Top
Join Our E-Mail List!
Contact Us
Purchase Coffee Below!

Use your credit card or a PayPal account to purchase coffee.

Support fair wages for the farmers!

Don Justo Coffee
Google Translate

Monday
09Nov2009

Members of Companeros Attend World Mission Celebration

DateMonday, November 9, 2009 at 06:44PM

In late October, two members of Compañeros (Nancy Lister-Settle and Sue Burns) road-tripped to Cincinnati, OH for PC(USA)’s Mission Celebration 2009. The theme of the conference was “branches of the same vine” and it was a wonderful opportunity for mission-oriented people at all levels to immerse themselves in what’s happening in mission within Presbyterian churches all over the world.

We were there, predominantly, to share the stories and experiences of our journey partnering with communities in Berlin, El Salvador through Our Sister Parish. We created a booth with props to show some of the projects and relationships, photos to illustrate the realities, and open conversation with any and all comers.

Throughout the 3 days of the conference, approximately 700 people toured the displays, attended workshops, worshipped and ate together. We formed networks of like-minded souls with common interests. We compared notes and shared information on what worked and what didn’t work related to mission within our home congregations and groups. We chatted with missionaries serving in far-flung corners of the world, learned from others working in the same parts of the world as us, and thought about things we’d never considered before.

Our booth generated several discussions with people intensely curious about our projects, work and the people involved. Some people ‘pulled up a chair’ and had lengthy conversations, asking questions, offering perspectives and sharing interests and knowledge.

It was an intense several days. Time will tell what fruit the vine will bear.

For more information about the overall conference, check out the PC(USA)’s web site here: http://missionfunding.pcusa.org/missioncelebration/index.htm

AuthorSue B | CommentPost a Comment |
Friday
06Mar2009

A Hopeful Country Admist a Historic Moment

DateFriday, March 6, 2009 at 04:27PM

.

FMLN president-elect, Mauricio Funes, won the popular election on Sunday, March 15, 2009 in what is being called a historic moment. After two decades of conservative rule, the people of El Salvador have spoken and a newly elected FMLN candidate prepares to take office. FMLN president-elect, Mauricio Funes, won the popular election on Sunday, March 15, 2009 in what is being called a historic moment. Mr. Funes will take office on June 1, 2009. He succeeds ARENA President Antonio Saca.

Mr. Funes led the polls Sunday night with 51.2% of the vote. It is reported that Mr. Funes compares himself to the likes of President Obama and will lead the country by model of Brazil’s president, Luiz Inacio Lula de Silva.

For years the FMLN, the Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front, has been fighting against an ultra-conservative government, the ARENA party. The polls were calm with a sense of rising excitement as the night went on.

For those of us who have been to El Salvador, I’m sure you can picture the sea of RED being displayed and flown with pride. As with many other Central American countries, El Salvador has elected themselves a leftist party in hopes to rectify some of the injustice suffered and endured.

While Mr. Funes may have won the election, his battle in most respects is just beginning. He faces a change in government during some of the most recent dire economic constraints the world has seen in years. He is reported as stating that his first priority will be to tackle the economic crisis, find jobs for returning migrants, invest in farming to reduce the dependence on imported food, and fight tax evasion by the wealthy.

A country that we have all come to love has a new sense of excitement and fear with new leadership taking office. Excitement that a better life may be realized under the leadership of Mr. Funes and the FMLN party and for some, a sense of fear with the exiting of the ARENA party. That sense of fear is driven by one word – change!

Please be sure to check out the US and International coverage of the Salvadoran elections. Many articles can be found at: The New York Times, Reuters, and The Washington Post.

If you have been or were an election monitor, I would love to hear from you. Please contact me at jpirtle13@hotmail.com so you can share your story.

AuthorAdmin | Comment1 Comment |