Showing Up

A Letter from Betsey and Eric Moe, serving in Guatemala

Winter 2023

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Dear friends,

We hope this letter finds you well, as fall turns into winter in the north! Here in Guatemala, the rainy season should be coming to an end by the close of November, which, for us, means that there will be fewer times we have to run up to the roof to frantically gather our drying clothes. The changes in seasons, whether I like them or not, are a good reminder for me of the inevitable cycles of life and that God is in the midst of it all bringing hope through change.

CEDEPCA staff with protest signs. From left to right: “We put laws at the service of corruption.” “We demand respect for the will of the people.” “On behalf of all those who died from COVID-19 and on behalf of the children without education: Resign!” “We pray but we also denounce.” “My generation is not going to inherit this type of ‘democracy.’”

In our last letter, we mentioned the presidential elections that happened in Guatemala in August. Since that writing, the attorney general ordered the seizing of ballot records, interrupting the process for a peaceful transfer of power to President-Elect Bernardo Arévalo. This action set off a mass movement of peaceful protests throughout the country. Human roadblocks gathered at city entrances and highway intersections, and there was a large standing protest in front of the Office of Public Ministry in Guatemala City. This “national strike” lasted for almost three weeks.

At that time our CEDEPCA team wrote: “Because we are an organization that actively works for transformation in our society, and because we believe that God calls us to not remain silent in the face of oppression, we at CEDEPCA applaud, support, and join the efforts of the those who stand together to uphold our democracy and the vote of the people.”

As a result of the dynamic political situation, the Intercultural Encounters program at CEDEPCA had to postpone three visiting groups in October (all, thankfully, have rescheduled for the near future). We also added an event for our North American friends: the virtual “Update on Guatemala” in which several CEDEPCA staff people shared their first-hand perspectives on the protests and how their churches were engaging in the struggle.

Eric with trumpet students.

As we look ahead to the inauguration on January 14, the future still seems uncertain, yet hope is present. People here are looking forward to a new administration that fights corruption and pays attention to the needs of the most vulnerable. Keep praying for peace and justice in Guatemala!

I know many of you came to the “Update on Guatemala” event, and I want you to know that it meant the world to CEDEPCA staff that so many attended, saying through their presence, “I may not be able to change your situation, but I’m here for you.”

In fact, physical presence was what the protests themselves were all about. Guatemalan people showed up on the highways and streets to make their voices heard together. They showed up in front of the halls of government. Indigenous groups from far-away rural communities bussed and then marched together into Guatemala City, donning banners and flags and flutes and drums. And this is what we keep seeing and learning in Guatemala: people here show up for each other as a sign of genuine love and commitment to their community. They show up because it’s the most valuable gift they can give.

CEDEPCA visits Corazon de Mujer (CEDEPCA visita a Corazón de Mujer)

Since May, Eric has been teaching trumpet lessons online to several young adult trumpet students from various towns and cities in Guatemala (how he got these students is a story for another newsletter!). Yesterday, two of his students who live near each other drove together six hours each way to have an in-person lesson. Arriving at 9:30 a.m., they spent almost six hours in our home, first going through a warm-up routine, then having individual lessons with Eric, then sharing a meal with us, then working on jazz improvisation. Both students play music in their churches and play their trumpets with passion and joy. We had a ball hosting them and were so grateful they went to the trouble of showing up! Eric was amazed at the vast difference it made to be together and is starting to think about how he can make more in-person lessons happen.

CEDEPCA staff at the anniversary celebration.

And this leads us right into Christmas when we celebrate God’s coming to humanity in Jesus Christ. Showing up was how God showed love to the world. And our showing up for each other is how we continue to show God’s love for this world so badly in need of healing.

Thank you for showing up for us by remembering us in prayer, by giving financially, coming to CEDEPCA’s virtual events, seeking out current news about Guatemala, and even, sometimes, coming here with a group! We are truly grateful for all of the ways you show the incarnational, showing-up aspect of God’s love to us and the people of Guatemala. May you also feel accompanied and loved during this holiday season, wherever you find yourselves.

We are including in this newsletter links to the Advent Devotional Guide published annually by CEDEPCA in both Spanish (https://cedepca.org/adviento-2023/) and English (https://cedepca.org/en/advent-2023/). I love this devotional because it is written by people who live the Guatemalan reality and are able to articulate the joy and challenge of the gospel, perhaps differently than we may see it in the U.S. context. I hope you find it useful and nourishing during this season.

With much love,

Betsey for the Moe Family