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.