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November 2000
Dear Friends and Family,
We are not sure our computer has recovered completely from a
recent virus, as it still tends to slip off into unconsciousness
without warning, but we will try again to get this update off
to you.
Bob, here…My faith in the divine purpose in all things has
been severely challenged lately by the many obstacles encountered
in our work. The promise of help from the electrical distribution
company which was poised to purchase the drained lake bed by the
nature reserve fell through.
We continue to seek help for this grand effort to preserve a
beautiful part of God’s creation while providing a source
of income to the agricultural cooperative of Colima, organic protein
for sale throughout the country and a future for Alfalit’s
community development projects.
Attempts to resuscitate the organic sugar cane effort are resulting
in but faint signs of life (as the chemical poisoning continues)
due to the fact that no mill will purchase organic cane. The world
market continues to purchase millions of tons of chemically purified
sugar per year. Few incentives exist for the growers to invest
in organic fertilizers, herbicides and pesticides.
This country’s increasing dependency on the earnings of
relatives abroad and the decreasing opportunities for decent employment
here create a profound paralysis that is difficult to overcome
as animators of spiritual and social development. Healing the
crippling impact of unbelievable trauma from the war is an immense
task and only possible with faith in the Creator’s constant
accompaniment. There are rumors of a need to re-arm.
I find I am weak at times and pray for strength. There is so
much to be grateful for and signs that God is working through
these apparent set-backs. There are children laughing, learning,
and growing in hope of making of their own communities healthier
places to live. There are those that work by our side and strive
to instill a vision in a new day. There are those of you who have
come here to join us and lift us in this work. We are so thankful.
Julie, now…Speaking of being thankful, it’s almost
Thanksgiving time! We left for the States on September 1, intending
to return to El Salvador around Oct. 1.We very much enjoyed our
vacation in Oregon, even hiking in to the little old cabin on
the Salmonberry River which we have visited many times over past
years. However, I managed to break my ankle while stepping off
the porch of the cabin!………so we really didn’t
get to return to El Salvador until Oct. 15. It’s a crazy
story, remind us to tell you the details some time.
Since then we have been immersed in a number of dramas back here
in El Salvador, and only now are "coming up for air."
Our faith journey continues to unfold. For example, we find the
need for flexibility is much higher here than back home in the
States. Since the roads, telephone service, and public institutions
are not in very good shape, the PLANS we make seem to go up in
flames. Please pray for GRACE for us in the face of this challenge.
The crisis of the co-op at Colima continues to have its ups and
downs, but never a final climax. Currently, as Bob pointed out,
our hopes for funding to purchase La Laguna (a dry lake bed owned
by the co-op), and thereby provide resource for the Co-op to pay
some of its debts—have not materialized. We were very disappointed
when what looked like a positive opportunity, fell through.
As we look back over the past almost-three years of service here,
we know this has been a tremendous learning experience for us.
In some ways, even though we both knew Spanish and have lived
in Latin America for years, we have had to learn a new language,
a new culture, a new reality: the reality of El Salvador, and
of Colima—realities which may be similar to, but are different
from any other place on earth. It seems important to avoid assumptions
about…well, ANYTHING!
We were as infants, helpless, dependent on our caregivers, the
Salvadorans, to teach us, to show us the way. We hope that as
we mature in our future experiences here, we will be able to give
back to the Salvadoran people in some small measure, what they
have given us.
We look forward to visiting many of you during our travels over
the next months. We are currently scheduled to fly to Philadelphia
on January 1, and will spend six weeks in the Northeast, visiting
friends, churches and presbyteries, God willing. We will also
have the chance to spend quality time with Bob’s brother
and father in Honesdale, Pennsylvania, area. We then return to
El Salvador for a couple of months, and then back to the U.S.
Some of the highlights of the second trip will include attending
General Assembly of the PCUSA in Louisville, Kentucky, in June,
and also attending a course on Conflict Transformation in Virginia.
We will also visit Julie’s folks in Oregon, and see many
old friends in Colorado at the Jacob’s Hill Reunion.
We are preparing our notes and our slides, and our hearts as
well, to share with you some of our experiences and perspectives
on mission in El Salvador. And our questions which still remain:
what does God have planned for this little country with so many
problems? What does God have planned for Colima, so full of life,
and so full of poverty? Perhaps YOU will have some of the answers
we are looking for. We certainly look forward to renewing old
ties in the U.S. and gaining new friends as well. May God help
us all!
To the numbers of you who have visited Colima, we thank you for
your visits and support. Please continue to keep the situation
there in your daily prayers.
An important development for both of us has been a renewed focus
on health and well-being, healing, really, for our physical selves.
Bob has lost thirty pounds this year, and Julie hopes to do the
same. We are cooking more healthfully and getting more exercise,
devoting more energy to self-care and healing. We would ask your
prayers as we continue this new phase of our life.
Until soon,
Shalom!
Julie and Bob
The 2000 Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study, p. 235
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