Half a dozen plus Crescent Hill folks interested in Guatemala mission gathered this past Wednesday evening to brainstorm about following up on July’s mission trip to Coban.
The group talked by phone with Ellen, who shared some perspectives, after having stayed in Guatemala, after the Coban trip, to be part of a second mission trip, with her presbytery (Western North Carolina). An underlying lesson: North American shouldn’t throw money at partners in Guatemala, unless it’s for a project in which the North Americans are going to be intimately involved. Both Guatemalans and North American should be accountable for the money and the project.
The group also talked by phone with Estoreño Presbytery’s Pastor Gerardo. Instead of rain from the hurricane then attacking southern Mexico, Gerardo met us with noise from independence day celebrations in El Estor. Gerardo had told Carlos earlier that – although Estoreño mission trip folks had been nervous at some points – he came away from the Coban trip/retreat energized. Gerardo said that materials from the presbytery’s Christian Education project were already in the Guatemala national church office, awaiting Ellen’s arrival in November. The group said we would e-mail and then send with Ellen signed copies of Crescent Hill church’s section of the official partnership agreement. The group also asked Gerardo and his colleagues to send us the most recent version of their section of the partnership agreement.
Gerardo suggested that the presbytery’s annual meeting had taken place earlier in the month. Among other things, elected as new president was Pastor Pablo Sacul, as vice president Pastor Raul Contreras, and as presbytery executive committee members at large: Pastor José Domingo, Antonio Cucul, and Pastor José Sub. Gerardo will remain as secretary, and Ramiro Quib (also the presbytery’s delegate at national church meetings) will remain as treasurer. In March Raul will be ordained as an official pastor.
For the first time, the group called Pastor Gerardo (45349397) via conventional telephone, using the church phone and a new international calling plan just acquired.
Early on, a discussion about the rain and landslides also triggered a more general discussion about the situation in Guatemala.
Plans made: Perry – perhaps with some visual aids – will speak very briefly at Saturday’s Mid-Kentucky Presbytery meeting about the partnership, starting to fulfill one of Crescent Hill’s commitments. The visual aids Perry prepares for the presbytery meeting may also be useful if the mission partnership task force is to participate in the after worship Sunday, October 24 Ministry Opportunities Fair, which is supposed to help connect people in the congregation with the church’s missions and ministries. Perry will also send a semi-completed survey in to the PC(USA) in connection with a possible February 2011 Guatemala Mission Network gathering in Guatemala, which Crescent and the presbytery might each send a couple of people, like the network gathering in November 2008 that Gerardo, Pablo, Ellen, and Stephanie attended. Soni will try to expand publicity about the start of the English as a foreign language teaching ministry’s fall term to potential students, just as Gayle, Andrea, and Ana will do that among potential Crescent Hill volunteers this Sunday. EFL classes will start Monday. Carlos will again teach the Spanish-language Bible study class, which will begin this Sunday. Carlos also agreed to edit a detailed, Spanish-language e-mail text, which Perry would in turn e-mail to Carlos cc:-ing Luis and Armando. Jane may work on a informes, sharing information with the presbytery about our church. Andrea will look into a Saturday, October 2 prayer vigil, on World Communion weekend, focused on our various partners around the world. The task force will meet next, at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday, October 23 at Soni’s, and then at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday, November 20, at Carlos, Nora, and Ana’s on the seminary campus.
--Perry
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