December 9, 2002

Dear Friends and Family,

Greetings in the name of our Savior, Jesus Christ, who came in the form of a small baby to express God's love and to teach us to live in harmony, justice, and peace.

We have been waiting to write this letter in hopes that it would bring good news. However, instead of listening to Christmas music and feeling a sense of joy in the air, we are hearing the banging of pans, the shrill sound of whistles, and the angry cries of the Venezuelan people as they call for the resignation of their president.

Last night instead of news of birth we received news of death, the death of five persons and 28 injured. All were shot at close range as they listened to a political speech in Plaza Francia in Caracas. A gunman or gunmen crazed by the social-political conflict that has infected the country opened fire indiscriminately, punishing men, women, and children alike. Since the death of dozens on the streets of Caracas last April, the opposing sides had walked on eggshells, hoping to avoid any more senseless violence. Unfortunately that was not to be. The carnage on the streets projected into our living room by the news media last night was shocking and depressing.

The current drama unfolding in the country began October 23 when in the Plaza Francia eleven high-ranking military officers declared themselves in civil disobedience and called for the Venezuelan people to do the same. The Plaza Francia was declared a "free political zone" and the officers, now numbering around 100, refuse to leave until President Chavez resigns or new elections are held. On November 5 the opposition movement turned over to the national Electoral Counsel a petition signed by approximately two million persons requesting a consultative referendum regarding the current government. On November 28 the Electoral Counsel announced the referendum would take place on February 2 of this next year. On November 29, the Supreme Court ruled their decision null because they only had three votes instead of four, a problem caused by the resignation of the Counsel's president the week before.

Angered by the court's decision the opposition movement called for a general strike on Monday, the fourth already this year. The strike was not supported as strongly by the commercial and petroleum sectors (contrary to prior strikes) due to their economic needs, but was supported more fully this time by the industrial sector.

By Wednesday, the third day of the strike, interest was waning. Many had returned to work and the opposition movement was losing momentum.

President Chavez spoke to the nation that same morning, aggressively denying that more than half of the population was extremely dissatisfied. He ordered the military takeover of all petroleum offices, plant facilities, and tankers, if necessary. Around noon, the National Guard moved in on a small crowd of people who continued to demonstrate peacefully on hallowed grounds outside the offices of the Petroleum Industry headquarters (PDVSA) in Caracas. The Guard did what they are trained to do, firing tear gas canisters into the crowd and roughing up any that stood in their way. The press was singled out and several photographers and reporters battered by the soldiers. That evening, in protest, the captain of the Pilín León, one of the thirteen petroleum tankers in the PDVSA fleet, anchored and shut down his tanker in the Bay of Maracaibo, announcing publicly that he was joining the strike. Suddenly, the fizzling opposition movement was resuscitated. Almost the entire petroleum industry announced they were joining the strike. The captains of the other oil tankers in the PDVSA fleet set anchor and have refused to move. Major food industry leaders have joined. Major ports are closed and all but one national airline have given their support to the strike. The country is lumbering inexorably toward a major shut down. On Friday night, the night of the massacre in Plaza Francia, the General Secretary of the Organization of American States, César Gaviria, who has been here for two frustrating weeks trying to mediate between the opposing factions, called for an emergency meeting at 10:00 p.m. between the opposition and the government to discuss the crisis. Unfortunately the government's representatives did not attend.

In Ocumare, where we live, life has continued as usual except for the growing protests every night by people beating pans and blowing whistles out their windows. Everyday more and more businesses are closing their doors, and the country is beginning to experience a shortage in products such as milk, meat, medicines, and gasoline. Until now, the grocery stores and banks participating in the strike are opening in the morning and closing in the afternoon. Since Venezuela provides more than 10 percent of U.S. petroleum, you in the U.S. may soon be directly affected by the general strike in Venezuela with increasing gasoline and jet fuel prices.

More than ever, please keep this country and its people in your prayers. It is obvious that this Christmas will be full of strife unless a solution is found soon.

This sadness carries over into our personal life because we had hoped by now to have the adoption of Jodimar and Jefferson finalized. However, government agency offices are closed until the strike is over. Additionally, the adoption agency has found our children's birth mother. They say we have nothing to worry about because she is not psychologically capable of caring for them, but instead of honoring a previous court's decision that both children were legally abandoned, they have decided to subject the mother again to a psychological exam and declare her once again incapable of caring for the children. So once more we are waiting to see how long all of this will take and hoping that the adoption can be finalized so we can return home between July 2003 and June 2004.

On the bright side we have been blessed this year with the visit of our respective parents in August and October. Words cannot describe the joy we felt as our children began to realize they have grandparents and that grandparents are special people.

The seminary program also continues to grow and strengthen. Carlos will continue for six months more as the administrative dean. In the Jubilee Center we are finishing up the caretakers apartment, opening our new front entrance, and making repairs to the water tank. To date, three mission teams have made plans to work alongside us this next year. Thanks to all of you who continue to help us move ahead with this project, which will provide a desirable center for the spiritual renewal of the church and the community. Deborah will continue another six months as interim pastor with the Good Shepherd Church in Santa Bárbara while Carlos will serve in the same role with a mission congregation in Valencia.

Despite the ominous darkness here in Venezuela and around the world, we remain ever faithful in the hope that Christ's light will guide us during this Christmas season towards God's Kingdom in which peace and justice will prevail.

God's blessing on each and every one of you.

Deborah, Carlos, Jodimar, and Jefferson