From the Presbyterian News Service

September 29, 2008
Peace Passing All Understanding

by Jerry L. Van Marter
Presbyterian News Service

LOUISVILLE — The threat — and reality — of violence lurks just beneath the surface calm of Antioquia, Colombia, says the Rev. Diego Higuita-Arango, a Presbyterian pastor in the mountainous agricultural village where he serves.

“Right now is an apparent calm — the violence is more psychological than physical,” Higuita told the Presbyterian News Service in a Sept. 25 interview during a break in the orientation of a dozen International Peacemakers who are preparing to itinerate in Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) congregations for the next month under the auspices of the Presbyterian Peacemaking Program.

“Those who perpetrated the violence are still there,” Higuita says of the protracted conflict that has pitted pro-government paramilitaries against guerilla forces with Colombian peasants and church people caught in the crossfire, “but most of them are fatigued and looking for a change. Some combatants have fled, but are still luring. International pressure has helped. Strategies have changed. The killings are more selective these days.”

In such a situation, “it’s hard to be the church,” Higuita says, noting that he is “afraid for my life all the time.” Colombia remains polarized, these days into pro- and anti-Uribe (Colombia’s president). “Both sides want to force you to choose and everyone is caught in the middle,” he says.

The challenges for the war-torn country and the church are many, Higuita says. “We must reconstruct the social web of our community after so many years of war,” he says. “Our children need education and a sense of security. There is also much diaconal service, because lots of families have lost everything. Many are displaced.”

The fabric of communities like Antioquia has been so torn apart by the decades of violence that “creating a dynamic peace” is very difficult, Higuita says. “How does the church create a community that understands the importance of faith?” he queries.

When people are assailed on all sides, he adds, “We in the Presbyterian Church of Colombia understand ourselves to be in relationship — with God, with the environment and with each other. This sense of dynamic ‘being’ includes all and our general objective as a church is to uplift the human rights of each person.”

Higuita’s itineration as an International Peacemaker will include visits to the presbyteries of Chicago, Winnebago, Hudson River and Salem. His message to the U.S. Presbyterians he will meet:
“Apart from all the bad things, God is all-powerful and will bring peace to God’s world.”

 

If you haven’t yet seen it, ask your Pastor or Mission Committee Chair for the Presbytery’s Mission 2008 presentation. Each congregation was given two copies at the February meeting of the Presbytery. Not only will you find pictures and statistics for every single local mission grant recipient from 2007, you’ll also see the projects that our Genesis Fund has supported over the last two years.

Most importantly, you’ll find the application form for the 2009 grant cycle. The deadline is May 31st and it will be here before you know it. While I STRONGLY encourage you to view the CD you can, by clicking here, download the application.

 

As you know, Winnebago Presbytery has an ongoing partnership with the Presbytery of Uraba in Colombia.

We recently discovered that the Presbyterian Church in Colombia has updated their web site which you can find here.   (It is also linked on our side bar under links of interest.)  From the new site you can link to the Colegio Americano de Barranquilla and the Universidad Reformada in Barranquilla where Alice Winters teaches.  You can also link to each of the  presbyteries in Colombia including Uraba.  Representatives from Winnebago Presbytery have visited both schools and another trip is being planned for later this year.

The purpose of the trip later this year is for the Presbyteries of Uraba and Winnebago to jointly explore and study environmental and human rights issues. Anyone interested in participating needs to contact the Presbytery office no later than April 1.