December 1999

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

This letter brings our greetings to you, our companions in the ministry of our Lord Jesus Christ. May God, in His love, bless you with His peace through His grace. As we live in the midst of great uncertainty and human suffering, we thank God for you because we know the love you have for God's servants. Your concern builds hope in us not only for our future life in Christ but also for our present life as we seek to live as His disciples.

Today, when you and we are preparing ourselves to celebrate Christmas, we continue praying for all of you, our brothers and sisters in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). We plead to the Lord that you be filled with the overflowing love of God, who sent his beloved child as a gracious gift to all humankind. We pray that you as individuals and nation might work for justice, mercy, and love in our battered, almost collapsed, world.

You probably don't pay attention to the overwhelming information about what is happening to millions and millions of people beyond the borders of the United States. There are six billion people in the world, of which 79 percent live in developing countries. The current social indicators in such countries show that people live under miserable conditions, such as hunger, malnutrition, and poor health, which bring as a consequence a sense of hopelessness. This contrasts with the situation of the developed countries, like Western Europe, the United States, and Canada, where people live in conditions of superabundance.

National Geographic (October 1998).has reported that, "combined, the United States and Canada use about twice as much energy per capita as Europeans, 10 times more than Asians, and 20 times more than Africans. The U.S. alone uses more than one fourth of the world's oil. By one estimate, the average American will in a lifetime consume 62,000 pounds of animal products, 55,000 pounds of plant foods, 770 tons of minerals, and the energy equivalent of 4,000 barrels of petroleum."

These data frighten us very much. We believe that Christmas should be a season for sharing our abundance with those who suffer in this world. With this spirit of love we encourage you to join us with the multitude of Christ's disciples in order to manifest the abundant love and grace of God here in Costa Rica and there in the United States.

We pray that the Holy Spirit continue to plant our feet on the solid foundation of the words of the prophets, our Lord Jesus Christ, and the testimony of the apostles.

In the Love and Peace of Christ,

Andrés and Gloria Garcia