September 26, 2020 marked six years since that tragic night in Iguala, Guerrero, Mexico, which shaped the country and shocked the world: the disappearance of the 43 students from the “Raúl Isidro Burgos” Rural Normal School of Ayotzinapa. Six years later, it continues to do the same. It is worth remembering and reflecting on what happened on that tragic night.
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“Brian, you gotta get stoned!” I looked into Monica’s eyes as I tried to stifle the laugh that was catapulting from my gut. The blank look on my face was coupled with my inability to respond. This paralysis was immediately noticed prompting Monica’s response. “You’re a person of faith, aren’t you?” I nodded. “You’ve read the stories, right?” Again, I nodded. “You know the story of Stephen. Stephen lived in a deep truth, and it stood in the face of power. It made those in charge nervous and angry. Stephen shook things up so much that they threw rocks at him, but his truth and faith were so fortified all he could do was see the kingdom on earth. So, Brian, you and I gotta go be like Stephen and get stoned!”
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On Saturday, August 29, God allowed me to enjoy the wonderful experience of listening to reflections and sharing worship with many brothers and sisters in Christ from the continents of the Americas, from Canada to Argentina. A reflection that deeply moved me was made by Jesús Vera. He spoke of the massacre that occurred in the municipality of San Fernando, Tamaulipas, Mexico, on August 22, 2010. The state in which I live.
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Recently we have been listening a lot in Mexico, thanks to the information disseminated in the media and social networks, about the phenomenon of the migrant caravan that began its journey through Mexico from October 2018, with the objective of reaching The United States of America.
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Columbus Day has a controversial history in the US, despite being one of the newer federal holidays. In 1992, Berkley, CA, became the first city in the United States to reject Columbus Day in favor of Indigenous Peoples Day. Twenty-five years later, as of Oct. 9, Time reports a list of 55 cities which have done the same—as well as three universities, three states, two cities which celebrate both, and South Dakota, which replaced Columbus Day with Native American Day in 1990. More communities are considering the same, including Washington, DC itself. As of October 2017, Oberlin, OH, is on the list, and Cindi and Jeriel Byron-Dixon can tell you why.
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From July 17-22, BPFNA ~ Bautistas por la Paz held its first Summer Conference in Mexico. The theme for the week was “¿Cuando te Vimos Desnudo?: Arropándonos con Esperanza” or “When Did We See You Naked?: Clothing Each Other with Hope.” Over the week, 217 people representing 12 countries gathered to explore community through the lens of vulnerability; how do we become unafraid to share our vulnerabilities with one another and what does it look like to stand with and offer protection to the most vulnerable in our communities, countries, the world?
Del 17 al 22 de julio, BPFNA ~ Bautistas por la Paz celebró su primera Conferencia de Verano en México. El tema de la semana fue "¿Cuándo te vimos desnudo?: Arropándonos con Esperanza" o "¿Cuándo te vimos desnudo?: Vistiéndonos unos a otros con esperanza". Durante la semana, 217 personas de 12 países se reunieron para explorar la comunidad a través de la lente de la vulnerabilidad; cómo nos sentimos temerosos de compartir nuestras vulnerabilidades entre nosotros y ¿qué tal se ve apoyar y ofrecer protección a los más vulnerables de nuestras comunidades, países, del mundo?
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This was a historic gathering of Baptists from North, Central and South America and the Caribbean all committed to the work of peace and justice in our various contexts as people of faith. It was transformative week of living, learning and worshiping together despite differences of language and culture. The planning and leadership was provided by a talented group of Baptist leaders from across Mexico, Central, and South America. All services and workshops were conducted in Spanish with interpreters provided for the non-Spanish speaking attendees. It was an immersion experience for many participants coming from the North. We were immersed into the language, food, community and spirituality of Latin culture. We were invited to consider faith through the lens of a culture that values ‘we’ over ‘I’.
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As we gathered in the basement of Casa Vidas to introduce ourselves, we were asked the questions. Tell us who you are? where you're coming from? Who did you say goodbye to last when you were leaving?
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