Pamela Idjabe is from the Spanish-speaking
west African nation of Equatorial Guinea. The Reformed Presbyterian
Church of Equatorial Guinea traces its roots back to work begun
by missionaries in the 1840s. The church has struggled with many
restrictions and difficulties, even after the country became independent
from Spain in 1968. I first encountered Presbyterians from Equatorial
Guinea at the General Council of the World Alliance of Reformed
Churches (WARC) in Hungary in 1997. At that meeting, WARC made
a commitment to help the church in Equatorial Guinea with theological
education. That agreement took Arturo Piedra, church history professor
of the UBL, to Equatorial Guinea on two occasions in recent years.
There he met Pamela, a high school student who participated in
the seminars Arturo offered, eager to learn more about the Bible
and theology. Pamela also became acquainted with Andres Garcia
and Gloria Salazar, UBL graduates who now serve as PC(USA) mission
co-workers in Equatorial Guinea. When Pamela graduated from high
school, friends from Reformed churches in Switzerland offered
her the opportunity to study theology in Costa Rica. At 21, she
traveled halfway across the world. Though her church has yet to
ordain a woman as a pastor, Pamela is preparing herself to be
her church’s first woman theologian.
The current rector of the UBL is Violeta Rocha. Back in 1987,
Violeta was one of my first students at the Evangelical Faculty
for Theological Studies (FEET) in Managua, Nicaragua. Violeta
later became one of my colleagues at the FEET. By the time I left
Nicaragua in 1994, Violeta was rector of the FEET. Early this
year she was invited to assume the leadership of the UBL for the
next four years. Violeta, who is currently working on a doctorate
in New Testament through the Free University of Amsterdam, brings
strong leadership skills and vision to the UBL.
Another former student and current colleague of mine, Veronica
Perez, was also in San José in September and October working
on her licenciatura thesis on Jeremiah. Veronica studied
and taught at the FEET in Nicaragua. Several years ago, Veronica
and her husband moved their family to Guatemala. When I arrived
in Guatemala, I found Veronica working in the biblical and theological
training program of CEDEPCA. What fun to see her finally finish
her second theology degree.
While I was in Costa Rica, Hurricane Stan hit Guatemala. Some
communities were literally wiped off the map as rain-soaked hillsides,
denuded of the trees that would have held them in place, broke
loose. In many places, farmers lost their corn crops as well as
all of their farm animals. Quetzaltenango, where my family and
I live, was cut off for many days as mudslides blocked or carried
away parts of the highways leading into this highland city.
The destruction caused by the hurricane brought into sharp relief
the tension I continually feel with my work here. While I was
in a classroom trying to help students understand how Christian
communities of the past confronted the challenges of their time,
people were losing their lives and their livelihoods. The educational
processes in which we are involved move so slowly compared to
the economic forces that are pushing more and more people in Latin
America into poverty. In our classrooms we help people gain the
skills they need to analyze their context, articulate an appropriate
theological response, and devise life-giving pastoral strategies
that can transform their churches and communities. But will it
be too little too late?
As I pen these words, Advent is starting. Down through the centuries
the prophet Isaiah’s voice echoes, calling us to prepare
the way of the Lord (Is. 40: 3-5). This continues to be the call
to us, to prepare for God’s coming among us. Faithfulness
requires preparation. This Advent I invite you to give thanks
for the women and men who are heeding the call to prepare themselves
for further service by studying at the UBL.
Blessings in this Advent season,
Karla, for the rest of us
The 2005 Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study, p.
62 |
