Price of Silence

Global perspectives on the U.S. Election

Every Monday students, faculty and staff gather at the LRWC (Language Resource and Writing Center) of the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago and McCormick Theological Seminary for Global Conversations, which are lunch conversations where students share various international perspectives. Last Monday about a dozen students from all over the world shared their perspectives on the recent election in the United States. Here is a summary of the discussion:

A student from Sudan shared the hope from his country and an e-mail from a Kenyan friend of his, who shared about the pride felt in Kenya because of Obama's Kenyan roots.

A student from Indonesia shared about the pride Indonesians felt, since Obama lived in Indonesia for part of his youth.

A student from El Salvador shared his hope for U.S. relations with El Salvador, and in the struggle to close the School Of the Americas.

A student from Colombia was hopeful that there would be a concern for human rights reflected in the U.S. Policy with Colombia, particularly in the free trade agreement.

A student from Palestine addressed the concern of the Palestinians that the new U.S. President would reflect the same position about Palestine. She shared that many in Israel preferred McCain, and that they are wary of Obama's approach to diplomacy.

We heard from two Indian students that in India there are many who are happy and celebrated Obama's victory, particularly because of the opportunity for someone from an oppressed group to lead the country. We also heard that there are some in India that would like some of the current policies with India to remain the same.

In Nigeria there were great celebrations and gatherings all over the country, a Nigerian student noted, particularly because Obama shares their African heritage. He also noted that Nigeria, with their tribal prejudices, has something to learn from the election of an African American candidate in the U.S.

Then we heard from a student from Russia, who said that Russians were suspicious of the hard-line rhetoric they were hearing from McCain, and saw him as representing an older generation, that of the Cold War. To many Russians, she said, Obama represents the same generation as Putin, a new generation. In general, Russians are naturally pessimistic, she said, but there is hope as well.

We heard from a student from South Korea, who sees a sense of hope in her country. She expressed hope for North Korean relations. She also is hopeful that the U.S. Empire could be more of a human empire. Perhaps there can be a change with those (in Korea) who see the U.S. With an image of a white face.

A student from Turkey says that generally she doesn't feel that the U.S. Cares about what happens in Turkey. She sees hope in Turkey to renegotiate, that Obama won't have cold blood in his relationship.

Overall, the conversation was very informative and insightful. It was a reminder of how the election in the U.S. has an impact in the entire world. There were at times feelings of skepticism, particularly due to the U.S. government's past actions that have scarred international relations and have violated human rights. However, from all of the students there, I heard the word “hope.” The sense of hope was resounding in Obama's message of a new direction, his heritage and understanding of the world, and his diplomatic approach. As we face many serious challenges in the world at this time in history, it was refreshing to hear so much hope.

Internship Newsletter - June 2008

Winter greetings from Argentina. I celebrated my birthday this year with Argentina, since May 25th is one of the independence celebrations here. My internship is going very well, it is hard to believe I really only have about a month left. Looking back, this internship has truly been a great context for me to learn, grow and thrive in ministry. There is a beauty, love, resilience and grit in the people here that I'll always take with me. The members of the congregations and communities have accepted me and have allowed me to walk with them, and it's those encounters that are forming me in pastoral ministry.

Having the two different church communities (MMM, Misión Maria Magdalena -Mary Magdalene Mission- in Resistencia and San Mateo -St. Matthew- in Corrientes) has made my experience broader. I've learned about how small family sized congregations function. The experience teaching and preaching has been particularly valuable. I preach every other week. I'm learning a lot from my pastor's affinity for the type of preaching that keeps the Gospel in one hand and the newspaper in the other. Of course a big question is always, how is text relevant to the context? How do I make 2 years of theological study relevant in ministry? The most valuable lessons I learn are when those questions are answered. In the ministry of presence and listening I have learned a lot about the struggles of the people here, but also the hopes and grace of God in the midst of them.

My Internship Project was to accompany and empower two church leaders in becoming teachers for first communion, so that they would continue in the years to come. I'm learning a lot of tools on how to build up leaders, and how important it is to identify and encourage the gifts in people. We have completed the First Communion class at MMM, and I've been teaching First Communion and Confirmation at San Mateo. I also lead bible studies in Corrientes every other week on the weekly Gospel text.

MMM has been in the process of workshops on Natural Church Development, which encourages congregations to look within themselves, identifying their God-given gifts in order to grow. Through them, we identified the youth group as an area for growth. Since then we've been having frequent meetings, and had a worship service led by the youth, after which they felt empowered in their role in the church. The youth group is currently planning a trip to the interior of the Chaco province, to assist aid organizations in their work in fighting hunger and disease.

Last week at MMM, our beloved member Antonia passed away. She was 72, and she would attend worship almost every week. She was a grandmother to all of us. She had a tender loving spirit, and a deep faith. We had the wake in the chapel, and left it open all night. There were so many people who came to say goodbye to her. At her burial Pastor Raul told a story about a church trip to Iguazu Falls she attended, and how she felt God’s presence in the waterfalls. She saw God’s presence in the big and small, and carried it with her everywhere. She passed away a couple days before we were to have her grandchild’s baptism, giving us all a reminder of the gift of life amidst the sorrow of death.

I have also been involved with the broader Lutheran church body here, the IELU (Iglesia Evangélica Luterana Unida - United Evangelical Lutheran Church). Back in January I helped with 3 weeks of church youth camps in Obera, Misiones. I also assisted in baptisms and a bilingual wedding. I have learned a lot about the IELU in two Church-wide Assemblies, and become acquainted with Lutheran seminarians at the ISEDET Seminary in Buenos Aires. I have learned about the joys and struggles of pastors in district and church-wide pastors meetings. I have also been involved in ecumenical activities. Many children have experiences like my upbringing that they are raised in both churches. One of our First Communion students is also taking the classes in the Catholic Church, and a Catholic priest joined us in a baptism.

I have also helped in the work of the various projects of Misión Maria Magdalena. One of which is the comedor, where children come for breakfast and evening snack and receive monthly food bags. It is a constant struggle since the government continues to give the same minimal amount they have for years. I also help the talleres (workshops) which Ofelia, the social worker, and James the ELCA volunteer work with. For example, we painted a mural with the children of the community on the front wall of MMM. In February we had two days where we took the kids to a local farm. The former kindergarten has been opened as a space for these workshops and as a positive space for the kids to come. The project also works with "citizenship" and I've attended city-wide workshops on citizenship and economic development.

I have had several conversations with people about the rising cost of food, and how many products have doubled in price even over the last couple years. Personal testimonies to the crunch being felt by the rising food and gas prices all over the world. Many people have to spend over half their income on food. A conflict between farmers and the Argentine government had lasted for the last few months (100 days), after many failed attempts at dialogue. In objection to increased export taxes, farmers had suspended their shipments of grains and set road blocks. It has also raised worries in the country, and of course in the communities where I’m living and working. Religious groups recently united here in Resistencia for a vigil, encouraging a resolution to the conflict.

When I was in Buenos Aires this month for a youth encounter and pastor’s meeting, we had a devotional (with both groups) in which people brought dirt from their respective parts of the country. People were invited to take a handful of dirt, share a reflection about it and put it in a tray. Some people reflected on how the dirt felt in their hands, the memories that came to mind. Some reflected on God’s love for all of creation, the spiritual oneness they feel with the earth. Some reflected humanity’s failure to take care of the earth, and of the indigenous communities that have had their land taken from them. Some reflected on how the dirt in their hands was some of the richest in the world, but because of political corruption, there exists great poverty and hunger.

When the Gospel meets these broad social issues, as well as the personal ones that come up over sharing a mate; that is where I’ve found myself in ministry this year. It is this intersection that will surely guide me throughout my ministry. I appreciate all your prayers and support that have sustained me throughout my year here.

"do not worry"

These are worrisome times. People have been feeling the crunch of food and gas prices all over the world. The UN recently reported that the world needs to double food production by 2030. As I talk to people here in Argentina, they talk about food items that have doubled in price over the last couple years, as well as costs such as bus fare.

On top of rising food prices, the last 3 months in Argentina there has been a conflict between the government and farmers: http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/06/08/business/LA-FIN-Argentina-Farm-Crisis.php). In objection to increased export taxes, farmers have suspended their shipments of grains and have set road blocks which have caused food shortages and prices to rise. In a year when international food prices are high, people are frustrated that Argentina is missing an opportunity. The article points out that because of the conflict, Argentine farmers have missed US$2.3 billion in soy, wheat, corn and sunflower seed sales. The road blocks have caused bus companies to cancel services and milk trucks to pour out their milk on the side of the road. Attempts at dialogue between the government and the farmers so far have failed, which is making for more frustration across the country. Many frustrations and worries are also fueled my memories of the economic crisis of 2001 in Argentina. In the stories of people and the general climate, you can feel the uncertainty, insecurity, anxiety and worry in the air.

In the midst of this deep anxiety heard in everyday encounters and on the pages of newspapers, I prepared my sermon for the week, and the Gospel text was Matthew 6:24-34. The words of Jesus “do not worry,” jumped off the page with glaring audacity. Jesus must have known how hard these words would be to hear, since he repeats them three times. Often the gospel-good news message in the text is the hardest to hear. Jesus goes on to say that God “knows that you need all these things.” This is reinforces by the text in Isaiah which provides the imagery of a mother nursing her child to remind us that God does not forget us. In fact, it goes on to say that we are tattooed on the palms of God’s hands. In these uncertain times, we will have our share of worries. What we can count on is that in the midst of these worries and increasingly uncertain times, is that Jesus’ audacious words "do not worry," will confront us with radical grace, and remind us that the God who made us has not forgotten about us. May these words transform our worries into striving, to “strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness,” to strive for a kingdom where there is no worry.

The Global Food Crisis

The global food crisis is starting to be covered more in the news: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24262084/
People who already struggled to feed their families three years ago are having to pay twice as much for food staples. The World Bank has said, "If left unchecked, global food shortages could set the world back seven years in the fight against extreme poverty."

I took action with the ONE Campaign and you can too, here: http://www.one.org/hungercrisis?rc=hctaf

You can also take action with Oxfam:
http://act.oxfamamerica.org/campaign/foodcrisis?rk=h1Ayh9d1-6iEW

Nobel, Pacem in Terris winner talks about peace efforts

Nobel, Pacem in Terris winner talks about peace efforts

By Dan Ebener

Dan Ebener, stewardship director for the Diocese of Davenport, and a professor at St. Ambrose University, poses for a photo with from left, his son, Josh, 1980 Nobel Peace Prize winner Adolfo Perez Esquivel, and Ebener’s son, Zach.

BUENOS AIRES — Sometimes the world seems like a very small place. While visiting my son, Josh, in Buenos Aires, I also was able to visit with and interview Adolfo Perez Esquivel, the 1980 Nobel Peace Prize winner who also received the Pacem in Terris award in 1999.

The following story illustrates the relationship between Adolfo and two other Nobel Peace Prize winners who also are Pacem in Terris recipients, Bishop Desmond Tutu (1987) and Mairead Corrigan Maguire (1990).

In 1978, Adolfo Perez Esquivel was the coordinator of Service for Peace and Justice (SERPAJ), based in Buenos Aires, and I was a local organizer for the Fellowship of Reconciliation (FOR), based in Dubuque. I first heard of Adolfo because his organization was affiliated with the International FOR (IFOR). Because of his work on human rights, Adolfo became one of Argentina’s “disappeared.” When he disappeared, many of us wrote letters to government officials calling for his release. In the late 1970s, many of the disappeared in Argentina were never seen or heard from again. We were worried about Adolfo. Jim Forest, who was coordinating the IFOR at the time, suggested to Mairead Corrigan Maguire, the IFOR contact person in Ireland, that she nominate Adolfo for the Nobel Peace Prize to create additional pressure on the Argentine government to release Adolfo.

When Adolfo was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1980, it was a surprise to everyone. No one in the international media seemed to know who he was. At that time, I was working for the FOR national offices in New York, and we became the point of contact for his media work. Over the next few years, I met Adolfo several times and organized one of his speaking tours to the USA.

What follows is an abbreviated text of my conversation with Adolfo on March 10.

Dan: Tell us about your experiences of the late 1970s.

Adolfo: In 1978, I was in prison. I learned from my family that two Irish women had nominated me for the Nobel Peace Prize. Two days before the World Cup, they transferred me to house arrest. This was in response to the international pressure of the nomination. Shortly thereafter, Mairead Corrigan came to Argentina and visited me at home. During her visit she was being followed and intimidated. Joan Baez (a folk singer) also came to visit and she received threats and was not able to play her music.

Dan: Why did Mairead nominate you for the Nobel Peace Prize?

Adolfo: She knew of our work in Latin America, in 15 countries. There was not only a dictatorship in Argentina but rather there were dictators throughout the continent. Our work on nonviolence is ecumenical. She nominated me while I was in prison.

Dan: Could you talk about the power of international contacts?

Adolfo: I am a survivor thanks to international solidarity. Networks are effective. A dictatorship can censure domestically but not internationally. I felt this strongly when I was taken out of prison in chains. I was taken up in an airplane over the River Plate. This was called “vuelo de la muerte,” the flight of death, as they would drop people out of the planes. I was up there for hours. I could see Montevideo. But they got a counter-order because of international pressure and I was not dropped out of the plane. So this pressure is very effective. There was also resistance within the country and from other countries. It was an international network of solidarity.

Dan: Tell us more about your relationship with Mairead.

Adolfo: I went to Ireland to support her when they were in the midst of war. Our struggle is one. I also went with her to Iraq. We try to join forces. She is a beloved sister. She supports the needs of the people. We went to Baghdad and saw the horror and the death of children. I was with Desmond Tutu in Thailand and with the Dalai Lama. We were advocating for the release of Aung San Suu Kyi.

Dan: Could you tell us about the causes that you are fighting for today in Argentina?

Adolfo: We are working on three main fronts (these are the priorities of SERPAJ):

• Lands that have been taken from the indigenous people and farmers. These lands are being sold to transnational companies. I am preparing a seven-page letter to send to the Argentine president. Our forests are being destroyed. This is leading to hunger and death; 22 indigenous people died in the north of hunger. Argentina is being turned into a mono-crop country (soy) plagued by the over use of agrichemicals.

• Mining companies. Unfortunately, a lot of gold has been found in Argentina. These are open mines. Two harmful products are used: mercury and cyanide. This goes into our soil and water. I went to Canada to meet with the minister of the exterior. Canada has mining companies with operations in Argentina.

• Children living in poverty. Our organization, SERPAJ, is teaching young people concrete skills. We have classes in barrios. We are focusing on potable water, community gardens and preventive health.

Dan: Would you tell us about the power of nonviolence?

Adolfo: If violence is met with violence we just have more violence. But when resistance is spiritual, social, cultural, and political, then that resistance is not isolated but massive. We offered this resistance in hope. Almost all our struggles throughout Latin American are nonviolent and continue to persist.

http://home.catholicweb.com/CathMessDavDio/index.cfm/NewsItem?id=230832&From=Home

"Will they make you shave your beard?"

This entry is from an article I wrote for "The Door," the student newspaper of my seminary, the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago:

“So, when you are a pastor, will they make you shave your beard?” the ten year old Jose asked me during a youth camp last month. “No,” I replied smiling. “Good,” Jose replied, “it looks good on you.” This year I’m doing my internship in Argentina. Every day I learn something new, and I’m letting my beard grow out.

Like Kristin, who is in Oslo, my internship is through the Horizon International Internship program, which is a program that works with the ELCA Global Mission to provide seminary internships around the world. My assignment is at two small churches, at Misión Maria Magdalena (MMM) in Resistencia (population 422,400), and San Mateo in nearby Corrientes (pop-ulation 364,500). In Resistencia, 112,000 people live on $2 or $3 per day and almost half of Chaco's 1 million people live below the poverty line. In the interior of the province, neglected indigenous communities are dying of hunger.

Both churches are of the IELU (Iglesia Evangélica Luterana Unida - United Evangelical Lutheran Church in Argentina and Uruguay), the Lutheran Church here affiliated with the LWF and ELCA. I have been preaching every other week (in Spanish), teaching the first communion class with a couple of church members, teaching adult bible studies, and doing frequent pastoral visits, where I am always met by a warm welcome and offered mate (the classic Argentine tea). I also help with the various social outreaches of the mission, such as food distribution and various children workshops, like an environmental workshop, and a mural we’ve been painting on the church building. I have participated in IELU district and churchwide events, including three summer camps last month.

I’m now writing my mid-year evaluation, and I can’t believe it’s halfway through. As I look back at the last six months, many words and memories come to mind:

· I watch Cristina Kirchner speak a week before she was elected as president of Argentina and listened to hopes and doubts of political promises.
· In a conference with pastors from Argentina and Brazil (in a mixture of Spanish and Portuguese) we tackled questions like: “how do you do ministry in an increasingly individualistic society?”
· I listen to the joys and challenges of other churches at various assemblies.
· I sweat in my alb as I went outside to greet people at the Nochebuena (Christmas Eve) worship service.
· “What is a Lutheran?” the taxi driver asks me.
· I open the newspaper and read that more indigenous people have died in the interior of the province.
· Industry and employment have dried up, and corporations exploit land for soy production.
· “So, what do you think of that president of yours?” I’m asked.
· On my way to preach at church, I walk past a young girl looking for her next meal in the dumpster.
· Mercy and justice seem so far away.
· How great the urgency is when we pray for “Thy Kingdom come.”
· How great our call to “Prepare the way of the Lord.”
· Church here is both spiritually and literally the “pan de cada día (daily bread).”
· The boy’s face shows his gladness that tonight their will be a full meal, as he eagerly picks up the bag of food from the church, and carries it for his mother.
· I saw Jesus today.
· At the church planning meeting, each member talks about the fear neighborhood crime gives them, and how the police can’t be trusted.
· Vandalism abounds.
· We paint a bright mural on the front of the church.
· Natural Church Development workshops…The image of a horse pulling a cart with square wheels, and the cart is carrying a load of round wheels.
· Growth comes from within.
· We plant trees around the church, some are trampled, some grow.
· “No, you shouldn’t throw firecrackers at horses.” I tell the young boy.
· Church here is a place where hymns of praise are sung amidst the sound of kids throwing rocks on the roof.
· We pass the mate around the circle, laughing, sharing stories.
· My beard keeps growing.
· My pastor tells me stories about the military dictatorship in Argentina (a time when thousands of Argentines suspected in being a part of the political opposition were seized and “disappeared”), when he would receive visitors from the government who listened in on his sermons, because protestants were held under suspicion.
· Preaching the Gospel out of the conviction of it’s truth, and not letting the fear which sits in the back row preach it for you.
· Reading the Bible in Spanish continues to bring new meaning.
· “Why do you believe in God?” “I feel God’s presence when I pray,” replied the camper.
· Being invited to eat, receiving hospitality, being welcomed into a community of faith…ministry.
· At camp we sing: “Es lo más grande el amor nunca dejará de existir: no guarda duda o rencor, sin amor no es posible vivir” (Love is the greatest, it will never cease to exist: it doesn’t keep doubt or grudge, without love it is impossible to live).