Transformation

A Letter from César Carhuachín, serving in Colombia

Summer 2022

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Hi brothers and sisters in the USA:

Greetings from Barranquilla, Colombia.

My heart broke when I heard and watched the news about the school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, on May 25. I can’t believe a young man could act with this kind of violence and madness. Here in Colombia, my wife Dania and I are praying for the victims’ families, for healing for their souls and for changes in the current laws about who is allowed to own a gun.

On Sunday, May 29 presidential elections were held in Colombia. On June 19 a runoff election was held since no candidate received at least 50% in the first round of voting. For the first time in the history of Colombia, a candidate with an alternative agenda to the traditional right party or extreme right party won the election. Dr. Gustavo Petro is an economist and politician. His proposed agenda seems to be very attractive for most Colombians: more opportunities for higher education, better working conditions with benefits, access to health services for all people, social services for aging people, women’s empowerment, ending violence against women, promoting women’s rights, fighting against climate change, administering water resources well, protecting natural resources, etc. His presidential running mate, an African-Colombia woman named Francia Elena Márquez Mina, is a Colombian human rights and environmental activist and lawyer. She has campaigned against illegal mining mines in Suárez, Cauca Department, Colombia. She had to leave her city because she was threatened with violence. I invite you to pray for Colombia. We pray that Colombia overcomes the structural and historical violence with politicians that work for social justice and peace. If you want to read more about this new political reality in Colombia, please take a look at this New York Times article: nytimes.com/live/2022/06/19/world/colombia-election-results

The semester has ended. I have enjoyed teaching my three courses, but this year I liked the class discussions of my ethics course the most. The course was a course in professional ethics. The class of seven students consisted of two police officers, two lawyers, one World Vision employee, one clothing designer and one young lady from San Andrews Island. The discussions were very interesting because of the richness of my students’ differing concerns, experiences and points of view. We had discussions about subjects such as abortion, financial corruption in the megachurches in Latin America, religion and law, and corruption in public and private offices. These are among the most critically important ethical concerns in our region.

On Saturday, May 21, a group of 10 professors from the Theology department took a trip to a club Aguamarina Beach Resort, at the north of Barranquilla, where one of the professors has an apartment. This was the first professor fellowship since the pandemic years. Sadly, three of the 13 professors could not attend. I must say that I enjoyed the gathering and took pleasure in the free time, the pool, billiards, ping pong and the board games, such as chess. My wife was able to join me.

Our partner, the Presbyterian Church of Colombia, has some praise reports this month. The Third Presbyterian Church “La Cruz,” one of the churches in the Coastal Presbytery, suffered the collapse of its roof last year. This year, with the support of some Presbyterian churches in the PC(USA) and Barranquilla, this church was able to rebuild its roof and walls. The presbytery decided to celebrate its first united worship service after the pandemic years in the newly constructed sanctuary on Easter Sunday morning. It was a very emotional service and included the participation of the presbytery youth who walked around the building singing, “Aleluya, Aleluya, Cristo ha resucitado. Él resucita en los niños que reciben educación. Él resucita en las mujeres que tienen esperanza. Él resucita en Colombia que construye la paz. Él resucita en las iglesias. Cristo vive. Aleluya” (“Hallelujah, hallelujah, Christ is risen. Resurrection in children who receive an education. Resurrection in women who have hope. Resurrection in Colombia that builds peace. Resurrection in the churches. Christ lives. Hallelujah.”)  Praise God for these youth, who are a part of the future of Colombia.

On Sunday, May 8, Coastal Presbytery celebrated the ordination of Franklin Jimenez at the “Comunidad Del Camino” Presbyterian Church, the youngest church of the Presbytery. This congregation meets at the university chapel. The Rev. Jimenez is a retired army petty officer and professor of Hebrew in the Theology program of the university. I have known Rev. Jimenez since I arrived in Barranquilla in 2013. He has supported the pastoral work of this congregation for many years. I am very happy for him because I know he had been waiting to be ordained for some years before I arrived. Please pray for him, so he can continue to be a blessing to this church.

In 2023, I will be in the U.S. visiting presbyteries and congregations May 1–October 20. Interpretation Assignment is a time dedicated to sharing about God’s mission in Colombia. I would like to visit your church. If you would like to invite me to visit, please email me at cesar.carhuachin@pcusa.org. I am already reserving dates. It is always a privilege to visit congregations, presbyteries, meetings and other gatherings to share about God’s mission in Colombia.

Thank you for your prayers and financial support of World Mission. Your financial support allows us, as mission co-workers, to serve in several countries, in my case, Colombia. If you want to receive my letters via email, please visit my Mission Connections page to subscribe: presbyterianmission.org/ministries/missionconnections/rev-c-sar-carhuach-n/.

Blessing and peace,