Hope and Humility

A Letter from Betsey and Eric Moe, preparing to serve in Guatemala

Summer 2022

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Dear friends,

HOPE is something I’ve been looking for. It is elusive, and easy to miss with all that clutters, distracts and covers it. Maybe I can look for hope where I’ve seen it before. Maybe if I wait it will show up. Maybe I’ll see evidence of hope and be able to track it down. As I share some of what the Moe family has been up to this summer into fall, I’ll highlight some places where I (Eric) see hope. 

We took a trip back to Spokane to reconnect with family and visit some church partners as well. I found hope in a conversation with a woman at Southminster Presbyterian Church, located south of Seattle. This woman has been part of mission trips her whole life. She shared with humility some of her missteps and her love for the people she had the chance to work with. Her humility invited me to have grace for myself as I am learning new things as a mission co-worker.

Shortly after returning to our new home in Antigua, we were off to Costa Rica for a gathering of 25 mission co-workers from Latin America and the Caribbean. For two years we have gathered with this group on Zoom, and it was wonderful to meet them in person. It was surprising to learn in Costa Rica that we already know them well. And what an amazing group of people! It’s so inspiring to see the work they do. Caring for migrants at the border, working with farms and community gardens, teaching seminary classes, working for justice in so many ways. I find hope in the good work I see them doing. 

CEDEPCA is hosting groups again! As I write this, we just finished a week of doing the work we moved here to do, and it was extra special for us because this first group was actually from our home church, Hamblen Park Presbyterian Church in Spokane. What a treat for us to experience being back in the saddle with familiar faces. At the same time, the way the whole church does mission is being re-imagined and evaluated in challenging ways. It’s difficult to acknowledge that mission may not always have the intended effect, and that our best intentions sometimes miss the mark. Betsey and I have a front row seat to some of conversations about this and to some of the new ways mission is being done. I find hope seeing faithful people being willing to listen and think critically about how to join God in mission in healthier ways. 

I’ll close with an image from Costa Rica. We were shocked to see flocks of scarlet macaws flying everywhere. It was spectacular! Similar to seeing a whale, you’d see eight macaws and scramble to get a picture only to realize your pathetic cell phone photo would not even begin to capture the radiant reds and blues and the sounds overhead. While we were there, we learned that not too long ago these birds were endangered. But practices were changed and now macaws are thriving in the area. 

Guatemala is full of situations that are overwhelming, out of balance, and discouraging. But there is also a glimmer of hope that as we listen to each other, and open our eyes with humility, there’s a chance that things will begin to change. Thanks for joining with us in this journey!

Eric and Betsey

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