Top 10

Top 10 reasons why it was a good idea that the church sent Perry to Guatemala:

1. Ellen and I (along with some other translator/facilitators) engaged Gerardo and Pablo in conversation about the work of the partnership four times for a total of five hours. Some provisional decisions emerged.

2. Gerardo, Pablo, and I, along with some others, were able to engaged in two small-group theological discussions, about some pictures we chose, two biblical passages, and questions about our partnership. Mission was the theme of all the conversations, and Gerardo and Pablo sometimes said things that surprised me.

3. I got to participate in discussions about the future of the Guatemalan Mission Network and of the relationship between the PC(USA) and Guatemalan national church (the IENPG). Topics included future network gatherings, the purpose of the network, and the vest way to transmit money to Guatemalan partners. I volunteered to help with some online network educational activities.

4. I got to meet and talk with a number of people who we might engage in the future: the IENPG permanent secretary, the head of PRESGOV the head of the presbytery seminary in Guatemala, the only member of the IENPG international relations committee with an e-mail address, the head of the Guatemalan version of Presbyterian Disaster Assistance, the head of the network of La Patria K-12 schools, the leaders of Living Waters for the World in Guatemala, a female pastor who is the advisor to Presbyterian Women in Guatemala, the two men who emerged as the most influential in the North American side of the network (aside from the mission workers), and two people from a Cincinnati area church that is trying to set up a partnership with a fledgling multi-function ministry in Coban. I was also able to catch with old CHPC friends – besides Gerardo and Pablo – including several present and former mission workers and some folks who were involved in Amigos de K’ekchi’. I also talked by phone with Ramiro and Antonio.

5. I got to improve my Spanish via 32 hours of Spanish classes in Antigua, homework and review, and lots of practice in the Antigua and Guatemala City areas. For the most part, I spoke little English for eight days. I hope that improvement or my Spanish will in some ways benefit the partnership.

6. I got to chit-chat with Gerardo and Pablo, about the death of Gerardo’s wife, about their families, about the future of their ministries, and about the Q’eqchi’ language.

7. I got to meet and visit with Carlos and Nora’s families, including exchanging gifts, which I hope will strengthen our connections with the extended Lara-Lopez family and our Guatemalan ministries.

8. I got to participate in some difficult conversations, which included Gerardo confronting the IENPG permanent secretary and me confronting Gerardo, Pablo, and Ellen about some issues. I was also a witness for women’s pastoral leadership, another issue.

9. My visit and our conversations made more palatable the possibility that our church will not make another 2013 visit.

10. I got to talk with people and reflect on my future, including possibly a future that would involve continued participation in the partnership. Ramiro and I agreed to pray for each other, as both of us are at career crossroads.

-Perry