Whoever speaksthe truth giveshonest evidence. Proverb 12,17LAENLAEN

I n f o rm a t i o n S e r v i c e o f t h e L a t i n Am e r i c a n C o u n c i l o f C h u r c h e s

LatinAmericanEcumenicalNewsDecember - February 2013 • No. 1

The delegates to the CLAIGeneral Assembly will col-lect a financial offering forthe victims of HurricaneSandy, and upon theirarrival in Havana will begiven small wooden crossesmade from the remains ofdestroyed houses.

ALC/HavanaFrom a news story by José

Aurelio Paz for ALC.

At a preparatory meeting forthe assembly early Februaryin the Cuban capital, the

Rev. Nilton Giese pointed out that theinitial assembly logo consisting of atree made up of many hands contin-ues, but now incorporates the imageof a small wooden cross symbolizingthe concrete gesture of having thestruggle of the Cuban people know“the solidarity on the part of theLatin American and world church-es.”

Giese continued by saying thatthe assembly’s agenda continues,“and now with an increasing eager-ness and another deeper dimensionof the reason for being of faith.”

Giese and Cuban Quaker pastor,María Yi Reina, Coordinator of theCuba CLAI National Table, explainedto the participants at the preparatory

meeting the different dynamics andstrategies for the VI GeneralAssembly to be held from May 20-26in Havana.

50 Cuban youth will have anactive role at the assembly, not onlyserving as ushers but also sharingtheir vision of key matters in presentday ecumenism and the bringingabout of a more profound incidencein their reality. Prior to the continen-tal gathering, these young peoplewill attend a workshop on “Hands toGood Treatment,” aimed at creatingawareness among those present atthe assembly of different manifesta-tions of violence and mistreatment.

The message at the opening

worship service of the VI Assemblywill be given by the ArgentineanMethodist Bishop Emeritus FedericoPagura, who will be honored for hiscommitment to an ecumenism ofessences and option on behalf thepoor of Latin America and theCaribbean.

In concluding the preparatorymeeting, Giese affirmed that “we areconvinced that it will be a goodassembly, marked by the convergingdifficulties that have led to newdimensions for its strategy and logis-tics, in such a way that our missionand ecumenical vocation will bestrengthened.”

Wooden cross adds new dimensionto the upcoming Latin American

Council of Churches (CLAI) VI General Assembly in Cuba

CLAI General Secretary, Rev. Nilton Giese, at VI Assembly preparatory meeting in

Havana (J.A. Paz)

Evangelical seminaries andschools of theological for-mation in Cuba have beenchallenged to introduce thesubject of the handicappedin their curriculums.

ALC/HavanaFrom a news story by José

Aurelio Paz for ALC.

The initiative is a result of theNational Theology and the

Handicapped Forum organized bythe Council of Churches of Cuba(CIC), held at the end of January inthe Rafael Ocaña Seminary of theBaptist Convention of Eastern Cuba.

It was the first time that an event

of this kind was able to gathertogether representatives from half ofthe theological seminaries in thecountry, and included Pentecostals,Adventists, Reformed, and Baptists.

The subject is both a sensitiveand necessary one for the teachinginstitutions, said Hermes Souto,dean of the Baptist Convention ofEastern Cuba’s theological center.

Speaking at the closing of thenational forum, the president of theCIC, Joel Ortega Dopico, said thatmore than the ending of an event “itmarked the beginning of a processthat will not finish until we haveachieved that all Cuban theologicalinstitutions, in some way, have thesubject of the handicapped on theiragendas.”

National forum in Cuba on the handicapped (J. A. Paz)

Cuban Evangelical theologicalschools evaluate the inclusion ofthe subject of the handicapped

in their curriculums

ALC/Buenos Aires

In the face of the reiteratedcases of violence and death

suffered by the Qom People of theArgentinean provinces of Chacoand Formosa, and in line with thesupport given by the UnitedMissions Board made-up of severalProtestant churches, and that of theLatin American Council ofChurches (CLAI) Río de la PlataRegion, the Synod of theEvangelical Waldensian Church ofRío de la Plata has made knownthrough a declaration its commit-ment of faith to accompany theQom People in their demands.

These Qom communities areexperiencing a situation of vulnera-bility associated with the harass-ment they have received ever since

presenting demands for the restitu-tion of their territories. Over therecent years numerous members ofthe communities in both the Chacoand the Formosa provinces haveconstantly suffered increasingaggressions and threats.

The Waldensian Church, whichheld its Synodal Assembly fromFebruary 3-6, has a long experienceof living and working with the Qomcommunities, along with theCommon Apostolic Action (AAC,Spanish acronym), carrying out aBible School project with commu-nities in Villa El Bermejito in theChaco province.

In the “Synodal Act,” theWaldensian Church expresses itswillingness to work together withsocial organizations, religious insti-tutions and sister churches in all

that will contribute to a respect forthe full Rights of the OriginalPeoples.

Likewise, two letters were madepublic during the first week ofFebruary, demanding the interven-tion of the Argentinean president inthe cases of repression and murdersof members of the Qom People ofthe Chaco and the Formosaprovinces.

Both documents (ambosescritos) had a significant repercus-sion, with over 8,000 signatures col-lected throughout the country andabroad, and call for an immediateinvestigation into the deaths andaccidents that have occurred overthe past days, an end to the persecu-tions and threats, and that justicebe done in all the cases.

Río de la Plata Waldensian Synod manifests its commitment to accompany

the cause of the Qom People One sign of the shifting rela-tionship was a Jan. 10 meet-ing between ArgentinePresident Cristina Fernán dezand leaders of the ArgentineFederation of Evan gelicalChurches (FAIE). The half-hour session –the first timean Argentine president hasmet officially with anEvangelical delegation– is alikely first step toward consti-tutional separation of churchand state, said WashingtonUranga, a Uruguayan journal-ist, political analyst and uni-versity professor in BuenosAires, Argentina.

Catholic News Service/Lima,By Barbara J. FraserCatholic News Service

When Venezuela’s bishopsspoke out against postpon-

ing the inauguration of ailingPresident Hugo Chávez, the presi-dent’s supporters accused them ofmeddling in politics, while govern-ment opponents praised their com-ments.

That latest round of church-state sparring is typical of the uneasyrelationship between church leadersand government officials in manyLatin American countries amid shiftsin the balance of power between thechurch and political leaders.

Venezuela’s Supreme Courtallowed indefinite postponement ofthe inauguration, scheduled for Jan.10, raising questions about politicalleadership in the country. Chávezhas not spoken or appeared publiclysince undergoing a fourth canceroperation in Havana Dec. 11.

Shifts in balance of powercreate uneasy relations in

Latin America

Continue on page 8

Dora Arce-Valentín is nowin Geneva to take on full-time responsibility for theOffice of Justice andPartnership of the WorldCommunion of ReformedChurches (WCRC).

World Communion of ReformedChurches, ALC/Geneva

“Now I am where I have tobe. Our staff team needs to

be together so that we can makejustice issues felt,” says Arce-Valentín. “The justice programmeis one of the organization’s two pil-lars along with Theology andCommunion. I am happy to behere to provide the balance.”

Arce-Valentín had been work-ing in her native Cuba as part-time

programme consultant for justiceprogrammes since January 2012.Funding from the Council forWorld Mission has enabled theCuban pastor and justice advocateto come to Geneva for 2013. In2014 she will move with the staffteam to new offices in Hannover,Germany.

In welcoming Arce-Valentín,WCRC General Secretary SetriNyomi says: “Rev. Dora Arce-Valentín comes to WCRC withmuch experience as a pastor and aperson committed to justice. Withher as a full-time member of thestaff team, WCRC will be better ableto continue its work with its mem-ber churches to be a strong forcefor justice in the world.”

Arce-Valentín says she is grate-ful to the Presbyterian Church inCuba for allowing her to take onthis assignment with WCRC at atime when there is a pressing needfor pastors in the country.

“My church doesn’t havefinancial resources. We are givingwhat we have – human resources.It is our way of saying we know theimportance of justice work toWCRC and the ecumenical move-ment,” she says.

In the coming year, Arce-Valentín will be focussing on creat-ing closer contacts with regionalchurch groups. Based on her expe-rience in the Caribbean region, sheknows this is the way to connectwith local parishes to learn abouttheir needs and let them knowwhat WCRC can offer.

Arce-Valentín’s vision for thejustice programme puts a priorityon working with youth. Plans

include offering workshops on pos-itive, non-violent images of mas-culinity and supporting youthinvolvement in ecological justice.

“Justice issues appeal to youngpeople,” she notes. “There is thepotential for youth to take on someissues and force their churches todeal with them.”

Plans for 2013 include follow-up to a meeting last year in Brazilthat produced proposals for a newframe of reference for the world’sfinancial structures. A panel ofexperts is now being formed to fol-low through on the proposals. Andin March, Arce-Valentín will con-vene a meeting of WCRC’s networksof justice advocates in the contextof a consultation on human traf-ficking.

Source: World Comunión of Reformed Churches, WCRC:http://www.wcrc.ch/node/911

2 Latin America and EnvironmentLAT

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Latin American Ecumenical News is a quarterly produced by theCommunication Department of the Latin American Council of Churches

Editor: Geoffrey Reeson

Translation: Geoff Reeson

Layout and Editorial Coordination:

Amparo Salazar Chacón

Press service: ALC, Methodist News

Service, ENI, Presbyterian News Press,

ACNS, Zenit, Factiva, ACPress.

Departamento de Comunicaciones CLAIInglaterra N32-113 y Av. Mariana de JesúsCasilla 17-08-8522, Quito, EcuadorTelepone: (593-2) 255-3996/252-9933Fax: (593-2) 256-8373 E-mail: nilton@claiweb.orgwww.claiweb.org

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LAEN

As part of its efforts to keepCuba as the host country forits VI Assembly in 2013, theLatin American Council ofChurches (CLAI) is support-ing a “Rose for CLAI” Adventand Christmas appeal.

CLAI, ALC/Quito

Informing about the appealon the CLAI website, generalsecretary Rev. Nilton Giese

expresses that “CLAI is experiencingtimes of great anguish and tension,

as during a dark stormy night inwhich we wish that dawn comequickly. The restrictions and block-ade by the United States toward Cubawant to discourage us from our hopeof being able to share the CLAI VIAssembly with the churches in Cuba.A considerable amount of the fundsfor the assembly have been blockedin the U.S. without any possibility forusing them to cover accommoda-tion, feeding and transportationexpenses in Cuba. There will be over400 participants at the assembly, rep-resenting 180 churches and ecu-menical organizations of Latin

America, the United States andEurope. There is a reason for thefinancial restrictions placed on theCLAI funds, and that is because CLAIdecided to hold its VI Assembly inCuba.”

Giese continues by pointing outthat “the churches of Cuba are ask-ing us to not allow this situation tobe an impediment for holding theassembly in their country. Theyyearn and pray to God that this pos-sibility be maintained. For that rea-son they want to carry out a localcampaign of prayer and monetaryofferings for the CLAI VI Assembly.They have also extended the chal-lenge to the whole continental ecu-menical movement, consisting of aday of prayer and an offering equiv-alent to the price of a rose for CLAI.The challenge is that each churchcollects the offering given by everymember of its denomination. Thegoal is to collect US $20,000. … Weinvite your denomination’s delegateto then bring the money to Havanafor the VI General Assembly.”

Source: Latin American Council of Churches, CLAI:http://www.claiweb.org/

For the documents (in Spanish) with regard to the blocking in the U.S. ofthe CLAI funds for the VI Assembly in Havana, see:

http://www.claiweb.org/vi%20asamblea/principal.html

A “Rose for CLAI” Advent andChristmas Appeal

A Rose for CLAI (CLAI)

Dora Arce-Valentín (WCRC

Sumichan)

Head of WCRC’s justice programme nowbased in Geneva

But if Venezuela’s prelates werecriticized for expressing politicalviews, they are not alone.

Church-state conflicts date backto colonial times, and when theregion shook off Spanish rule, theCatholic Church had to readjust itsrelationship with each newly inde-pendent Latin American country,says Alexander Wilde, a senior schol-ar in the Washington-based WilsonCenter’s Latin America program.

Most countries’ constitutionsgave the Catholic Church a privi-leged place, but some of those privi-leges have eroded as those docu-ments have been revised over theyears.

One sign of the shifting relation-ship was a Jan. 10 meeting betweenArgentine President CristinaFernández and leaders of theArgentine Federation of EvangelicalChurches (FAIE). The half-hour ses-sion — the first time an Argentinepresident has met officially with anEvangelical delegation — is a likelyfirst step toward constitutional sepa-ration of church and state, saidWashington Uranga, a Uruguayanjournalist, political analyst and uni-versity professor in Buenos Aires,Argentina.

That may further complicate analready complex church-state rela-tionship in that country, where for-mer dictator Jorge Videla last yearaccused top church officials of com-plicity in the government’s “dirtywar” against leftist opponentsbetween 1976 and 1983. InNovember the bishops denied thatclaim and issued a general apology,asking “the forgiveness of everyonewhom we failed or did not support aswe should have.”

The bishops said they were opento a review of their predecessors’actions under the dictatorship,which often put them at odds withpriests, sisters and other churchworkers who were threatened by thegovernment because of their work onbehalf of victims and their families.

Church leaders in Chile in the1970s also initially supported formerdictator Augusto Pinochet’s violentcrackdown on opponents, althoughtheir position changed over time,Wilde says. There, too, many churchworkers at the grass roots took anactive stand against the dictatorship.

Because of their positions inLatin American societies, both presi-dents and church leaders run therisk of becoming isolated from thegrass roots, says Wilde, who has stud-ied human rights and violence invarious countries in the region,including Chile.

“It’s a bubble — it happens topeople in power,” he says. He adds,however, “You hardly ever get a hier-archy that is uniform,” and bishopshave been threatened or killed fortaking stands against dictators orstrong-arm rulers.

While church leaders wereaccused of being too close to right-wing governments in the 1970s and1980s, they have distanced them-selves from a new breed of LatinAmerican leader. Since the 1990s,countries such as Venezuela,Ecuador and Bolivia have electedleft-leaning, populist presidents whopledged to redistribute wealth and

give poor, indigenous and disenfran-chised citizens a greater role in theircountries’ civic life.

In all three countries, bishopshave sparred with the presidents innewspaper headlines and publicstatements, although Uranga saysthe reasons vary from country tocountry.

In a statement issued Jan. 3,with an eye toward the Feb. 17 presi-dential elections, Ecuador’s bishopscalled for voters to “not favor politi-cal and legislative options that arecontrary to fundamental values andethical principles” and called forrespect for human rights and “free-dom of expression.”

Opponents have accusedEcuadorian President Rafael Correaof attempting to stifle criticism in themedia, a charge that has also beenleveled against Chavez in Venezuelaand Fernandez in Argentina.

The Ecuadorian bishops alsonoted that citizens were not “anamorphous mass to be manipulatedor used as a tool, but a group of peo-ple with their own vision of publicaffairs, who are willing to defendtheir rights and carry out their oblig-ations.”

The Bolivian government’s useof power was on the agenda whenthe country’s bishops met in mid-November to elect new leaders. Theprelates chose Bishop Oscar AparicioCéspedes, head of the military ordi-nariate, replacing Cardinal JulioTerrazas Sandoval, 76, who led theconference for 15 years, and whosesharp exchanges with President EvoMorales have often made newspaperheadlines.

Cardinal Terrazas, who did notattend the bishops’ meeting forhealth reasons, sent a message inwhich he warned of government“manipulation” of the judiciary, aswell as the expansion of crime anddrug trafficking.

Bolivia’s vice minister of socialdefense and controlled substances,Felipe Cáceres, shot back that thebishops were “taking sides, ideologi-cally speaking,” while a congress-man from Morales’ MovementToward Socialism accused thechurch of “politics.”

In their message, theEcuadorian bishops acknowledgedthat politics is a touchy subject.

“Some people say the bishopsshould support all governmentsacritically; others say they shouldmaintain steadfast opposition; andsome say we should abstain fromsaying anything. The three views arepartial and imprecise,” they wrote intheir Jan. 3 statement. “It is not ourplace to express political preferences,but it is our job to evaluate the ethi-cal and religious implications andconsequences of political plans.”

Those comments reflect whatWilde says is broader ambiguityabout the church’s involvement inpolitics.

“The Vatican has sent very dif-ferent signals in recent years,” hesays. “There’s always an inherenttension, because the church claimssome authority over the whole soci-ety, and where the lines are drawn asa practical matter may change overtime.”

Source: Catholic News Service, CNS:http://www.catholicnews.com/data/stories/cns/1300177.htm

Shifts in balance of power…From page 8

The Ecumenical Accompa -ni ment Program in Colom -bia (PEAC, Spanish acro -nym) has announced thearrival of the first accompa-niment team for the SanOnofre region in Sucre, onthe Colombian north coast.

ALC/By Milton Mejía for ALC

The arrival of this firstaccompaniment team

marks the first steps being taken

so that the founding purpose ofPEAC becomes a reality. This pur-pose of PEAC is to transmit hopeand confidence to leaders ofsocial organizations, and con-tribute to the protection and helpin the incrementing of securityfor the people and communityprocesses that have constantlysuffered threats and persecution.

The members of the first ecu-menical accompaniment team toarrive come from Mexico, El

Salvador and the DominicanRepublic. They were presented ata protocol event on February 16,with the presence of representa-tives from the churches andChristian organizations that are apart of PEAC, as well as the par-ticipation of leaders of socialorganizations and civil authori-ties of San Onofre.

Blanca Lucía Echeverry andChris Ferguson of theEcumenical Accompaniment

Program in Colombia, said thatthe arrival of the first ecumenicalaccompaniment team begins aprocess of formation on protec-tion and self-protection, as well as

on the law of victims and mecha-nisms for participation and inci-dence of the communities, so asto bring about respect for humanrights and the search for justice.

Latin America and Environment 3LATINAMERICANECUMENICALNEWS

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A recent report by AmnestyInternational points out thatthe Guatemalan authoritiesput the lives of women indanger, by not protectingthem nor guaranteeing thatthose responsible for homi-cides are brought to trial,while femicide continuesbeing a constant with almosta thousand women mur-dered in 2011, and six thou-sand over the last years.

ALC/Guatemala City

According to the report pub-lished on thewww.ladob.com website,

560 women were murdered inGuatemala in 2012, with less than4% of the cases ending with sen-tences for those responsible, eventhough the Guatemalan congresshad approved a law in 2008 thatspecifies crimes of violence againstwomen.

The law also created specialcourts and laid down guidelines for

the imposing of punishment, but upuntil the present time it has notbrought about the awaited results asa mechanism to stop violenceagainst women.

For its part, the InternationalCommission against Impunity inGuatemala (CICIG), has affirmedthat these murders are kept silentand hidden in the daily violence ofthe country, where 98% of crimesremain unpunished, while mutilat-ed and tortured bodies of women andgirls are exhibited, murdered by menor organized men’s groups todemonstrate their gender supremacy.

For Sebastián Elgueta, aresearcher for Amnesty Internationalstated that the number of femicidehomicides has not lowered, in spiteof how shameful this scourge is forGuatemalan society.

Elgueta said that thousands ofcases from the previous decade haveyet to be solved or have been shelved,because of a supposed lack of evi-dence, as a result of an ineffectiveinvestigation and no guarantee thatthose responsible will be brought totrial.

In La Paz, an ecumenicaldelegation delivered toBolivian government offi-cials a statement on ethicalprinciples for a new globaleconomic system. The state-ment was received byBolivian minister of thepresidency Juan RamónQuintana at the governmentpalace on 9 January.

WCC, ALC/La Paz

The ecumenical delegationwas led by Rev. Dr Walter

Altmann, a Brazilian pastor andmoderator of the World Council ofChurches (WCC) CentralCommittee.

“We share the commitment towork in favour of the future ofhumankind,” said Quintana whilereceiving the document titled “SãoPaulo Statement: InternationalFinancial Transformation for theEconomy of Life”. “We have to workon a common agenda of coopera-tion,” he added.

The statement was jointly pro-duced by the participants of a confer-ence in 2012, promoted by the WCC,the World Communion of ReformedChurches and the Council for WorldMission in Guarulhos, Brazil.

Speaking to the delegates,Quintana stressed the importance ofworking in partnership with differentglobal actors. “Churches can be veryeffective in sharing and promotinggifts that encourage the good livingof all people. We work to defend andpromote peoples’ dignity, which isalso one of your mandates,”Quintana said.

Being a country struggling toelevate its economy, Bolivia is a keyparticipant in the debate on develop-ment, especially initiated by theUnited Nations. The country is nowled by its first indigenous president,Evo Morales, working on imple-menting balance within power struc-tures, introducing a process for fairdistribution of the natural resources.

The delegation also met withAmbassador Fernando Huanacuni,vice-minister for interreligiousaffairs at the Ministry of ExternalAffairs in Bolivia. In the meeting,Huanacuni expressed appreciationfor the statement.

“This document can be animportant piece in the upcoming

dialogue among different segmentsof our society”, he said. The ambas-sador also received a copy of theregional ecumenical proposal for theestablishment of an agency of coop-eration under the Union of SouthAmerican Nations.

Government’s role in pro-moting an economy of life

Humberto Martin Shikiya, whois among those who have drafted theproposal, said, “The Bolivian gov-ernment can play a decisive role inthe debate about the concept ofdevelopment taking place betweenthe Community of Latin Americanand Caribbean States and theEuropean Union.”

Shikiya, a delegate, is executivedirector of the Regional EcumenicalCentre for Advisory and Service(CREAS), member organization ofthe ACT Alliance.

“In the ecumenical movementwe are advocating for a wider under-standing of development inspired bythe concept of good living,” Shikiyasaid. “The Andean concept ofSumak Kawsay is more holisticthan the current basic idea of devel-opment.”

Shikiya was referring to theexpression Sumak Kawsay, fromthe indigenous people of Quichua,which means “good life”.

The WCC Central Committeemoderator Altmann shared his viewsabout possible avenues of coopera-tion among churches and govern-ments. “Most of the leaders currentlyin charge in Latin America once tookpart in processes promoted by thecivil society,” said Altmann. He saidthat such process include the “WorldSocial Forum and the People’s

Summit, which are spaces where weare present side by side with othercivil society movements”.

While explaining to the ambas-sador the scope of action for the ecu-menical movement, Altmann men-tioned work of the WCC and the ACTAlliance. “The cooperation betweenthese two organizations is a concreteexample of the synergy between spir-ituality and action,” he said.

In the meeting, human rightsand environmental issues were dis-cussed. Altmann also spoke aboutwork of the WCC’s Ecumenical WaterNetwork.

The delegation included BishopJavier Rojas Terán of the EvangelicalMethodist Church of Bolivia (IEMB),Caterina Bain, CREAS’s deputy direc-tor, Ana Maria Guzmán, responsiblefor public relations at the IEMB, andDr Marcelo Schneider, the WCC’scommunications liaison for LatinAmerica.

The series of meetings in Boliviaare part of a regional ecumenicaladvocacy initiative, a follow up to theprocess which led to the developmentof the “São Paulo Statement”.

In October 2012, theArgentinean chancellery receivedanother statement by the ecumeni-cal delegation comprised of repre-sentatives from the WCC, the LatinAmerican Council of Churches(CLAI), the Alliance of Presbyterianand Reformed Churches in LatinAmerica (AIPRAL), the WorldAssociation for ChristianCommunication and the LatinAmerica and CaribbeanCommunication Agency (ALC).

Source: World Council of Churches, WCC:http://www.oikoumene.org/en/news/news-management/eng/a/arti-

cle/1634/ecumenical-delegation-del.html

Femicide continues tobe a phenomenon that

sadly marksGuatemalan society

A woman holds flowers before a demonstration protesting violence against

women in Guatemala City, Jan. 19, 2013 (Reuters Jorge Dan López

www.trust.org)

From left to right: Ana Maria Guzmán, Humberto Martin Shikiya, Bishop Javier

Rojas Terán, Juan Ramón Quintana, Walter Altmann, Caterina Bain and Marcelo

Schneider (Maya Nemtala Ministry of the Presidency in Bolivia)

First ecumenical accompaniment team arrives in Colombia

Presentation of members of first PEAC international accompaniment team in San

Onofre region of Colombia (PEAC CLAI)

Statement on global economy delivered to Bolivia

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“Long years of civil war andimporting of weapons since

the 1980s have created a difficult sit-uation in Latin America, where thepreventing of the proliferation ofarms is a challenge”, stated Prof.Benjamin Maerchana at a WorldCouncil of Churches (WCC) consul-tation in Antigua, Guatemala.

Maerchana, who is a member ofthe faculty at the Martin Luther KingUniversity, Nicaragua, said thatabout 4.5 million small weaponswere in the possession of the civilpopulation in the region in 2007 andare still in circulation.

The consultation he wasaddressing was focused on develop-ing an ecumenical response onpeace and human security in LatinAmerica.

The event brought togethermore than thirty participants fromaround twenty countries fromNovember 30 to 2 December.

The consultation was organizedby the WCC’s Commission of theChurches on International Affairs(CCIA) in cooperation with the LatinAmerican Council of Churches and

the Ecumenical Christian Council ofGuatemala.

Prof. Maerchana went on to saythat the “challenge to stop the armsproliferation as well as combatingdrug trafficking in Latin America isessential for reducing the level ofviolence and setting conditions forhuman security, peace and develop-ment.”

At the conference, participantsalso noted that several LatinAmerican countries have madeprogress in economic growth andsocial development, yet a sense ofinsecurity and vulnerability prevailsamong the people.

Addressing the participants ofthe consultation, Rita Claverie deSciolli, vice minister for foreignaffairs of the Republic of Nicaragua,said that an “increasingly polarizedsocial order dehumanizes people inmany parts of Latin America, there-fore the role of churches in protect-ing the dignity and security of thepeople has become valuable.”

“The role of churches in a coun-try like Mexico, where hundreds ofthousands of people from CentralAmerican countries are stranded asmigrants, the shelter and care pro-

vided by the churches are valuable,”she added.

“Criminalization in exploitationof natural resources, especially theland of indigenous peoples, is acommon trend in many LatinAmerican countries”, said Maria doCarmo Moreira Lima, president of anational indigenous women’s asso-ciation in Peru and former memberof parliament.

“Mobility of indigenous peopleand their peaceful lives are threat-ened by transnational companies,who collaborate with corrupt politi-cians and rulers in several countriesin Latin America,” she added.

“Human security concerns arecritical in the Latin American regiontoday. Initiatives to incorporate ahuman security orientation inregional and local development poli-cies and planning are still very few,”said Prof. James Esponda from theRoman Catholic Church in Chile.

“A human security orientationdemands that the needs of the vul-nerable be addressed and integratedinto development strategies,” headded.

In a thematic presentation on“peace and human security in anemerging geo-political context” theCCIA director Dr Mathews GeorgeChunakara stated that “placing peo-ple rather than states at the focalpoint of security considerations is theneed of the day.”

He said that “human securitycan be protected only in a societywhere security of the individuals andsocieties are valued.”

Source: World Council of Churches, WCC:http://www.oikoumene.org/en/news/news-management/eng/a/arti-

cle/1634/wcc-consultation-develops.html

“What’s my dream? To be anhonorable man, get a joband live in a better placewith less violence,”answered Yago Conceiçãoda Silva, 14, resident ofFavela do Sapo, a slum inthe Rio de Janeiro neigh-borhood of SenadorCamará.

ACT Alliance, ALC/Rio de JaneiroBy Susanne Buchweitz, LutheranFoundation of Diakonia in PortoAlegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

“We have gone through sev-eral wars here. Many peopledied, and that’s not good. It

undervalues the community; it cre-ates prejudice. Other people thinkwe’re animals, as if we’re worthnothing. I can’t forget the violenceI’ve witnessed.”

Yago’s experience is like that ofso many other young people inBrazil. According to the World HealthOrganisation, Brazil has one of theworld’s highest murder rates –ranked fourth among 99 countriessurveyed last year. Young peoplebetween the ages of 15 and 24 are themost frequent victims of homicide,particularly poor, black youth,according to an Instituto Sangari

study produced last year, “2012 Mapof Violence Data - The New Patters ofHomicidal Violence in Brazil.”

Levels of violence in Yago’s Rioneighborhood have been particular-ly high. In addition to homicide, itholds the infamous status of beingthe neighbourhood with the highestrates of theft and bus burnings inRio. Gang and drug-related violencehas run rampant. Massive and mul-tiple police operations to quell thefighting and drug activity in recentyears has inflicted a violence all itsown on the community, leaving citi-zens dead and schools closed.

Creative transformationAgainst this backdrop, ACT

Alliance members have come togeth-er to provide positive, creative outletsfor Yago and other young people likehim. Arte em Conjunto (ArtTogether), funded by the LutheranFoundation of Diakonia (Brazil)and the Protestant Agency forDiakonia and Development, is asmall organisation founded in 2006that promotes social and culturalactivities for at-risk youth in theFavela do Sapo slum and neighbor-ing areas. Arte em Conjunto is builtupon the neighbourhood residents’ideas and expectations; it is support-ed and sustained by communitymobilisation.

“We work with very little money.

Together with the community, wecreated groups of carnival dancers;we developed a neighbourhood asso-ciation; we are creating a trade asso-ciation; we work together with thechurches and the African heritagereligions of the region,” explainsArte em Conjunto’s social educator,Mario Luis Gomes.

To expand its reach despite lim-ited resources, Arte em Conjuntopartners with related organisationsin the area. Its work with the nearbyCultural Centre Caixa de Surpresa(Surprise Box) is one such example.Twin sisters Dayana and DayaneMain, 23, have attended classes atthe cultural centre since they were11. Their experience instilled inthem a love of dance, which hasshaped their long-term interests andaspirations.

“We know it’s hard, but wedream of living from our art,” theyexplain. Now they are studying geog-raphy at university and have jobsthat contribute to their family’sincome.

Ana Carolina da Silva, a 27-year-old university history student, alsohas had many years of experiencewith the group and has watched itevolve with time.

“After we started the group, otherresponsibilities came along: thegraphite workshop; the drawingworkshop. Meetings were held in the

courtyard of my building. I ended upgetting more and more involved.”

Toward a happy endingYouth will shape the future, con-

cludes Gomes. “There is an Africanproverb that says: ‘If you want tounderstand how the story ends, payattention to its beginning.’” Thestory of Arte em Conjunto began witha community cleaning campaign

initiated by its young people. Its storycontinues, playing a role in directingyoung people toward their ownhappy endings.

“The young people of SenadorCamará are reinventing themselvesand building a better future,” con-cludes Gomes. “Along with their sto-ries of violence are fantastic stories ofresilience.”

Source: ACT Alliance: http://www.actalliance.org/stories/youth-in-rio

ALC/Barranquilla

The Reformed UniversityCorporation (CUR) and the

Baptist University Founda tion (FUB)have signed an agreement to offer acourse on Diaconal Service forPeace, as part of their theology pro-grams.

Aimed at social workers, theolo-gians, pastors, social researchers,and community leaders, the courseis intended to strengthen the publicand political incidence of the eccle-sial communities in the building ofpeace in Colombia, starting from abiblical theological perspective. It isdesigned to take into account localexperiences and those of the interna-tional ecumenical movement innon-violence and the search for jus-tice.

The course is a consequence ofthe “Initiatives for Peace ofEvangelical and EcumenicalChurches in Colombia” survey, car-ried out in 2011, and is offered withthe cooperation of the EcumenicalNetwork of Colombia, the WorldCouncil of Churches (WCC), the

Latin American Council of Churches(CLAI), and the EcumenicalRegional Center for Consultancy andService (CREAS).

The course content includes: - Historical analysis, context and

alternatives for peace in Colombia:Milton Mejía (Colombia).

- The social action of thechurches in Colombia and thesearch for peace: Pablo Moreno(Colombia).

- International experiences ofthe ecumenical movement in thesearch for peace: Chris Fergusson(Canada).

- The content of peace from theperspective of the Bible, gender andhuman rights: Adelaida Jiménez(Colombia).

- Incidence for peace: HumbertoShikiya and Caterine Bain(Argentina).

- Systematizing and recoveringof memory: Maritze Wheats andAmilcar Ulloa (Colombia).

- Mediation and conflict resolu-tion through methods of non-vio-lence: Jenny Neme (Colombia).Rita Claverie de Sciolli, Nicaraguan Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs, addressing

consultation in Antigua, Guatemala (Mayra Rodriguez)

Rio: At-risk youth tell stories of violence and resilience

Yago Conceição da Silva, 14, resident of Favela do Sapo, a slum in the Rio de

Janeiro neighborhood of Senador Camará, cradles his baby sister (ACT Arte em

Conjunto Brazil)

Diaconal Service for Peace (Unireformada)

Churches valuable for peace and securityin Latin America

Ecumenical initiative inColombia offers Diploma inDiaconal Service for Peace

LATINAMERICANECUMENICALNEWS• DECEMBER- FEBRUARY2013

5Church and Society

Reviewing the political,economic, social and reli-gious reality of the countryin 2012, FAIE applauds“the increasing participa-tion of the youngest gener-ations in the national life,”and the improved distribu-tion of goods among theseveral sectors of the po -pulation.

ALC/Buenos Aires

In a pastoral letter signed byits president, Methodist pas-

tor Néstor Miguez, FAIE highlightshowever that economic growthcannot be obtained at the price ofenvironmental unbalance andlaments speculative financialactions, from which both the Stateand private enterprise shouldrefrain. According to the FAIE letter,productive activity should comebefore speculation.

FAIE emphasizes that in spiteof the progress made, there is still a“long road to travel to improve theliving and working conditions, andthe salary levels of the most vulner-able sectors.“

The ecumenical organismdeplores the actions by persons whoshield themselves behind the title ofpastor or the Evangelical faith, “todeceive, break the law and swin-dle.” It further points out that it ispainful to have to recognize theexistence of those so-called “pas-tors” who deform the message andthe simple faith of their followers,promising prosperity or miracleswith the purpose of increasing theircongregation or gaining personalprestige.

The FAIE pastoral letter affirms

that some of those religious mani-festations reach the limits of fanati-cism, and adds: “A faith of full con-viction is one that makes itselfknown through a sincere dialogue,and not in the qualifying or dis-qualifying of others. The past andpresent participation of Christiansin support of and involvement inacts of violations of human rightscannot but be incompatible withthe faith that we profess.”

Speaking in favor of religiouspluralism, FAIE defends and reaf-firms the necessary separationbetween Church and State, as wellas the guaranteeing, without privi-leges, of the freedom of the church-es, associations and faith commu-nities, in their mission of fosteringthe personal growth of their mem-bers in the exercising of their faithwith social responsibility. FAIEtherefore asks that such freedom betaken into consideration by theproposed new Civil andCommercial Code being debated,and demands the immediate repealof the Worship Registration law, putinto effect during the military dic-tatorship.

According to the web site ofthe Costa Rican LutheranChurch (ILCO), the MCPwas reactivated last weekfollowing the restructuringof the organization, princi-ples and model for cooper-ation of the Global Fund.

ALC/San José

The Country CoordinatingMechanism, of which the

Costa Rican Lutheran Church is amember, is a space for dialogue toaccess help to overcome the HIV/Aidspandemic, and gathered togetherorganizations, such as the Ministryof Justice and Peace, ONUSIDA andcivil society initiatives, among oth-

ers. At the center of the discussions

was the need to join efforts in theface of the stigma, and to promoterespect for the human rights of thepopulation that are bearers ofHIV/Aids and integrate them asactive participants in forums andpanels on matters inherent to atti-tudes with regard to persons who livewith the virus, as well as the analysisof data and evidence to increaseknowledge and reinforce the pro-grams of prevention in the most vul-nerable segments in the society.

Likewise, the CountryCoordinating Mechanism (MCP)evaluated the opportunities offeredby the Global Fund in its commit-ment to overcome HIV/Aids in theCentral American region, in addition

to the strengths and weaknesses ofthe MCP itself. The support of theMinistry of Health and the CostaRican Social Security were consid-ered as being necessary to strengthenthese commitments and the actionsto be carried out in the comingmonths, and for the MCP to be ableto fulfill the purposes for which itwas created.

As part of its commitment onbehalf of the poor and humble, theCosta Rican Lutheran Churchexpressed a willingness to continuebeing part of a project that dignifiespeople with HIV/Aids, and besidesoffering them assistance promotestheir fundamental rights and thestruggle against all vestiges of dis-crimination.

As part of the celebrationheld on January 12 to markthe 26th anniversary of theBlind Department of theAssociation of IndigenousEvangelical Churches of theProvince of Chimborazo,12community leaders trainedin the work of attending topeople with handicaps wererecognized, emphasizingthe inclusiveness that is tocharacterize faith for allhuman beings.

ALC/Colta

The government of Ecuadorwas invited to take part inthe anniversary celebra-

tion held in the town of Colta, andsent a delegation in representation ofthe Manuel Espejo program for thehandicapped that is directed by Vice-President Lenin Moreno. Also presentwere persons with different handi-caps, along with pastors and leadersof Indigenous churches from distantrural communities, as well as educa-tion officers and important figures ofthe province of Chimborazo.

The event was organized bycommunity leader César Yumi andÁngel Guamán, a blind doctor and

lawyer, with the collaboration ofRadio Colta and the network ofPopular Radiophone Schools provid-ing coverage for the Indigenous lis-teners of the province as well as thecountry. In addition, there wasnational press coverage through themedia accompanying the represen-tatives of the Manuel Espejo pro-gram.

In a message sent to the Rev.Noel Fernández, member of thecommission that coordinates theministries to the handicapped inLatin America of the World Councilof Churches (WCC), Guamánthanked his fellow Baptist pastor for

having fostered the work in Ecuador,ratifying that “for the Indigenouspersons with handicaps it is as if theGospel had arrived, beginning in2000, with your presence.”

Guamán added that, “weremain firm in the daily struggle tohave the Gospel reach more personswith handicaps, beginning with thedistribution of CDs that the NewLight ministry of Spain sends to usmonthly. We pray that the work bedeveloped not only in the socialaspect, but also the pastoral, so thatit continues growing, as up to now,in Chimborazo and throughout allof Ecuador.”

Ecuador

Indigenous Evangelical pastoralministry to the handicapped trains12 leaders for work in Chimborazo

Crowd gathered in Colta, Chimborazo (www.flickr.com)

Reactivating of the HIV-Aids Country Coordinating Mechanism of Costa Rica (ILCO)

Pastor Néstor Míguez of the

Argentine Federation of Evangelical

Churches (FAIE)

Argentine Federation ofEvangelical Churches(FAIE) applauds the

participation of youth inthe life of the country

Reactivating of the Country CoordinatingMechanism (MCP) of Costa Rica promotes

dialogue in the search to overcomeHIV/Aids

FAIE, ALC/Buenos Aires

The FAIE delegation of pastorsof Evangelical churches, rep-

resentatives of Evangelical educa-tional institutions, and lay persons,was received on January 10 by thePresident of Argentina, Dr. CristinaFernández de Kirchner and theSecretary of Worship of the Nation,Ambassador Guillermo Olivieri.

The matters touched on in thepleasant and fruitful dialogueincluded historical considerations,the contribution of the Evangelicalpresence in the country since itsfoundation, and the commitment toa full upholding of human rights.

The ecumenical delegation feltitself heard and understood when itpresented FAIE’s historic demandthat the law of Registration of

Worship, sanctioned by the last mili-tary dictatorship (Decree Nº 21,745),be repealed and that the new Civiland Commercial Code being debatedincorporate the recognition of theecclesiastical and religious characterof the Evangelical churches.

The meeting ended with thesharing of a moment of prayer withPresident Fernández, asking thatGod accompany and protect her dur-ing the trip she was about to begin,for which she was deeply grateful.

The members of the FAIE dele-gation evaluated the gathering as apositive one and considered it animportant step in the contributionthat the Evangelical churches canoffer to the whole Argentine nation.

Source: Argentine Federation of Evangelical Churches, FAIE:http://faie.org.ar/nuevo/

Argentine Federation of EvangelicalChurches (FAIE) delegation

dialogues with the nation’s President

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136 Latin America and Environment

Feelings of loss, grief anddespair marked the funeralservices of an estimated 235university students killed ina night club fire on Sunday,27 January, in Santa María,Brazil. Vigils, masses, wor-ships and ecumenical ser-vices are held across thecountry in memory of thevictims, offering prayers forthe bereaved. Brazilian churches comfortthe bereaved from SantaMaría fire.

WCC, ALC/Porto Alegre

The fire started around 2:30am in the “Kiss” night club

during a musical performance.Sparks from a pyrotechnics showignited the ceiling and fire rapidlyspread through the building.

Following the incident, BishopFrancisco de Assis da Silva of theEpiscopal Anglican Church ofBrazil (IEAB) South WesternDiocese, using social media andnetworking, called the diocese’slocal membership to gather for avigil at the Anglican cathedral.They also collected informationand discussed how the communitycould help.

A chain of solidarity wasformed to comfort, strengthen andsupport all those affected by thetragedy, Bishop Silva said.

“Ecumenical prayer circles, cele-brations, marches, public eventsand other related activities arebeing organized to express solidari-ty and offer spiritual and psycho-logical support to families of thevictims.”

Many people with seriousinjuries are still under treatment inhospitals, their families fearing fortheir lives and anxiously awaitingtheir recovery. “We rely on the graceof God. Such tragedies reveal to usthat the same pain which weakensus also brings us closer to God andto each other,” Silva said.

Silva, who also serves as vicemoderator of the ecumenicalhumanitarian organization ACTAlliance, pointed out challengesahead for the Christian communityin Santa María. “As churches weneed to act in a way that people feelsupported in their faith and thatthey can live their grief without los-ing hope,” he said. “We will keepproclaiming that the word of God isa word of life!”

For pastor Nestor PauloFriedrich, president of theEvangelical Church of theLutheran Confession in Brazil(IECLB), “as a Christian commu-nity, we look for a reasonableanswer to the question on the caus-es of this tragedy. In the midst ofpain and tears, we express our wordof solidarity to the bereaved fami-lies and encourage them to trust inthe comforting presence of God,”he said.

Friedrich issued a public mes-sage of solidarity to the victims’families on Monday, 28 Januaryinspired by the Kyrie Eleison, a bib-lical expression that refers to the cryof God’s people as they undergounbearable and painful situations.

During the ensuing daysFriedrich has received more confir-mations about the victims and theiraffiliation to the IECLB. “We stilldon’t have a final number of mem-bers among the victims, especiallybecause many of them are beingburied in other cities around SantaMaría,” he said. Friedrich is alsopreparing a pastoral letter to beread in over 1500 congregations onSunday, one week after the tragedy.

Prayers for the victims andbereaved

Santa María has a populationof 262,000, many of whom are uni-

versity students. In the afternoon of 28 January

an ecumenical service gatheredthousands of people at theSaldanha Marinho square, locatedless than one kilometre away fromthe nightclub. The service was cele-brated by Fr Francesco Bianchinifrom the Roman Catholic Church,Rev. Reinoldo Neumann from theIECLB, and Bishop Silva from IEAB.

The service was followed by amarch of solidarity of some 35,000people through the main streets ofthe city. Another ecumenical servicewill take place on Friday, 1February at the Anglican Cathedralof the Mediator, in Santa María.

“We regret and mourn the lossof those young people who, in thevigor of their youth, were surprisedby the fatality of the accident,” saidthe president of the MethodistBishops Conference of Brazil,

Bishop Adonias Pereira do Lago.“Our solidarity in Jesus allows us tofeel the pain that is in all thosefamilies and friends of the victims.Please count on our prayers andsupport,” he added.

Methodist Bishop MarisaFerreira de Freitas said among thereasons for prayer, is to analyze thesecurity conditions of public venuesand to encourage “that politicalleaders use financial and humanresources responsibly to improvethe conditions and efficiency ofsecurity supervision of such estab-lishments.”

In a letter addressed toBrazilian president Dilma Rousseff,the general secretary of the WorldCouncil of Churches (WCC), Rev.Dr Olav Fykse Tveit, expressed soli-darity with the Brazilian people inthe face of this tragedy.

Tveit underlined the positiverole played by the Brazilianchurches in this situation. “Wereceived testimonies from ourmember churches in Brazil report-ing the ecumenical pastoral effortsbeing made locally and nationally.Such initiatives are a clear signal ofthe Christian unity and solidaritythat we confess in our work world-wide,” he said.

The tragedy of Santa María wasthe second worst fire in history ofBrazil, after around 503 people diedon 17 December 1961, in Niterói, ata circus fire.

Source: World Council of Churches, WCC:http://www.oikoumene.org/en/news/news-management/eng/a/arti-

cle/1634/brazilian-churches-comfor.html

In a recently published arti-cle, Dr Lilia Solanodescribed the impact ofColombia’s armed conflicton its people. A long-timehuman rights activist,Solano reported that in thedecades-long conflict,Colombia has seen five mil-lion people displaced, sixtythousand declared as “miss-ing”, thousands killed, anda million hectares of landsnatched away from therightful owners.

WCC, ALC/By Marcelo Schneider*

Solano works as director ofthe Justice and Life projectin Bogotá, the capital city

of Colombia. She is among the lead-ership of social movements inColombia. Through this work shebegan to be engaged with the WorldCouncil of Churches (WCC) pro-gramme for human rights advocacy.

Following a round of peace talksbetween the Colombian governmentand the FARC rebels (RevolutionaryArmed Forces of Colombia) inNovember 2012, Solano reports thatshe sees human and environmentalrights integral to the peace process.

She identifies the role played byecumenical partners as importantfor achieving justice and peace in

the region. In a recent WCC consultation on

peace and human security inGuatemala, Solano stressed that thepeace process in Colombia is impor-tant for other countries in theregion, explaining why.

“It is important to understandthe structural causes of conflict inColombia. This war is connected tosimilar situations in other countriesof the region, triggered by the growthof poverty and struggles for land,”said Solano.

The occupation of theColombian territory and manipula-tion of natural resources by themultinationals have resulted in aloss of sovereignty. The destruction ofthe environment remains a phe-nomenon that Solano calls both asymptom and a significant impact ofthe current unjust economic model.

She identified links between thegovernment’s decisions and theparamilitary forces active in differentareas of the Colombian territory.

“The presence of paramilitaryforces in the country is part of astrategy imposed by the state in orderto oppress those that are considered‘inconvenient actors’ by the eco-nomic, political and military pow-ers,” noted Solano.

Therefore, the persecution andelimination of members of workers’unions, human rights organizationsand social movements becameinevitable.

“Even today, the paramilitary

activity remains, most evidently inthe areas where megaprojects by themultinationals are being imple-mented,” said Solano.

The agenda for peace negotia-tions between the government andthe FARC rebels, both in Norway andCuba, have included guarantees ofcomprehensive agricultural develop-ment. These were accompanied byproposals for the right to exercisepolitical opposition, the end ofarmed conflict, a strategy for com-bating drug trafficking and a plan ofcompensation for the victims of vio-lence.

Global advocacy for peace Solano believes that the limited

participation by civil society in thisprocess shows that the Colombiangovernment is not taking into con-

sideration the realities of thousandsof citizens, who experience the struc-tural causes of the war on a dailybasis.

“The dynamics of the peaceprocess should be established by thesocial actors. We have the right to bepart of this process. The civil societycan help in building the basis for alasting peace,” Solano added.

Solano stressed that the WCCand other international organiza-tions can play a vital role in theColombian peace process by support-ing the civil society. She said that it ishigh time for such a support sincethe Colombian government isthreatening to prosecute local orga-nizations, which hope to claim aseat in the roundtable of peace talks.

“Therefore we demand thatinternational organizations like theWCC, with its vast experience inpeace talks internationally, accom-pany, endorse and support the vic-tims of the conflict in Colombia,”she continued.

“The ecumenical partners canhelp to assure the Colombians thatthey have the opportunity to buildthe country that they envision,” saidSolano.

In a situation where Colombiancivil society urges a bilateral cease-fire, support from the internationalcommunity can make a difference.

The WCC’s programme execu-tive for human rights and globaladvocacy, Christina Papazoglou,hopes that the peace talks in Cuba

may lead both the Colombian gov-ernment and the FARC rebels “toshow good will and refrain from anyactions that may jeopardize the con-tinuation of the dialogue”.

She believes that “both sideshave a responsibility towards thepeople of Colombia to exhaust allefforts in order to put an end to thisconflict and bring peace and justicein the country,” she said.

Solano also spoke about theProgramme of EcumenicalAccompaniment in Colombia(PEAC), an initiative supported bythe WCC and implemented by theLatin American Council of Churches(CLAI) and other regional ecumeni-cal organizations.

She said, “There are many ele-ments that can be drawn up from theWCC’s experience in Palestine andIsrael. However, implementing suchan initiative in Colombia requiresfurther considerations, such as highprofile international support thatcan allow an organ such as the WCCto become a valid voice between theColombian government and the civilsociety working for peace.”

The PEAC initiative is inspiredby the WCC’s EcumenicalAccompaniment Programme inPalestine and Israel, and aims tosupport communities affected by theconflict in Colombia.

*Dr Marcelo Schneider works as WCC communication liaison for LatinAmerica and is based in Porto Alegre, Brazil.

Source: World Council of Churches, WCC:http://www.oikoumene.org/en/news/news-

management/eng/a/article/1634/justice-is-the-key-to-pea.html

Lilia Solano (Justicia y Vida)

Justice is the key to peace in Colombia

Brazilian churches comfort the bereaved from Santa María fire

People carry a religious painting as they march in tribute to the victims of the

night club fire in the city of Santa Maria, Brazil (Reuters Edison Vara WCC)

LATINAMERICANECUMENICALNEWS• DECEMBER- FEBRUARY2013

Latin America and Environment 7

The General Secretary ofThe Lutheran WorldFederation (LWF), Rev.Martin Junge, has offeredthe communion’s deepestsympathy to the families ofthe more than 230 youngpeople who died in a“dreadful” nightclub fire 27January in Brazil.

LWF, ALC/Geneva

“Words fail us before the deathof so many young people.

Their desires and hopes, their joysand ambitions have been tragicallycut short,” Junge said in a letter tothe President of the EvangelicalChurch of the Lutheran Confessionin Brazil (IECLB), Rev. Dr Nestor P.Friedrich.

The fire took place after a band

lit fireworks at a crowded nightclubin Santa Maria, a university city inthe Rio Grande do Sol region. Thevictims, most under the age of 20,had inhaled toxic fumes or werecrushed in the panic.

Junge offered prayers for theinjured and for IECLB congregationscoping with the pastoral challengescaused by the tragedy.

“It is promised that it is precise-ly in such times of deep pain andweakness that God takes us by thehand and inspires the ministry oflove, care and acceptance to whichthe congregations and communitiesof the IECLB are today being called,”Junge said.

The general secretary assuredthe Brazilian church of the Lutherancommunion’s support, solidarityand accompaniment.

Source: Lutheran World Federation, LWF:http://www.lutheranworld.org/lwf/index.php/sympathy-families-brazil-fire-

victims.html

Lobaina describes herself asa “Christian militant” whotakes a feminist reading ofthe Bible to workshops andreligious services aroundCuba, to discuss genderequality and a culture ofpeace.

IPS, ALC/Havana

Participants learn aboutgender violence, its pre-vention and ways to

break free, among other issues.“All churches know that the

abuse of women is also a familyand community problem,” saysLobaina, who is coordinator of theWomen and Gender Programme ofthe Council of Churches ofCuba (CIC).

Lobaina, who is also coordina-tor of the “Débora” ChristianWomen’s Network, founded in2009, spoke with IPS’ IvetGonzález about her work prevent-ing violence against women.

Q: What is the reaction tothese issues in Christian com-munities?

A: Sometimes there is a greatdeal of apprehension or expecta-tions about what we are going tosay. But when we address the issuesof gender-based violence and dis-crimination through biblical texts,we are met mostly with acceptance.

The Bible has many liberatingstories and others where women’sexclusion is denounced.

We have also encounteredrejection. The gender issue can bedisturbing because it addresses verydifficult realities, and not every-body wants to know about them.

We have made progress com-pared to more than 20 years ago,when women’s problems had justbegun to be discussed in Cubanchurches. Now there is a greateropenness to talking about genderinequality and many congrega-tions ask us to hold workshops.

Q: What does this “alterna-tive” reading of the Bible consistof? How are sexist passagesaddressed?

A: It is true that the Bible con-tains texts that are discriminatorytoward women — in some com-munities they were expressly for-bidden from speaking — but italso contains liberating ones.

For example, many say that forGod there are no differences of sexor race. We cannot forget that somepassages were a result of very patri-archal eras and contexts, in whichwomen were not taken into consid-eration.

Q: Who tends to come to theworkshops?

A: They are open to everyone,but it is mainly women who come.Nevertheless, the number of mentaking part in the workshops hasgrown across the country, throughthe CIC programme.

The question of masculinity isalso addressed using biblical pas-sages, although this focus is new.People tend to confuse questions ofmasculinity with sexual diversity,an issue that many people are stillreluctant to discuss.

Q: What special characteris-tics does the prevention of gen-der-based violence have inChristian communities?

A: Many women are abused intheir homes and even in theirchurches, and they don’t tell any-one. They keep their problem asecret out of shame and the ideathat “family matters” are nottalked about in public. Someunderestimate the seriousness oftheir situation, others don’t realisethat they are in danger, and othersreveal their secret only very confi-dentially.

That is why it is essential totrain and raise the awareness ofcongregation leaders. That waythey can assist women who ask forhelp or talk about their problem.Sometimes the solution is not with-in reach, but sometimes it is.

People who are abused gener-ally lack the tools and resources toget out of the situation they findthemselves in.

In Cuba not all of the struc-tures exist, either, for victims tobreak that vicious cycle. I know ofChristian congregations that sup-port abused women, especially inthe most extreme cases. On theother hand, people need to identifyother, more subtle forms of vio-lence.

Q: What are these other facesof abuses?

A: When women are madeinvisible, silenced, ignored and notallowed to participate, and theircontributions are not recognised,they are very much abused.

Psychological violence, in allof its magnitude, is the most wide-spread. Women are centrallyinvolved in pastoral work with chil-dren, caring for the sick and evan-gelical work, roles that they havealways embraced.

I was the adviser to a studentfrom Havana’s Instituto Superiorde Estudios Bíblicos y Teológicos(Higher Institute of Biblical andTheological Studies), who con-ducted a study on gender-basedviolence among 28 women from acommunity in the Cuban capital.

When we processed the data, wefound that six of them were in adangerous situation.Unfortunately, one of them wasmurdered by her spouse that week,and he subsequently committedsuicide. It was a tragedy…we wereunable to save her. But we alertedthe other five to the danger theywere in.

Q: How much has women’sparticipation in Protestantchurches changed?

A: I come from a Baptistdenomination that does not ordainwomen. I later joined anotherBaptist group that does.

The history of women whohave wanted to be pastors has beenhard. For example, women mis-sionaries studied in seminaries justlike men, but when they graduated,they did not have the right to bepastors. In fact, if they married,they couldn’t even be missionaries.

That is why at a young age Ijoined a Christian group that stoodup for the role of women in thechurch, and that asked for moreequality and justice for them.

A gender-based approach hasbecome much more influential inpastoral and ecclesiastical workand at Christian research institutessince the Decade of Women, from1985 to 1995. This year we are cel-ebrating the 20th anniversary ofthe ordainment of the first threewomen in the Fraternity of BaptistChurches in Cuba.

Q: How much can religiouscommunities contribute to thestruggle against gender-basedviolence?

A: Congregations that work forgender equality are fortresses intheir communities. In some, theirwork goes beyond the neighbour-hood. When a woman is abused athome, the whole family is abused,and the whole community is affect-ed.

Source: Inter Press Service News Agency, IPS:http://www.ipsnews.net/2012/12/qa-a-missionary-who-preaches-gender-

equality/

A Missionary Who Preaches GenderEquality: Interview with Midiam

Lobaina, Coordinator of the Womenand Gender Programme of theCouncil of Churches of Cuba

Midiam Lobaina, coordinator of the

Women and Gender Programme of

the Council of Churches of Cuba, CIC

(Jorge Luis Baños IPS)

A young woman sheds tears as she is embraced during the funeral of a victim of

the Kiss nightclub fatal fire in Santa María, Brazil (AP Felipe Dana)

Lutheran World Federation(LWF) Offers Deepest

Sympathy to Families ofBrazil Fire Victims

ALC/Panama City

With the theme,“Evangelical Methodist

Church, An Instrument of GodTransforming the World With thePower of the Gospel,” the denomi-nation recently held its XX GeneralAssembly.

The assembly had a broadagenda of work in commissionsseeking new strategies for the pre-sent period, focusing on Life andMission, Witness and Presence,and Administration.

The bible studies during whatis the most important meeting ofthe Evangelical Methodist Churchof Panama were led by BishopJorge Bravo, Secretary of theCouncil of Bishops of the Councilof Evangelical Methodist Churchesof Latin America (CIEMAL).

The assembly brought togeth-er a great number of delegatesfrom the Panamanian church’scongregations, and took placeJanuary 17-20 in the area of the

Chiriquí Volcano, some 600 kilo-meters to the west of the capital,Panama City.

Important agreements weremade, among them a covenantagreement of cooperation with theMethodist Church of Peru, tomaintain relationships of coopera-tion with the Wesleyan TheologicalSeminary in that country, an insti-tution that can provide for thetraining of pastors and laypersons.Likewise, the agreement will allowfor the establishing of contactswith the Program for Discipleshipand that of Volunteers in Action(PROVEA), while at the same timepaying attention to the school edu-cation aspect.

According to the IEMPA website, the Reverend Pedro AraúzValdés was elected by the assembly,on the 14th ballot, to be the newbishop of the EvangelicalMethodist Church of Panama. TheBishop-Elect will be consecratedon Saturday, February 16, inPanama City.

Evangelical Methodist Churchof Panama (IEMPA) elects new

bishop and commits to important agreements in its

XX General Assembly

February 13 was WorldRadio Day, a day dedicatedto celebrating radio as amedium. Recently WACCintroduced a new initiativein support of communityradio as a means of help-ing marginalized andexcluded groups to have avoice in society.

WACC, ALC/Guatemala City

Community media arewidely recognised by

governments, internationaldevelopment agencies, and civilsociety organisations as keyagents in participatory develop-ment. They represent a uniqueway of reaching and involvingpeople.

Community radio, the mostprevalent of all communitymedia, is a vital alternative bothto state-owned and commercialprivate radio. Communityradio’s affordability and reachmake it a powerful agent ofsocial change.

A number of countries haveintroduced laws and regulationsthat acknowledge communityradio as a distinct media sector.Nevertheless, despite theseadvances, challenges persist atglobal and regional levels.

These challenges includethe lack of proper enabling leg-islation, how to sustain commu-nity radio in the long term, andlittle sharing of communityradio networks practices andknowledge. A further challengeis that the exclusion and mar-ginalizing of women witnessedin mainstream media is some-times reproduced in communitymedia practices.

The NGO Cultural Survivalhas noted that community radiopartners in Guatemala are cur-rently fighting for their right tofreedom of expression. A newbill in the GuatemalanCongress, Bill 4479, proposes areform in the criminal code thatcriminalises individual actorsand representatives of unli-censed stations, effectivelypenalising community radiowith up to 10 years in prison.

This bill is a threat to dozensof community radio stationsthat base their existence on thepromises made in theGuatemalan Peace Accords, thecountry’s own constitution, andthe UN Declaration on theRights of Indigenous Peoples.

Since 1996 when the PeaceAccords were signed, communi-ty radio has become an extreme-ly important means of commu-nication for Indigenous groupsaround Guatemala. Even insmall villages without electricity,it is likely that most families willhave a battery powered radio inorder to stay informed onimportant issues, listen to tradi-tional music, and educationalprogramming.

On the occasion of WorldRadio Day WACC affirms its sup-port for community radio as ameans of strengthening thecommunication rights and pub-lic voices of poor, marginalized,excluded and dispossessed peo-ple and communities every-where.

Source: World Association for Christian Communication (WACC):http://waccglobal.org/component/content/article/3253:wacc-celebrates-

the-power-of-community-radio.html

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“My children love trying allthese new foods – theyenjoy everything!” says Cielofrom the Guaraní communi-ty of Choroquepiau, one ofthe 11 communities whichover the past two years haveparticipated in a food secu-rity and nutrition program.

CWSLAC/Gran Chaco

The program is supportedby Church World Serviceand Foods Resource

Bank in the Chaco region ofBolivia and Paraguay.

The 11 communities are locat-ed in the semi arid part of theChaco where there is an averageannual rainfall of just 450-650mm as well as periods of pro-longed drought attributed bymany to climate change anddeforestation. The communitieslive in conditions of poverty andsocial exclusion with high levels ofmalnutrition. In 2010, the firstyear of this program a food andnutritional survey was carried outrevealing that in some communi-ties chronic malnutrition in chil-dren under 5 years old is as highas 95 per cent.

Over two years the communi-ties worked together to developProduction Plans based on exist-ing capacity, knowledge and expe-rience of community membersand with the overall objective ofimproving their food security andnutrition in a sustainable way.

While some communitieschose to focus on livestock otherschose to develop kitchen gardensand experiment with new seedsand irrigation techniques. Thecommunities received materialsupport for their Production Plansas well as specialised technicalaccompaniment in learning andimplementing new techniques aswell as indigenous to indigenousand bi-national learningexchanges.

According to project partici-pant Carlos Amadeo, “Havinginstitutions accompany us inthis experience in our communi-ties has been really important.We are illiterate and so it is veryabstract for us to sit down andlearn inside four walls. Thepractical accompaniment andthe community exchanges havebeen very good.”

In Bolivia the four participat-ing communities –Naguanaurenda, Salado Grande,Choroquepiao and Chimeo - havedeveloped family and communalkitchen gardens and over 42 fami-lies have now introduced new fruitand vegetables in to their dietsincluding radish, tomato, beet-root, peppers, mandarins and avo-cados. They are also producingtheir own organic pesticides andin October this year participated ina major agricultural fair in the

Chaco region of Tarija whichmarked the first time for themparticipating in such an event.There has also been a strong focus,in addition to the introduction ofnew foods, to recovering tradition-al Guaraní foods which are large-ly maize based and include nutri-tious soups and drinks which canbe stored for months at a timethereby ensuring that the commu-nities have food during climatevulnerable periods of the year.

As a result of the focus onstrengthening their livestock man-agement skills - sheep, goats andcows - the participating commu-nities in Paraguay have managedto increase their consumption ofmeat and dairy products. In SanLazaro, goats milk is being pro-duced and consumed for the firsttime and the community hopes toeventually begin to commercialisethis product for sale in local mar-kets.

Given that they are largelyresponsible for the diet of theirchildren, women play an impor-tant role in the project. In SantaFe in Paraguay the women´sgroup has developed a poultry pro-ject and eggs are now part of theirfamily diet while in Nepoxen thewomen’s group has received train-ing on cheese processing. In addi-tion the indigenous to indigenousexchange component of the pro-ject has provided new opportuni-ties for them to travel outside theircommunity and learn from otherwomen.

According to Estela Suarezfrom Nepoxen, “Women´s partici-pation is very important and yetthere are very few spaces for usoutside the community. Thisproject gave me the opportunityto travel to Bolivia and learnfrom communities there.During the visit I saw that the

women work together to developtheir communities and throughsupporting each other they havedeveloped new skills. My partici-pation in this event, has mademe stronger as a womanleader.”

Over all the project has helpedall involved understand the com-plex economic, social and culturaldynamics of food security inindigenous communities in theChaco of Paraguay and Bolivia.One of the challenging compo-nents of the program has been theadoption of nutrition as a conceptin the communities. In manycases there is a reluctance to allowoutsiders in to their family homeor have outsiders tell them whatshould be eaten. A gradual processof trust building has taken placeduring these two years which willbe strengthened as the programcontinues in its next phase.

According to Mirtha Bernalfrom implementing partnerCommittee of Churches forEmergency Aid (CIPAE), “Duringthese two years we have workedwith one of the most vulnerablegroups in Paraguay – indigenouspeoples –strengthening and devel-oping family agriculture practicesso that they can begin to producehealthy foods and at the sametime maintain their indigenousidentity and ancestral knowledge.We have managed to developcapacities in the community butthis is just the first step in what isa long road ahead. Ongoingaccompaniment is required by thecommunities so that they canintensify these skills and learn newones.”

A new phase of the program iscurrently being developed and willbegin in early 2013.

Source: Church World Service Latin America and the Caribbean,CWSLAC: http://cwslac.org/indigenous_communities_in_the_south_ameri-

can_chaco_produce_new_foods-L2eX86.html

Indigenous Communities in the SouthAmerican Chaco produce new foods

Vegetable garden in Salado Grande in the Chaco of Bolivia (CWS)

Vokaribe, Colombia (WACC)

World Association forChristian Communication(WACC) celebrates thepower of community

radio