Let’s Visit – Part 2!

A Letter from Betsey and Eric Moe, serving in Guatemala

Fall 2022

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Dear friends,

Warm greetings from our home to yours.

One year ago, I (Betsey) wrote a letter about the value of face-to-face visits. Eric and I had just visited Guatemala and met CEDEPCA and many of their local partners, which was a big deal for us; we had been mission co-workers working remotely from Spokane for a year and a half.

Now that we have lived in Guatemala for almost 10 months, I re-read my own letter and still think that God works through face-to-face visits. But now I have the perspective of someone who regularly has the blessing of receiving and accompanying visitors, so I thought it was time to circle back to that theme.

Hamblen Park church members sharing a meal with teachers from La Libertad Primary School

Perhaps because people are feeling more confident to travel, the stream of travelers to Guatemala has been fairly consistent since August, including travel groups from supporting churches and personal friends.

In mid-August, an intergenerational group of twelve people from Hamblen Park Presbyterian Church in Spokane came on a CEDEPCA-hosted trip. My fellow CEDEPCA facilitator, Esvin, and I accompanied the group to Coban to visit the teachers and students of La Libertad primary school, with whom the church partners. It was a beautiful visit; each classroom had prepared a creative presentation based on a children’s book to welcome the group. We visited the houses of two students who had set up home “reading corners,” and we ate lunch with the entire teaching staff. One of the realities of COVID here in Guatemala is that public schools closed down and only recently re-opened – a huge blow to the already fragile educational system that set kids back years. In fact, because some families so desperately need extra income, their kids were required to work and will never go to school again. The day we visited La Libertad was the first day students had been allowed on the open play area in the school’s center, where kids got to play soccer and do an astronomy activity with the Hamblen group. A spirit of celebration filled the air, as the group got to see students and teachers come alive with a renewed commitment to learning. Visits make that kind of mutual rejoicing possible.

Women from Covenant Presbyterian Church visiting and chopping veggies with women from Coyolate, Suchitepequez

The second visit happened just over a week ago, when a group from Covenant Presbyterian Church in Madison, Wisconsin returned to Guatemala. This was a group new to CEDEPCA, but not new to Guatemala. They had had a 20-year relationship with two communities close to the southern coast of Guatemala. Esvin and I were the facilitators once again, accompanying them on what we call at CEDEPCA a “work-immersion” trip, with some hands-on work as well as ample time listening and learning. In the hot, humid weather, our shirts and pants were soaking as we dug trenches for the construction of a church kitchen, hosted a simple medical clinic, and painted the inside of a house. But (thankfully) in between our periods of labor, we had time to sit in the shade outside the homes of church members and hear their stories. For me, these were special “visits within a visit” that gave perspective to the whole experience.

One story was shared by a woman whose husband had tried migrating to the United States three times. Their son had a blood disease that required special medication, and the only way they could think of to pay for the expensive medication was for the father to work in the States for a period of time and send money home. On each trip, he risked not making the dangerous trip alive or deportation and prison time (which he endured twice). The group from Covenant wrestled what to do with this knowledge. Aside from their simple presence and empathy, what kind of power might the church have to advocate for this family, or for migrants in general? Visits make space for people to see each other and to think about how God is calling them to live in community together.

Betsey and Eric reconnecting in Guatemala City with Rev. Greg Allen-Pickett

This fall Eric and I have also enjoyed visits of a more personal nature from old friends. Rev. Greg Allen-Pickett, a friend we met 20 years ago at our church in Denver, came in early October for his work on the board of Living Waters for the World, and Jen Willson DeVries, a college friend, was in Guatemala just a few days ago. Jen works for a fair-trade company called Sseko that empowers women artisans through educational scholarships and job training. She was here to meet rural artisans from the Lake Atitlan area and hear their stories. We only shared a meal with Greg and with Jen, but each visit cheered us and gave us the opportunity to recognize the myriad ways God is alive and active in the world.

Later in November, CEDEPCA will receive another group from the United States. Also, my parents and our college-aged son Henry are coming to visit us at Thanksgiving. I can’t tell you how much these face-to-face encounters are food for our souls. But more than that, we count it a privilege to see the Spirit of Christ faithfully showing up to visit God’s people and bring fresh understandings of community, justice, and love.

I said it a year ago, and I’ll say it again: we at CEDEPCA are always excited to host visiting groups and plan transforming intercultural encounters. Please contact me if you have a group that may be interested. But even if you are not able to come to Guatemala in person, know that your prayers and your financial support of us are part of making God’s reconciling work come alive in Guatemala. Thank you for your friendship and commitment!

In gratitude,

Betsey and Eric Moe

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