Sister Parish, Inc.

Sister Parish, Inc. is a solidarity-focused nonproft organization that exists to foster mutual understanding and a commitment to peace and justice among people in the United States and Central America by linking churches and Christian communities in the U.S. and in Central America , so that they may experience the realities of each others' lives and cultures on religious, political, social, and economic levels. Visit our website to learn more!

Thanks for a great Solidarity Walk!

This is what we are about,

we plant the seeds that one day will grow.

We water seeds already planted,

knowing that they hold future promise.

-Archbishop Oscar Romero

Last fall, we celebrated our fourth annual Solidarity Walk. The theme of this year's walk was "Planting the Seeds of Peace." It was an opportunity for us to remember the people who planted the seeds that enabled Sister Parish to grow, celebrate the fruits that we’ve harvested from our Sister Parish relationships and reflect on what seeds of peace we would like to plant for the future. Participants sang songs, read prayers and shared their Sister Parish memories.

St. Joan of Arc Catholic Church in Minneapolis and First United Methodist Church in Decorah both held Solidarity Walks and Sister Parish's Board of Directors joined members of Wallingford United Methodist Church for a Walk in Seattle. For the first time ever, Sister Parish members also held Solidarity Walks in Guatemala and El Salvador. You can watch the video from the Guatemala Solidarity Walk here and the video from El Salvador here.

In addition to being a prayerful and celebratory event, the Solidarity Walk is also Sister Parish's largest outreach and fundraising event of the year. This year's Solidarity Walk raised $5592-- well over our $4,000 goal and more than we've ever raised in a Solidarity Walk! This money will be used to help staff to continue promoting solidarity and friendship across borders all year long. Thanks to everyone who organized, walked and donated for the 2011 Solidarity Walk. Your hard work and generosity made this a wonderful event!

While most Solidarity Walks are held in the fall, Sister Parish churches are welcome to hold walks at whatever time works best for them. If your church is interested in hosting a Solidarity Walk, please contact Christine at usoffice@sisterparish.org.

New Guatemalan President to Take Power Tomorrow

From an AP article on The Washington Post- Former general Otto Perez Molina takes office as Guatemala’s new president Saturday with a top priority of ending a long-standing U.S. ban on military aid imposed over concerns about abuses during the Central American country’s 36-year civil war.

Perez, who was a top military official during the war, has long insisted there were no massacres, human rights violations or genocide in a conflict that killed 200,000 civilians, mostly Mayan Indians.

We found this story through Central American Politics Blog.

Life in San Salvador

In the dusty, rubbish-strewn streets of Mejicanos, a working-class district of San Salvador, the capital of El Salvador, Father Antonio Lopez Tercero points to the gang graffiti scarring the walls. Gang violence is one of the defining features of life in El Salvador today. Click here to see an article and documentary from Al Jazeera.

Merry Christmas from Sister Parish!

Dear Friend,

"Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God — what is good and acceptable and perfect."
                        -Romans 12:2

I often get the question that many of you probably have been asked as a member of Sister Parish, “Why do you love Central America so much?”  I stand there with a silly grin on my face but nothing comes out of my mouth.  I wonder if any of you have had that same problem. 
 
Just recently, a brilliant man, Father Dean Brackley, passed away.  He was a Jesuit priest who volunteered to go to El Salvador after the 1989 murders of the priests at a university there. Beyond the spiritual support he provided to Salvadorans over the years, he also spoke to and inspired countless groups of visitors. Dean was the only person I have met who was able to express what happens to so many of us when we visit Central America and experience true solidarity in its purest form.  Dean would say to the many delegations he met with, that once you experience Central America, you are ruined for life (a popular phrase with the Jesuits to describe transformative experiences). I remember the first time I heard him say it, I giggled at the expression; ruined for life.  When I thought about it more I realized: I am ruined for life. 
 
I know that all of you can relate to this, although you probably don’t call yourselves ruined. I prefer the term reconstructed for life.  Central America breaks us down, makes us question who we are and how we live; it challenges our spirits. But then it quickly begins to build us up again with the astounding hopefulness and happiness that we encounter; we are transformed, we are renewed.  I was drawn to Sister Parish because I see Sister Parish as a way to reconstruct not only individuals but also churches, communities, countries, and hopefully in the end, the world.  Imagine if everyone had the chance to visit a Sister Parish community and be reconstructed.  It is an amazing thought and it takes an amazing organization to strive for that.  Sister Parish is that organization.  As a Sister Parish member, Ligia, from Tierra Nueva I told us:

"We are very grateful for this opportunity and we know that with it comes a great responsibility, not only for brothers and sisters in the church, but for all of humanity because unity amongst brothers and sisters is the most important thing.  We have to break down barriers, break chains."

Thanks to your donations, support, and prayers, Sister Parish is in a great place, but we still need your help.  If you have been ‘ruined’ or ‘reconstructed’ in Central America, please consider making a donation today. Supporting Sister Parish will not only help others to have the same experience you did, it will help change the world one person at a time by raising consciousness, and spreading solidarity, reconciliation and ecumenism.  As our friend and donor, Linda Reeve told us after her recent donation:

"It's the least I can do to promote the education and change of a human heart and condition, specifically, my own.  The Sister Parish paradigm is, to me, refreshing and powerful and gratifyingly familiar.  I have seen, first hand, lives changed through the honest and sincere connection of a simple, open, and promising smile.  Without over-simplification, I believe it is the first, sure step to peace between God's children."

I hope you will consider making a donation to Sister Parish this holiday season.  It will be a donation that will help to not just ruin people for life but reconstruct them for life, so that we can all work towards the Sister Parish vision of completing the Kingdom of God.
 
In Solidarity,

Emily Nelson, Executive Director

PS: As always, you can mail a donation to our Financial Office at PO Box 5202 West Fargo, ND 58105, or make a secure donation online.

Las Posadas

Las Posadas is a nine-day celebration with origins in Spain, now celebrated chiefly in Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador and parts of the Southwestern United States.   It begins December 16th and ends December 24th.

Etymology

Posada is Spanish for "lodging", or "accommodation"; it is said in plural because it is celebrated more than one day in that period. The nine days novena (Novena is a nine-day sequence of prayer that different congregations from the Catholic Church follow. The novena includes praying with the rosary and other prayers) represent the nine months of pregnancy.

History

The procession has been a tradition in Mexico for 400 years. While its roots are in Catholicism, even Protestant Latinos follow the tradition. Friar San Ignacio de Loyola or Friar Pedro de Gant in Mexico may have started it in 1538. It may have been started by early friars who combined Spanish Catholicism with the December Aztec celebration of the birth of Huitzilopochtli.

Reenactment

Typically, each family in a neighborhood will schedule a night for the Posada to be held at their home, starting on the 16th of December and finishing on the 24th. Every home has a nativity scene and the hosts of the Posada act as the innkeepers. The neighborhood children and adults are the pilgrims (los Peregrinos), who have to request lodging by going house-to-house singing a traditional song about the pilgrims. All the pilgrims carry small-lit candles in their hands, and four people carry small statues of Joseph leading a donkey, on which Mary is riding.The head of the procession will have a candle inside a paper lampshade.

At each house, the resident responds by refusing lodging (also in song), until the weary travelers reach the designated site for the party, where Mary and Joseph are finally recognized and allowed to enter. Once the "innkeepers" let them in, the group of guests come into the home and kneels around the Nativity scene to pray (typically, the Rosary). Latin American countries have continued to celebrate this holiday to this day, with very few changes to the tradition. In some places, the final location may be a church instead of a home.Individuals may actually play the various parts of Mary (María) and Joseph with the expectant mother riding a real donkey (burro), with attendants such as angels and shepherds acquired along the way, or the pilgrims may carry images of the holy personages instead. Children may carry poinsettias. Musicians will follow the procession, with the entire procession singing posadas such as “Pedir posada”There are some varieties depending of the country, in places like in Mexico after each posada during each evening they break a Piñata (Piñatas are figures, traditionally made out of clay or paper, they have normally the size of a big pumpkin. People fill them with candies, confetti and little toys) In other places like in El Salvador refreshments, snacks or small meals are served after all the prayers, as a symbol of sharing and some families offer little toys and candies to the children.

 

 

 

What your church's linkage fee pays for

Today, we sent our US churches the invoices for their annual linkage fee. We thought that this would be a good opportunity to let you know about about all of the services that your linkage fee pays for.

Sister Parish works 12 months a year to promote consciousness-raising, solidarity, reconciliation and ecumenism between Christian communities in the Americas. While your delegation costs pay for the expenses associated with that trip, your annual linkage fee helps pay for the support that your church receives year-round from Sister Parish staff.

Here are just a few examples of the things that your linkage fee pays for:

• Visiting communities and sending monthly community reports. Staff regularly travels to each of  our southern communities. Every two months, Sister Parish sends out a community report over our e-news that gives updates on how each southern community is doing.

• Translating letters and video communication. Almost every week, Sister Parish staff members maintain communication between linkages by translating the letters, bible study reflections and video messages that communities send to each other. You can check out some of the translated video communication from our sisters and brothers in Central America on our blog.

• Standing in solidarity with southern communities in times of struggle. In the last year, the close relationship that staff has with southern communities has enabled us to provide support for communities struggling with gang violence and environmental disasters. Staff has been able to quickly alert US churches about the crises facing their sister parishes, and help them find ways to support their sisters and brothers during these difficult times.

• A clean, safe, comfortable Sister Parish Center. The linkage fee helps pay for rent, utilities and upkeep of the Sister Parish Center in Guatemala City, which is used year-round by delegations, international visitors and the Guatemala Directiva. Your linkage fee makes sure that the Center is ready for your visit the next time you find yourself in Guatemala!  

• Building solidarity between Sister Parishes in the US. Staff works closely with the Northern Assembly of Churches to provide opportunities for US Churches to build solidarity with each other and discuss ways to strengthen their sistering relationships. Last October, Sister Parish hosted a conference call with representatives from six US churches, staff and board members and we plan to hold three more NAC calls in 2012.

• Up-to date news ‘from the field’ about happenings in Guatemala and El Salvador. Almost every day, Sister Parish keeps you up to date about news in Guatemala and El Salvador by sending monthly e-news updates, posting on the Sister Parish blog and mailing you copies of our annual Sister Parish newsletter. In addition to being important sources for Guatemalan and Salvadoran news, our regular communication also updates you about office happenings and tells you what sister parishes in the north and south are up to. Sign up here to recieve our e-news, or email Christine at usoffice@sisterparish.org to ask for a copy of our most recent newsletter.

• Personal contact with staff who are always available to walk you through preparing for a delegation, answer any questions and concerns that you have and give you updates about your linkage.

Thank you for paying your annual linkage fee and for helping us promote the Sister Parish vision 365 days a year!

Giving Thanks For A Great South to North Delegation

At the end of November, I had the great privilege of accompanying a South to North Delegation between Tierra Nueva Uno in Guatemala and Faith Lutheran in West Fargo, ND. We had some travel issues and ended up driving from Minneapolis to Fargo... through a major snow storm! After an hour of not moving on the interstate,the 5 delegates were still saying things like, "This is a miracle! This was God's plan for us!" They were truly in awe of their first-ever experience of snow- and I felt blessed to be able to share it with them. When we arrived in Fargo it was 12 degrees- but as the delegates said, we were immediately wrapped in the warmth and welcoming of the community at Faith Lutheran.

We had a wonderful visit- doing many great activities, getting to know their community and its realities, and most importantly- sharing in very meaningful conversations and reflections- and truly deepening and strengthening the beautiful relationship that these two communities have shared for almost 10 years. Vicki, one of the founders of Sister Parish, is actively involved with the Sister Parish group at Faith Lutheran and wrote a great article for the West Fargo newspaper- click here to check it out.

During our celebration of Thanksgiving, we reflected on the many blessings that we have all received, particularly the blessing of such special friendships that extend far beyond borders and language barriers.

~ Nicole, Guatemala Regional Coordinator

Visit our website gallery and click on Tierra Nueva Uno and Faith Lutheran for more photos from the trip!

Dorothy, Jean, Maura and Ita-- Presente!

Today is the 31st anniversary of the martyrdom of the four churchwomen in El Salvador. 

US Americans Sr. Maura Clarke, M.M., Sr. Ita Ford, M.M., Sr. Dorothy Kazel, O.S.U., and Jean Donovan, a lay missionary, were murdered by a death squad in El Salvador. They had chosen to stay in the country after many other religious and charitable organizations had left. As Jean wrote to a friend: "Several times I have decided to leave El Salvador. I almost could, except for the children, the poor, bruised victims of this insanity. Who would care for them? Whose heart could be so staunch as to favor the reasonable thing in a sea of their tears and loneliness? Not mine, dear friend, not mine.”

Last year, the National Catholic Reporter wrote a series of articles about the ways that Ita, Maura, Dorothy and Jean continue to speak to people today. We invite you to read the articles and share with us some of the ways that these women have affected your life.

One of my personal favorite quotes from Ita Ford seems to speak particularly well to the mission of Sister Parish:

"Am I willing to suffer with the people here, the suffering of the powerless? Can I say to my neighbors, 'I have no solutions to this situation; I don't know the answers, but I will walk with you, search with you, be with you.' Can I let myself be evangelized by this opportunity? Can I look at and accept my own poorness as I learn it from the poor ones?"

Special Report on Guatemala's New President

As we wrote before, Guatemala's incoming president Otto Perez Molina has been widley implicated in human rights abuses in the Quiche region. His election is huge news for our sisters and brothers in Guatemala, many of whom were personally affected by his crimes.

As the US staff person for SP, I have been getting a lot of questions from our US churches about who Perez Molina is and what this means for Guatemala. That's why I was so excited to find this article on Reuters which lays out the history of Otto Perez Molina in a way that is clear for those of us who are still learning about Guatemalan politics. The article comes with a bit more of a conservative slant than I do, and I don't agree with all of it's takes, but I think that it is a good starting point for people just learning about Guatemalan politics.

Check it out, and let us know what you think.

 

In Solidarity,

Christine

Fall Board Meeting Report from SP President

Sisters and Brothers,

SP Board meetings are always an adventure, and our recent time together at Wallingford United Methodist in Seattle was no exception.  I often find myself reflecting on these meetings as though they were delegations, which in fact they are.  It is the pleasure of the board to be hosted by our friends around the US who, in solidarity with us, are developing relationships north to south and between our northern church communities.  We are meeting for business, but we are building stronger relationships at every board meeting.

Discussion in Seattle revolved around our staff transitions this year.  This was the first Board meeting with our new Executive Director, Emily Nelson, and our first opportunity to discuss staff development with her.  I am very pleased that Emily has hit the ground running and continues to meet the needs of our staff and communities as we shift and shape our relationships. Our new El Salvador coordinator, Julieta Borja, is also finding her place on our staff team. Emily and Nicole have been very supportive as Julieta learns about the family and the culture of our organization.  Together, Emily and Julieta have made positive changes in the cooperation with our partner organization in El Salvador, CCR, as well as working toward a new SP directiva in El Salvador modeled on our successful Guatemala leadership group.

The SP budget this year continues to hover around 100 thousand with the bulk of our income still dependent on delegations.  Fortunately, delegations for 2012 look strong, though the possibility of cancellations is always present.  We are grateful to all of you for your willingness to help meet our financial needs through fundraisers such as the Walk in Solidarity and donations to our Annual Appeal.  We see the AA as direct support from you our members and other fundraisers as opportunities to reach out for support from a larger circle of connections beyond our immediate organization. We are grateful for staff enthusiasm and creativity to make these events meaningful and successful. 

We continue to look for other opportunities to grow our organization.  Solidarity Delegations are designed for prospective members and churches to experience a delegation before committing to a long term relationship. And we plan to revisit Speaker Tours as a way to spread news about Pan-American issues and the power of sistering relationships to a larger audience.  Support from local SP committees to identify prospective churches to partner with a growing number of southern communities is always welcome.  Recruitment is challenging yet essential to the sustainability of our organization.  The board is establishing a special sub committee under Development this year to address our recruitment needs and provide support and direction for staff efforts.  We extend an invitation to non-board members to join this Recruitment Committee, with a minimal commitment to join a few conference calls per year on this topic.  Please contact Greg Huang-Dale or Christine Haider-Winnet if you can join us.

Finally, I was especially moved and pleased by our first Northern Advisory Council conference call during the fall Board meeting.  Our US coordinator, Christine Haider-Winnet, moderated the call and 6 of our northern congregations were represented on the call.  Due to NAC’s struggle to find purpose and direction recently we were not able to organize a face-to-face meeting this year.  Many people still voiced a need for us to share ideas among northern communities, to hear directly from the board on issues of your concern, and to provide valuable feedback to the board on our leadership and direction.  The conference call provided all of these even though we could not see and share space with each other as we like to do.  I thank all who participated in the call from around the country and encourage everyone to read the report of the NAC call and be inspired by the thoughts and ideas presented.  Communication will lead us to community.

Blessings and peace,

Greg Huang-Dale

President of the Board

Sister Parish, Inc.