Abide in Me, as I Abide in You

A letter from Kristi Van Nostran serving in El Salvador

September 28, 2015

On the five-year anniversary of moving to El Salvador to work alongside church and community partners to combat the root causes of hunger and poverty with Red Uniendo Manos El Salvador, the Joining Hands Network of El Salvador, I find myself reflecting upon my experience thus far. I’ve come to embrace that our primary role in mission is to be present, to come alongside, to accompany. Even, and especially, at times when it seems there is nothing that can be done, when all we can do is be. These verses from John’s gospel keep coming to my mind:

Abide in me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me. I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing  (John 15:4-5).

My handful of years on the mission field have taught me (the hard way) that mission is messy: leadership comes with challenges, dealing with injustice is overwhelming, accompaniment is not easy, and the only thing that is constant is change. It is not uncommon to feel frustrated, even angry, when coming up against the worldly structures and systems of injustice that keep people hungry and in poverty around the globe. What is easy is to find myself fixated on “bearing fruit,” generating results and measuring outcomes. How many families have achieved food sovereignty? How many delegations will we host in El Salvador next year? How much interest and support for my ministry have I stimulated; is it enough?

Five years later the statistics are still glaring: some 1.5 million Salvadoran families are without access to clean water, and one out of five preschool-aged children is suffering chronic malnourishment with nearly 1 million Salvadorans unable to secure adequate food. Climate change is threatening the health and viability of the ecosystems throughout the region, not to mention the toll the higher temperatures, extreme weather events, and added stress on limited water resources are already taking on human health. Gang violence and related crime have spiked in 2015, placing tiny El Salvador back in the running for the most violent country in the hemisphere, forcing an unprecedented pattern of migration of children, youth and mothers with young children toward the southern borders of the U.S. And, sadly, the list goes on.

Sometimes I find myself asking: where are the results; where is the fruit?

This week 35 women, men and young people gathered in San Salvador for the fifth annual General Assembly of the Red Uniendo Manos El Salvador. Many left their communities before dawn. By foot, in the back of pickup trucks, squeezed into vans and buses filled way beyond capacity, Joining Hands members made their way to the city of San Salvador to lift up the successes and challenges of another year working together for food sovereignty, campaigning against agrotoxins, and advocating for healthy and sustainable agricultural practices.

People were eager to relay that despite this year’s severe drought, working with native seed varieties, organic inputs and agroecological practices has enabled their families and communities to enjoy a limited harvest this season as opposed to the widespread famine being experienced in many regions of the country. They were excited to report that their neighbors are taking notice and are now inquiring about transforming their own plots and kitchen gardens toward healthy and sustainable, organic production. Folks were thrilled to highlight the municipal ordinance—the first of its kind—that will regulate and restrict the use of toxic agrochemicals in local sugarcane production. But beyond all of that, 35 women, men and young people were overjoyed to come together in fellowship. The side conversations were every bit as fruitful as the business of the day, and the countless smiles, hugs, laughter, and even a few tears that were shared are a testament to the Joining Hands family that has grown out of five years of mutual accompaniment.

It seems to me that when Jesus makes mention of the vine bearing much fruit, he is not talking about—much less demanding—productivity as the world defines it. The One who was sent, by a Missionary God, wants and offers connection, relationship, intimacy; Jesus calls us to abide. To abide means staying for the long haul, hanging in there even when it’s tough; continuing to be present. The General Assembly gathering reminded me that the mission of my ministry is not to solve every problem and resolve every issue our Salvadoran sisters and brothers face, but rather to stand with them—to accompany—believing, and preaching, and living in hope, trusting in the One who has called us as co-workers, with God, to make all things new. And it is through this accompaniment that transformation can, and is taking place.

In El Salvador we are joining hands and hearts in order to speak with one voice in favor of reconciliation that restores relationships—between God and humanity, between humanity and the rest of Creation, and that brings humanity into community. Your prayers, visits and generous financial support make this ministry of accompaniment and transformation possible. I hope that you would continue to abide with us; it is essential that we make this journey together.

Kristi

The 2015 Presbyterian Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study, p. 69