| It has been very helpful to me to
reflect on the struggles of Christian communities in different historical
contexts over the last few weeks as Ihave watched the actions taken
by the National Evangelical Presbyterian Church of Guatemala (known
by its initials in Spanish, IENPG). I have been reminded over and
over again that the church, in any context, will reflect the surrounding
society unless the church makes a conscious decision not to do so
and creates mechanisms that will allow it not to do so. Corruption
has long been present in the national church structures of the IENPG,
mirroring the corruption rampant in the government as well as other
sectors of Guatemalan society. Last year, at the national Synod
meeting in May, the IENPG took initial steps toward reform. This
May, many people here feel the IENPG backed away from the fight
against corruption.
The current situation within the IENPG raises many questions
about how to be in partnership with Guatemalan Presbyterians.
In my own case, I have made the decision, in consultation with
my supervisors at the UBL and CEDEPCA, as well as the PC(USA),
to suspend my collaboration with the Evangelical Presbyterian
Seminary (SEP) for the rest of the year. I taught five sections
of courses at the SEP during April and May, which fulfilled my
obligation to them for this year. This heavy teaching load explains
why you haven’t received a newsletter this year from me until
now.
Though I am saddened to no longer be able to work with some of
the promising students at the SEP, I’m looking forward to
having time to devote to other tasks, namely the completion of
my dissertation. For the UBL-CEDEPCA I continue to teach a university-level
theology seminar on gender and identity here in Quetzaltenango
and a Bible-institute-level course on women in the Bible and the
life of the church in Pachaj, Cantel, a K’iche’ village
just south of Quetzaltenango.
At the same time, I will be continuing my work at the local level
of the IENPG, where women and men strive to live out their faith
in Jesus in the midst of the daily struggle to provide for their
families in an economy with growing levels of poverty. Specifically,
I am accompanying the Presbyterial of the Occidente, the women’s
organization of the local presbytery. Earlier this year we held
a series of workshops, attended by a total of 247 women, on women’s
roles in public worship. In August, we begin a second series of
workshops on marriage and divorce. The Presbyterial will also
be holding a convention at the end of August in a small community
in the mountains above Quetzaltenango. We hope to have the participation
of the majority of the 42 women’s societies which make up
the Presbyterial.
As a family we are doing well, despite the tensions here. Javier
is now studying political science at the Rafael Landivar University
here in Quetzaltenango. Tamara is getting ready to enter the fourth
grade at the Interamerican School. Scarleth, Javier’s niece
who came from Nicaragua to live with us 18 months ago, is excelling
in seventh grade in her new school. She’s excited about turning
16 this month. Visits from friends have encouraged us to see more
of this incredible beautiful country where we are privileged to
live.
I’m also beginning to think about the year 2003, when I
will have the opportunity to spend three months in the United
States sharing about my ministry here in Guatemala. If you are
part of a PC(USA) congregation that would like to learn more about
the current struggle of churches here in Central America, please
contact me soon.
May we all seek to discern the new things God would do among
us and through us in the weeks and months to come.
For all of us,
Karla
The 2002 Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study, p. 242
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