Milagro Mejía is one of two peacemakers from El Salvador
by Scott O’Neill | Presbyterian News Service
Milagro Mejía
LOUISVILLE — A lawyer, notary, and deaconess with more than two decades of experience in the Calvinist Reformed Church of El Salvador (IRCES) will serve as a first-time International Peacemaker next month as part of the Presbyterian Peacemaking Program’s visits to churches and faith organizations across the country.
Milagro Mejía is scheduled to visit the Riverside, Cascades, Greater Atlanta, and St. Augustine presbyteries in September and early October. She joins fellow El Salvadoran Noemi Sanchez as a Peacemaker visiting separate locations across the country.
Mejía notes El Salvador registers low economic growth due to many factors, including low international investment opportunities, rising oil prices and inflation. Lack of employment opportunities continues to be a main cause of poverty, migration, and family disintegration, which poses a long-term threat to social development and economic growth for her country. Despite these challenges, IRCES and local communities have been implementing strategies to promote family participation and alleviate those problems.
“We have programs to build a culture of peace with other churches and sectors in civil society, which work to prevent irregular migration, implement family garden projects, train people to improve their diet and provide psychosocial care programs for people affected by violence and natural disasters,” said Mejía. “The church also has educational processes through schools that support children and young people with limited resources.”
As a result of these programs, Mejía notes there are several successes that have impacted individuals in a positive way.
“Many children have had access to formal education through scholarships and now hold university or vocational degrees or own small businesses,” said Mejía. “Single mothers and heads of household have participated in peace education which helps promote a culture of peace. Micro-enterprises help people generate income and leave a positive mark on children, youth, and women. All these stories have affected my life and enabled me to appreciate the unconditional love of God in the service of my fellows.”
The Presbyterian Peacemaking Program brings individuals like Mejía (and Sánchez) to the United States to share stories about their lives and ministries and the issues facing their countries. The visits are designed to increase understanding of peace and justice concerns around the world, broaden the sense of God’s inclusive family, and help equip the church to build a culture of peace and nonviolence for all of God’s children.
“I hope that our visits to your churches will be like a seed that falls on fertile ground, germinates and bears fruit for the strengthening of the joint work of our churches,” said Mejía. “I also want to share in the joint accompaniment of ecclesial and diaconal work and support commitments with the migrant population in vulnerable situations.”
The PC(USA) has collaborated with IRCES for more than two decades, beginning with emergency aid for earthquake victims, including home construction. In recent years, the work has branched out to support projects on peace, migration, and leadership issues. Mejía’s local church in Soyapango (a municipality of San Salvador, the nation’s capital) has a sister church in Highland, Pennsylvania, a relationship known as “twinning.” Their relationship has supported student scholarship programs for more than twenty years.
To see if a Peacemaker is coming near you, check the itinerary page.
The Presbyterian Peacemaking Program is one of the Compassion, Peace & Justice ministries of the Presbyterian Mission Agency.
Give to the Peace & Global Witness Offering to continue the valuable ministry of these International Peacemaker visits.
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