Presbyterian Mission Agency

A letter from Marcia Towers in Guatemala

Winter 2013

Friends,

I’d like to share a recent reflection I wrote on behalf of CEDEPCA’s Disaster Ministry.  Part of my work as a mission co-worker with CEDEPCA has been to help this ministry thrive—and exciting things are happening!

“Did you notice that together we could work together better, helping each other?” “Yes, and it’s easy!” “The important thing is that we are here and we’re going to make things better, recognize our errors and not repeat them.” “Yeah, like my errors, when I thought I could do everything by myself and without help, and then I realized how important it is to work together as a group.”

Thus concluded the musical theater production And What Can I Do? that CEDEPCA’s Disaster Ministry presented in November 2013 to remember the anniversary of the November 7, 2012, earthquake that resulted in 25,000 houses damaged or destroyed in the department of San Marcos, Guatemala.  The musical theater performance, presented together with the dance group CHEVAH, achieved its goal of spreading simple and understandable messages about prevention and about simple emotional care techniques to the general public in the towns of San Marcos and San Pedro, both in the department of San Marcos.  Very few free public fine arts are available in Guatemala, so this public presentation with the goal of disaster prevention interested the local mayors, department officials, and a local Presbyterian church, who all helped with different services to make the performance possible.

A letter from Marcia Towers in Guatemala

November 2013

Friends,

I’ve loved having nine groups of Young Adult Volunteers over my time as mission co-worker in Guatemala.  Toward the end of each year, we talk about re-entry, and the first huge part of doing re-entry well is LEAVING WELL.  Now it is a new time in life and instead of helping others walk through the process of leaving well, my family begins the process of leaving well!  In the space of this newsletter I’d like to share with you that I’ll be finishing as a mission co-worker at the end of July 2014, share my journey that has taken me to this place of transition, and tell you that there is still so much to be done before I move back to the U.S.!

I feel very grateful about the process of transition, because my plans for change coincided with the PC(USA)’s plans for change.  The PC(USA) has decided that Guatemala will close for now as a Young Adult Volunteer site.  The program ran for 15 consecutive years in Guatemala, and I was the site coordinator for the last nine years.  During my coordination, 41 YAVs served in Guatemala, and probably 25 YAVs served in the years prior.  The Guatemala site was one of a few international sites that are set up for YAVs to stay in homes the whole year and provided an opportunity for YAVs who want to learn Spanish to study and practice the language.  But it is time for this site to close to make space for other countries where YAVs can work even more with PC(USA) partners on World Mission’s priorities of root causes of poverty, evangelism, and reconciliation.

Washington, DC
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PROGRAM PARTNER

National Capital Presbytery

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Washington, DC YAV site offers an opportunity to experience service and community life while living in the nation’s capital. Volunteers will serve beside the poor and low-income residents of DC—and will have the unique opportunity to engage issues such as poverty, hunger, and homelessness on the policy level. YAVs will seek and give witness to God’s activity in the city, and in their lives, as they learn practices to sustain a lifetime of justice-seeking.

PLACEMENT OPPORTUNITIES

• The Office of Public Witness …

Little Rock

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Program or Partner

Ferncliff Camp
Second Presbyterian Church
Presbyterian Disaster Assistance

Program Description

The focus of the Little Rock site is on living sustainably on the earth, living compassionately with neighbors – including those who have experienced disaster,-- and living faithfully in community and congregation. These themes interact as sustainable living calls us to examine cultural values and appreciate global interconnectedness. Engagement with local outreach ministries broadens comfort zones and helps identify root causes of poverty, be it of resources or of spirit. Faith is then practiced, stretched and better understood …

Zambia

Program or Partner

Volunteers will be hosted by the CCAP Synod of Zambia (Church of Central Africa Presbyterian), a small but faithful church involved in living out the Great Commandment and the Great Commission in a context of poverty and economic injustice, witchcraft, HIV/AIDs and vulnerable children, food insecurity, and a heavy disease burden. They welcome your willingness to share in this faith journey with them as together you do significant work for the Kingdom of God.

Placement opportunities

Many potential work placements have been identified in the areas of education, advocacy …