A New Day

A Letter from César Carhuachín, serving in Colombia

Fall 2022

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Hello, brothers and sisters in the States! Greetings from Barranquilla, Colombia!

I hope all of you are doing well in this post-pandemic world. A new day has arrived in Colombia with the new government of President Gustavo Petro, which officially began his administration on August 6. Marginal communities are expecting changes in the Health and Education systems, and hope that these services will be more geographically and economically accessible to rural communities, low-income families and victims of violence. Those who supported the Peace Agreement of 2016 between the Colombian government, and the FARC (Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia) are eager for the implementation of that agreement. The people who work for and with vulnerable communities are hoping that the new government will finally stop the killings of hundred of peasants and community leaders in rural areas. There are many expectations from the people for this new administration. Please, keep us in your prayers!

I hope God blesses Colombia with peace, justice, respect and protection for the poor and marginal communities such as Indigenous peoples, Afro-Colombians, women, children, peasants, LGBTQIA individuals, houseless persons, displaced communities and migrants. In addition, I pray that we learn to respect natural resources such as rivers, forests, ecosystems and wildlife. President Petro said that he wants “Colombia to be a world power of life.” Vice President Dr. Francia Marquez has popularized her expression: “Vivir sabroso” (live with gusto). She explained that “to live with gusto” is to live without fear, with dignity and human rights. All progressive Colombian churches are supporting this new government. As partners of God´s mission in Colombia, I invite you to thank God for this wind of hope that Colombians are now feeling.

My wife Dania and I attended the PC(USA) World Mission Latin America and Caribbean Gathering in Costa Rica, August 3-10, 2022. It was a wonderful experience for us. I enjoyed seven days with colleagues whom I hadn’t seen in person for almost five years. It was also an opportunity to meet new mission co-workers for the first time who are now serving in Central America and the Caribbean. I want to request your prayers for all Latin America and Caribbean mission co-workers, who are serving in the context of extreme poverty, violence, racism, human trafficking, corrupted governments, social oppression, human rights abuses, religious fundamentalism, etc. As mission co-workers, we are supporting the work of our churches and ecumenical partners on peace, justice, migration, sustainable ecology, theological education, Young Adult Volunteers, preaching at churches, teaching Bible studies, etc. There are several ways to share the gospel and the love of God in our places of service.

I want to share some good news with you about my wife Dania and how she is adapting to Colombia. Dania is originally from the Dominican Republic. Although she came to visit me many times as my fiancé, now she is living here in a new country. I thank God because she is enjoying this new context as well as our churches and ministries. In July, she was invited to preach at a women’s ministry meeting and in August she was invited to share a presentation on the “Theology of Tenderness: A Look Towards Childhood” at a conference. Dania is enjoying these experiences because she was very involved in her church in Santo Domingo, DR. Please pray for us and for Dania so that she can become more and more comfortable in Colombia every day.

As for me, in the past months, I have preached at Fifth Presbyterian Church and Comunidad Del Camino Presbyterian Church in Barranquilla, in both in-person and online services. This is a very good pastoral practice since elderly members can attend worship services remotely. Sadly, COVID is still active in Latin America and sometimes results in death. Some churches, however, no longer hold online services and have returned to in-person services although many elderly cannot attend. Please pray for our churches in Latin America, where we are searching for the best way to serve our community.

In 2023, I will be in the United States for my Interpretation Assignment months. I will be in the U.S. from May 1 until October 21, visiting congregations, presbytery meetings, mission committee meetings and other church gatherings to share about God´s mission in Colombia. If you would like to invite me, please contact me. My email is cesar.carhuachin@pcusa.org. I am reserving the dates, honoring the order in which I receive the invitations. It is always a privilege to visit congregations, presbyteries, meetings and other gatherings to share about the ministry of our church partner and how we are working with them.

I really appreciate your prayers and financial support for God´s mission in Colombia. If you wish to receive my letters, please sign up at presbyterianmission.org/ministries/missionconnections/rev-c-sar-carhuach-n/.

Grace and peace!

Please read the following letter from Rev. Mienda Uriarte, acting director of World Mission:

Dear Partners in God’s Mission,

What an amazing journey we’re on together! Our call to be a Matthew 25 denomination has challenged us in so many ways to lean into new ways of reaching out. As we take on the responsibilities of dismantling systemic racism, eradicating the root causes of poverty and engaging in congregational vitality, we find that the Spirit of God is indeed moving throughout World Mission. Of course, the past two years have also been hard for so many as we’ve ventured through another year of the pandemic, been confronted with racism, wars and the heart wrenching toll of natural disasters. And yet, rather than succumb to the darkness, we are called to shine the light of Christ by doing justice, loving kindness and walking humbly with God.

We are so grateful that you are on this journey as well. Your commitment enables mission co-workers around the world to accompany partners and share in so many expressions of the transformative work being done in Christ’s name. Thank you for your partnership, prayers and contributions to their ministries.

We hope you will continue to support World Mission in all the ways you are able:

Give – Consider making a year-end financial contribution for the sending and support of our mission personnel (E132192). This unified fund supports the work of all our mission co-workers as they accompany global partners in their life-giving work. Gifts can also be made “in honor of” a specific mission co-worker – just include their name on the memo line.

Pray – Include PC(USA) mission personnel and global partners in your daily prayers. If you would like to order prayer cards as a visual reminder of those for whom you are praying, please contact Cindy Rubin (cynthia.rubin@pcusa.org; 800-728-7228, ext. 5065).

Act – Invite a mission co-worker to visit your congregation either virtually or in person. Contact mission.live@pcusa.org to make a request or email the mission co-worker directly. Email addresses are listed on Mission Connections profile pages. Visit pcusa.org/missionconnections to search by last name.

Thank you for your consideration! We appreciate your faithfulness to God’s mission through the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).

Prayerfully,

Rev. Mienda Uriarte, Acting Director
World Mission
Presbyterian Mission Agency
Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)

To give, please visit https://bit.ly/22MC-YE.

 For it is the God who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 2 Corinthians 4:6