primary-secondary school in Asunción, Paraguay December 2005.
Inés Sarli, M.D. concluded her term with the Christian Church Disciples of Christ in Paraguay as general director of the Disciples’ Friendship Mission, a community multi-service center in Asunción. Inés recently completed her home assignment and has returned to Buenos Aires, Argentina in retirement and will serve CGMB as a volunteer consultant for medical ministries with the Disciples of Christ Church of Argentina.
PROGRAMS AND PARTNERS-IN-MISSION UPDATES
{mosimage}Colombia
After visiting the Council of Evangelical Churches of Colombia (CEDECOL) and its Restoration, Life and Peace Commission (CRVP) three times this year (two by the Area Executive and one by the Program Associate), Global Ministries is in the process of appointing a Global Ministries missionary or missionaries to CEDECOL to work with the Restoration, Life and Peace Commission, to provide pastoral support, in accordance with the critical presence criteria of the CGMB. In July, Ricardo Esquivia, National Coordinator of CRVP, attended the General Synod of the United Church of Christ in Atlanta, Georgia.
{mosimage}The Women’s Network of CEDECOL was the recipient of a CGMB Award of Affirmation. Originally, the award was to be presented to the President of the Women’s Network, Carmen Acosta, during the General Assembly of the Christian Church, but she was not able to attend the assembly since her visa was denied. The Program Associate for Latin America and the Caribbean, therefore, visited Colombia and presented the award to the Women’s Network. The goal of the Network is to provide women with education, economic development, human rights, leadership development, and training on skills for self-sustenance and physical safety.
Chile
{mosimage}Costa Rica
{mosimage}Izcar Delgado, from Mi Tía Day Care Center in San José, Costa Rica, will visit the Shalom Conference Center in Chile from January 3 to February 14, 2006. Izcar has received financial assistance from the Dr. Mae Yoho Ward Enabling Scholarships Fund. The purpose of the exchange is to provide Izcar with intense training in conflict resolution, recreation and ecology during the Leaders Training Course at the Shalom Center.
Alfalit Dominicano continues its ministries of literary and basic education for children, legal assistance in registering children in the civil registry, and a literacy-training program for adults. Most participants of these programs are Haitians. Social Services of the Dominican Churches (SSID) is promoting the Dominican-Haitian dialogue among pastors, teachers and key leaders. These ministries are very important considering the increase in anti-Haitian sentiments in the Dominican Republic caused by the number of Haitians crossing the border due to the political, economical and social unrest in Haiti. SSID is also coordinating the training of Dominican and Haitian farmers near the border on fish farming techniques.
In a pastoral letter last May, Bishop Medardo Gómez, of the Salvadorian Evangelical Lutheran Church (IELS), shared his concern about the dangers that the Free Trade Agreement, between the United States and the five Central American countries, presents for the majority of the Central American people. He expressed that the incomes of the Central American farmers will decrease, the external debts will rise, the production of food from Central America will decrease, and the emigration of Salvadorians will increase. Finally, he invited the churches in the U.S., Canada and Europe to pray and to advocate in favor of the people.
The Salvadorian Lutheran Synod serves the community with health care ministries, kindergartens and primary school. They also focus on leadership training programs of agricultural assistance, and aid to the poor and displaced. The Church continues working to restore the lives of people still suffering the effects of the years of war and terror. They also have a special project to help victims of the hurricanes and earthquakes rebuild their houses. John Kleinschmidt is a Global Mission Intern assigned to this project.
{mosimage} CGMB missionary Paul Pitcher and ACG personnel provide assistance to many, thanks the help and support that came through GM.
Last August, Guatemalan Cultural Action (ACG) celebrated their 16th anniversary. This grassroots Mayan organization works with victims of Guatemala’s 36-years civil war. Since its foundation, ACG has been an organization of the communities, not just for the communities. Some of the ACG programs and projects include the following: Computer Center, Weaver Training Center (to weave the traditional Mayan clothing), Improved Stoves Program (to avoid extensive use of firewood), and Hamm radio communication system. The organization is planning to deliver 500 stoves this year. The Computer Center is training five students to be computer teachers. ACG also has an Earth Pastoral program.
{mosimage} Sixty-three young students are participating in ACG scholarship program. ACG expressed their opinions regarding the open sky mining that is severely affecting the environment. The Guatemalan government is receiving only 1% of the profit.
The D’Andre Seminary of CONASPEH has a new, modernized library. This is crucial in a country where education is a tool to achieve liberation and where access to books and educational material is scarce. The project consisted of the construction of the room for the library, the construction of bookshelves and the acquisition of books in Canada, USA, France and Haiti.
Also, the library added audiovisual equipment such as a DVD-VCR, digital camera, projector, screen and online Bible. Part of the project includes the translation from English to French and/or Haitian Creole and the on-site reproduction of study guides and books.
DOM President Emeritus, Dr. William Nottingham spent a week in April of this year, lecturing at the D´Andre Seminary of the National Spiritual Council of Churches of Haiti (CONASPEH).
“Ask questions – find solutions” may not be the first (or most comfortable) thing that comes to a teacher’s mind when she or he is in the front of a classroom. But that is part of what 58 secondary teachers discussed in their four-week professional training program this summer in Jérémie, Haiti. Global Ministries, the US Embassy, and personal donations supported the program Pwof Ansanm (Teachers Helping Teachers). This program, under the leadership of Dr. Joy Miksic, surveyed child-centered approaches to teaching, namely encouraging students to ask questions, solve problems, and work cooperatively. The participants discussed how to integrate relevant information into the curriculum, such as communication, health, civics and the environment.
During the October 2005 visit to Honduras, the Latin America/Caribbean Executive will meet with the Evangelical and Reformed Church of Honduras (IERH) and the Association of Evangelical Institutions of Honduras (AIEH) to follow-up on last January’s visit regarding church mission, IERH and AIEH challenges and their partnership with Global Ministries.
Global Ministries and One Great Hour of Sharing provided support to the Comisión Acción Social Menonita for the construction of a water access system in the communities of Chorrerón, Choloma, and Cortes. Completion of the project is scheduled for the spring 2006.
In a historical and graceful process, the Christian Congregational Churches in Mexico (ICCM), the Alliance of Evangelical Christian Churches (Disciples of Christ) of Mexico (AICEDECAR) and the Fraternity of Evangelical Christian Churches (Disciples of Christ) of Mexico (CICE) agreed to work cooperatively on an ecumenical Mission Development Program. The objectives of this program are: (1) to develop pastoral and lay leadership that allow the churches in Mexico to meet the present and future needs of leadership, (2) to equip the churches in Mexico to do God’s mission in the midst of the present challenges of Mexico, and (3) to support conflict resolution within the body of Christ overcoming the painful situations and move to re-establish the relationship among the Disciples family in Mexico.
Acción Médica Cristiana received support from Global Ministries to hold a series of workshops for church and community leaders to integrate Christianity with health issues. AMC works first in direct health care and later in community development, mostly with remote the Atlantic Coast of Nicaragua, principally the indigenous communities of Miskito, Mayagna, Rama, as well as Afro-Caribbean and Mestizo populations.
Peru