vicemodblog

Latin American Trip Part I - Nicaragua

[image: dianiv]

I have to tell you about the most amazing Vice-Mod trip that I have had to date. I traveled to three countries in Latin America in a nine-day span. It began auspiciously on Tuesday January 12 as I headed to the Raleigh-Durham airport to fly to Managua, Nicaragua only to find that I did not have a plane reservation at the Continental ticket counter. Nevertheless it was all straightened out and I met up with Stan DeVoogd, PCUSA area coordinator for Central America and Mexico; Leila Abdul-Karim, member of the Presbyterian Women National Churchwide Coordinating Team; and Bethany Furkin, reporter for the Presbyterian News Service. We were met at the Augusto Sandino airport (picture above) by Tracey King-Ortega, regional liaison for Central America. We were taken to CEPAD Nehemiah center where we were to lodge for the next three days. I was in Nicaragua last year with the Enough for Everyone/Equal Exchange trip and we lived at CEPAD. I was looking forward to that experience again.

Dr. Gustavo Parajon

The next morning we met with the staff of CEPAD to hear about their history as an institution and a short history of Nicaragua. Included in this meeting was Damaris Albuquerque, the Executive Director and the founding president of the organization, Dr. Gustavo Parajon. He is definitely the "man" and highly respected. He told of the situation following the 1971 earthquake that led to its founding and the political ramifications. It was a very moving and informative talk. Afterward we drove to see three projects at the  CEPAD office in Jinotepe, Nicaragua, where we were joined by new PCUSA mission workers Carl Agsten and Leslie Clay. They had only been in Nicaragua for a short time and are loving it! The first project was in the small community of El Ingenio where we talked to a pastor and leaders who built a well with funds and training by CEPAD. The second community in Canas Blancas, a young woman who has two children showed us a conservation project where she grew banana trees, beans, squash, melons, cucumbers, oranges, lemons and flowers. At the third community, La Pita, we heard from community leaders where they began a farming project and a psychosocial program where they give training to families going through abuse and domestic violence. All three projects were very much needed and I learned a lot. You can also read Bethany's news article here for more information.

The next day we traveled the Martin Luther King, Jr. Evangelical University in Managua to visit the Interchurch Center for Theological and Social Studies (CIEETS). We spoke with the Dean of the Center and program staff who were responsible for theological studies and community development projects related to agriculture. We had a great time talking with them and what struck me is how they made the connection between theology, community work and conserving the land. Everything was based around biblical premises! Later on that day we visited a community project in the town of Mateare to look at a agro-enviornmental project. We saw wells where water was drawn by a horse and farms where there were a diversity of animals and crops. All this helps to sustain the farmers and the surrounding communities. You can also read Bethany's article here.

The final day we visited two cooperatives, Nueva Vida and Esperanza en Accion. Nueva Vida is a women's co-op that makes Sweat Free T-shirts and Esperanza sells crafts and handiwork that are made by Nicaraguan artists. I visited both of these places last year and it was great to see everyone again. Bethany has a nice write-up on Nueva Vida here.

Later on that day we left Nicaragua for Colombia. Stay tuned for that report!

Vice- Moderator's January Churchwide Letter

Because I did not have the opportunity to do this before my trip to Latin America, I wanted to make sure you read my January Churchwide Letter. It is here below:

Monthly columns featuring GA Vice Moderator Byron Wade and Stated Clerk Gradye Parsons

January 2010

This month's GA Moderator column is written by the Reverend Byron A. Wade, Vice Moderator of the 218th General Assembly (2008) of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).

Behold that star!

BY BYRON A. WADE

This time of year many people are in the midst of following up on their New Year resolutions. According to Wikipedia, a resolution is defined as "a commitment that an individual makes to a project or the reforming of a habit, often a lifestyle change that is generally interpreted as advantageous."

New Year resolutions often include commitments to lose weight, spend more time with family, or improve finances. However, according to a recent survey by Opinion Corporation of Princeton, NJ, only eight percent of people are always successful in achieving their resolution. Another nineteen percent achieve their goals every other year. Forty-nine percent have infrequent success, and twenty-four percent never have succeeded and end up failing every year in reaching their resolutions.

It seems that making and keeping resolutions is not something in which we should put our total trust!

For those who believe in Christ, we don’t put our stock in resolutions alone. We just recently celebrated Epiphany — the story from Matt. 2:1-12 where the three wise men from the East traveled to Bethlehem to see the child who had been born king of the Jews. They were not led by their own knowledge or expertise, but by a star — a sign of God’s presence.

Through the star, the magi witnessed the divine revelation of the Christ child to the world. Through this revelation of the Savior, we have the hope and promise of a new life. We have someone who will be with us in our joys and sorrows and will help us fulfill God’s purpose and direction in our lives.

Most of all, as we live into a new year we can be assured that no matter what happens, we can trust that God through Jesus Christ will never leave us.

Thomas Washington Talley, professor at Fisk University and composer of the original Jubilee carol “Behold That Star,” wrote the familiar stanza:

Behold that star!
Behold that star up yonder!
Behold that star!
It is the star of Bethlehem.

May you follow the star in 2010.

[Image:*Nina*]

I'm leaving on a jet plane . . .

[image:Thomas Becker]

Happy New Year to all of you! I have not posted for the last few weeks but I'm baaack ;-) My holiday season went well spending time with my family for Christmas. However on December 27 I flew to Los Angeles to visit with my father who was diagnosed with Congestive Heart Failure and had Pacemaker surgery. I stayed with him for a week and helped him during his rehabilitation. I am glad to report that he is doing quite well now. Thanks to all of you for your continued prayers. Like many of you I got my "fix" of food and college football. Now I'm ready to get back into the Vice-Mod travel saddle!

This year starts with the International travel series. For those of you who are not familiar, the Moderator and Vice-Moderator are each entitled to two international trips during their tenure that are sponsored in full or part by the PCUSA's Worldwide Mission area. This coming Tuesday I will be traveling to Latin America for a nine-day trip (January 12-21) visiting three countries. Along for the ride will be a representative from Presbyterian Women, two interested PCUSA pastors and Bethany Furkin, news reporter for the Presbyterian News Service in addition to the church's regional mission personnel. Specifically we will visiting:

[Image:Clinton Woods]

January 12 to 15 - Nicaragua. I will be returning to the country I visited exactly one year ago as a member of the Enough for Everyone/Equal Exchange mission trip. Our group will be visiting with our mission partner, the Council of Protestant Church (CEPAD), a variety of communities, the Moravian Church, seminaries and other leadership development institutions in addition to seeing our mission personnel. I am excited about going back to "Nica" to see our mission workers, especially my friend Tracey King-Ortega.

[Photo: adrimcm]

January 15 to 19 - Colombia. Our longest stay on the trip, we will visit The Presbyterian Church in Colombia (IPC), going to the cities of Barranquilla and Bogota. We will meet with displaced persons in the ongoing conflict/civil war, learn about the Colombian Accompaniment Program, and attend the General Assembly of the IPC. I will also preach while here. I am also excited to meet our mission workers, Mamie Broadhurst and Richard Williams and Alice Winters!

[image: webquestgroup3]

January 19 to 21 - Venezuela. Our group will be hosted by the Presbyterian Church of Venezuela (IPV). We will visit several projects in and around Caracas. We also hope to hear from Presbyterian pastor, students and analysts.

I am definitely excited about going back to Nicaragua as well as visiting Colombia and Venezuela for the first time. I have been brushing up on my spanish and although not fluent, I hope to be a part of a few conversations. As the opportunity arises I hope to post my experiences with lots of pics! As I go, I ask for your prayers for the mission personnel and ministries in these countries and for my family here in Raleigh. 

Hasta pronto!