Accompaniment

Today, Friday the 13th, we met with the Board of Directors of the Concejo Ecumenico Cristiano de Guatemala (ECG). It was humorous and delightful to see that Boards are the same everywhere; review the minutes, discuss and take action. And, then it became apparent that Boards are not the same everywhere in terms of the urgency of their mission. We witnessed a Press Conference in which the Council called for the Guatemalan electoral process to be free from violence. They also called upon the people to express their desire for candidates who have the interest of the people at heart, as opposed to their own self advancement.
Afterward, we listened as they considered a proposal to enter into partnership with the Southeastern Region of the German Lutheran faith. (Something our representatives are considering; what would it mean to partner/accompany one another on the journey.) The purpose of the German proposal is to lend support to ECG and to Pastors, particularly Lutheran Pastors who are standing with the indigenous people---the Maya---in their desire to protect the natural resources and heritage of Guatemala from exploitation. One of those Pastors was with us this day, Pastor Jose Pilar Alvarez. His witness was powerful. He talked about the people standing together to protect a forest entrance to a mountain area. The non-violent gathering went on for 25 days. Families shared food with each other and whatever else was needed. He was with the people in their desire. He was arrested.
What happened next isn’t so much about the court system, but about the people seeking justice, and it taught us the meaning of “accompaniment.” The people went with him. They stood by him. He said the first call he made was to the Ecumenical Council Office. They sent word and member Bishops, Pastors and leaders from across Guatemala came to support him. With the accompaniment of the people and the witness of these other leaders, the charges against him were dismissed.
He told another story of being in the hospital, and 400 of the people came to the hospital to make sure that he was safe from harm. The hospital Doctors and nurses were so amazed by the response, they encouraged the people to stay and excused any bill.
He continues to be harassed for supporting the people. His life (as are other Pastors) is in danger because he supports the people as they seek justice, stand up for dignity, believing that God cares what happens to them and to all of creation.
Our response to the stories we heard was amazement at the courage. Their response to us was “it is not courage alone. It is conviction to do what is right for the people of God, with the support of a community that accompanies us when we do.”
Which leaves me to wonder North American church----who has “our backs” when we step out and take risks for the sake of the gospel? When we call each other to account for the biblical prescription to “do justice, love kindness and walk humbly with our God?”
Could we not learn from the ECG what it means to seek justice, stand up for truth, and most importantly what it means to be a community that will accompany others when we are needed? If we knew that community was there---what truth would we be willing to tell, what press conference might we call, what risk would we be willing to take for the sake of the God’s Kin(g)dom.
How might we accompany our partners in Guatemala? I imagine when the call goes out from ECG---we can be witnesses, too.
Teresa Dulyea-Parker