La Palma

Recently we participated in a retreat with 10 more missioners working in Central America and 5 VMM leaders from the US.

Together we boarded the bus to La Palma. As the bus headed north out of town, we recognized many landmarks along the way, identifying turns towards other churches we visited with Lutheran pastors. As we left the city, the bus windows were wide open. It hasn’t rained for months, the air is stale and with a lot of dirt blowing around.

An hour out of town, our bus begins to lose energy as we climb the mountain to the artistic community of La Palma. We travel for just less than an hour more to the colonial town, high in the mountains. The air is cool and fresh, it’s a joy to breathe again. We arrive in the late afternoon as the cool wind begins to blow down the mountains. We change from shorts and short sleeves to trousers and jackets. The hotel has thick blankets available in our room.

We skip lunch to walk the community. A carnival has been set up for a large festival for this weekend. Vendors with fried foods and merchandise are everywhere. La Palma celebrates its artistic legacy with wall after wall painted in the bright “La Palma” style created by Fernando Llort. The town survives on tourism, thus there is shop after shop selling hand crafted items. There are two shops in La Palma that offer higher quality items in unique ceramic art and wooden merchandise.

The missioners gather together to share, support, and learn about each other. Together we breathe fresh air filled with the power of God, energy and hope and together we exhale our disappointments and fears. We hear again the mission of VMM and specifically our call to be in solidarity with the poor and oppressed. Working with the poor requires a different skill set: to listen, not manipulate; to know their reality; to walk with them, accept their hospitality, hear their stories and await their invitation.

Missioners share how the gang problem is having impact on their mission. The gang influence is luring some of the youth away from programs and for others the gang violence is making it to fearful to venture out to continue in the program. Peter shares that his program for the women is having mixed results as some women will not contribute the care of the chicken, but want the money the project provides.

In light of all the set backs and disappointments with missioners programs and missions, we return from the mountain, refreshed and energized to do our work and leave the results to God.