A letter from Philip Beisswenger in Guatemala
October 13, 2010
Grace to you, and peace from Guatemala!
The very first Presbyterian missionary here, the Rev. John Clark Hill, came in 1882 at the personal invitation of Guatemala’s president, Justo Rufino Barrios. Motivated by his power struggle with the Catholic Church, Barrios personally escorted Hill all the way from New York to the Palacio Nacional. Before a crowd of well-wishers, Barrios announced, “He’s from the United States and he can’t speak Spanish.”
Hill quickly opened an English-language school and began services for Guatemala City’s elite. But after three years this early mission effort fell apart. Barrios was killed in a gun battle, and Hill, financially strapped, was called back to the States.
Since then, many years and missionaries have come and gone. The Presbyterian movement in Guatemala has changed a lot. Worship is held in seven languages (but not English). Church members reflect all socio-economic classes. And wouldn’t you know it, since we arrived in Guatemala, the current president, Alvaro Colóm, has yet to throw us a welcome party.
Early this month I led a retreat with 10 Guatemalans to examine the meaning of international partnership. Meeting in the southern town of Retalhuleu, we discussed a book entitled Called as Partners in Christ’s Service, by Sherron Kay George, a PC(USA) mission co-worker in Brazil. Here are some comments by participants on attitudes that should co-exist in partnerships that span cultures and borders:
Respect: “It means that since we’re autonomous, partners shouldn’t just want to make us do things the way they do them.”
Compassion and solidarity: “It means we feel bad when our partners are sick, and we try to see them through it, because we won’t feel good until they are well.”
Humility: “It means we know we are not without failings. We hope our partners will look out for us and help us to do better.”
The relationship between U.S. and Guatemalan Presbyterians keeps evolving. The role of missionaries (here called “fraternal workers”) waned long ago, and direct partnerships between presbyteries and churches have grown. What hasn’t changed is the determination to stick together as sister denominations while seeking to stay true to ourselves and faithful to God.
We’re glad that our family now has a car for getting around Guatemala City, and our kids have bikes for cruising around the neighborhood. In a deeper sense, we’re glad for God’s steadfast presence in this society of perpetual motion. Somehow God manages to move us all in the right ways, and at the right pace. Thank you for keeping us in your prayers.
Your Partners in Mission,
Philip and Bacilia Beisswenger
P.S. The Guatemala Mission Network meets on February 1–4, 2011, at Guatemala’s Seminario Presbiteriano. Please hold these dates, if you can, and watch for more details.
The 201o Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study, p. 277, 279
