{"id":1346,"date":"2016-06-21T08:00:14","date_gmt":"2016-06-21T13:00:14","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.elca.org\/advocacy\/?p=1346"},"modified":"2016-06-21T12:04:49","modified_gmt":"2016-06-21T17:04:49","slug":"central-america-reflections","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.elca.org\/advocacy\/central-america-reflections\/","title":{"rendered":"From accompaniment to advocacy: Reflections on Central America migration"},"content":{"rendered":"<hr \/>\n<p><em>The reflections you will encounter are\u00a0from Gettysburg seminarians who traveled to Honduras and Guatemala earlier this year in order to better understand the conditions driving so many to leave their communities. The words you will read are excerpts from reports\u00a0the students wrote as part of the class that brought them on this trip. The videos were recorded for ELCA Advocacy. Each entry highlights something the author learned when they met\u00a0individuals from communities the ELCA accompanies or is in relationship with. We hope these\u00a0reflections show\u00a0the amazing power that individuals have to move from accompaniment to action by walking and advocating alongside affected communities.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>We would like to thank Gettysburg Seminary and all of the students who shared their stories with us.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>(All names and locations referred to in these reflections have been changed to protect community members.)<\/em><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h3>A call that all Christians have &#8211;\u00a0by\u00a0Chris Schaefer<a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.elca.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/41\/2016\/06\/Chris-Schaefer2.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1420 size-thumbnail alignright\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.elca.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/41\/2016\/06\/Chris-Schaefer2-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"Chris Schaefer2\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.elca.org\/advocacy\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/41\/2016\/06\/Chris-Schaefer2-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/blogs.elca.org\/advocacy\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/41\/2016\/06\/Chris-Schaefer2-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/blogs.elca.org\/advocacy\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/41\/2016\/06\/Chris-Schaefer2-768x768.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blogs.elca.org\/advocacy\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/41\/2016\/06\/Chris-Schaefer2-250x250.jpg 250w, https:\/\/blogs.elca.org\/advocacy\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/41\/2016\/06\/Chris-Schaefer2-350x350.jpg 350w, https:\/\/blogs.elca.org\/advocacy\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/41\/2016\/06\/Chris-Schaefer2.jpg 969w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/a><\/h3>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Chris&#039; reflection on migration advocacy\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/TFKm1-S-UXQ?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h3>The power people of faith have to connect and listen<a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.elca.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/41\/2016\/06\/12227638_10103242770848189_7953080954390039971_n.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-1415 alignright\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.elca.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/41\/2016\/06\/12227638_10103242770848189_7953080954390039971_n-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"12227638_10103242770848189_7953080954390039971_n\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" \/><\/a><\/h3>\n<h4><strong><em>A reflection by Alaide Vilchis Ibarra, Assistant Director for Migration Policy<\/em><\/strong><\/h4>\n<p>As a new(ish) U.S. citizen, I am always curious about what drives so many of us to be advocates in this country. These reflections remind me that when people of faith spiritually connect and truly listen to others, even those whose language we might not speak, God gives us an amazing power for good.<\/p>\n<p>I am humbled that these seminarians chose to share faithful reflections about their trip to Central America, and I am proud that they viewed advocacy as part of their responsibility as faith leaders. I also know that there are thousands<br \/>\nof others who are out educating friends and neighbors about issues affecting their communities, visiting their elected officials to discuss their concern for brothers and sisters who live in poverty, and work in ministries that provide hope and support for people throughout the world.<\/p>\n<p>As you read these reflections, I hope you take with you a sense of the amazing power that exists in sharing what we learn through accompaniment with others in community and with those in power so that we may live in a world where everyone is treated with the dignity and respect they deserve.<\/p>\n<p>In the final reflection of this series, we will hear again from\u00a0Chris Schaefer. Chris traveled to Washington, D.C. to speak with his elected officials about his experience in Central America. His movement from accompaniment to advocacy serves as a great example of the impact people of faith can have in affecting positive policy change.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h3>Protecting our environment and protecting each other\u00a0&#8211; by Kayla Edmonds<\/h3>\n<p>https:\/\/youtu.be\/yQqbzYaqs7g<\/p>\n<h4><b><i>&#8220;<\/i><\/b><b><i>La lucha<\/i><\/b><b><i>&#8221; &#8220;The struggle&#8221;<\/i><\/b><\/h4>\n<p>&#8230;The most surprising part of our trip to Central America was the massive impact that climate change plays in migration. Due to climate change the communities that had two growing seasons now only have one&#8230;If the crop doesn\u2019t come through then they either have to go without or take out loans.<\/p>\n<h4><b><i>What exactly does accompaniment mean?<\/i><\/b><\/h4>\n<p>A friend of mine explained it to me by using the story from the bible the Road to Emmaus. In the road to Emmaus story, two of Jesus disciples are walking along the road to Emmaus when Jesus appears to them and walks alongside them. We are not Jesus in this story. I don\u2019t think I can emphasize this enough. We. Are. Not. Jesus. We are one of the disciples and our neighbors in Central America are the other disciple. And as we are walking along together, Jesus comes and walks along beside of all of us.<\/p>\n<h4><b><i>Statistics vs. the real story<\/i><\/b><\/h4>\n<p>We see statistics all the time on migration. Rarely though do we ever hear the stories of those who have migrated or tried to migrate. These people are not numbers; they are real people who are simply trying to provide for themselves and their families a better life.\u00a0I wasn\u2019t sure what to expect from our trip to Central America, I had never been out of the country or even on a plane for that matter&#8230;<\/p>\n<p>Through this trip I realized just how small my world and my view of the world truly was. And for that I am truly grateful. I am more aware of the world outside of my little world and of the need to walk beside of our brothers and sisters in Central America and beyond. Nothing has ever impacted me as much as this trip did, and I look forward to seeing how this experience will shape and change my future ministry.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h3>&#8220;I knew how much they were giving up&#8221; &#8211; by Ariel Williams<\/h3>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Ariel&#039;s reflection\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/Vu-QJnU5-nQ?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h3><\/h3>\n<h3>He wanted to be home &#8211; by Patrick Ballard<\/h3>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"He wanted to be home - Patrick&#039;s reflection\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/KUVCl6daECo?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h3><b>Reflexi\u00f3nes<\/b><b> de <\/b><b>u<\/b><b>na<\/b> <b>p<\/b><b>eregrina<\/b><b> &#8211; Reflections from a sojourner &#8211; by Jennifer Crist<\/b><\/h3>\n<h4><b><i>&#8220;El <\/i><\/b><b><i>sacrificio<\/i><\/b><b><i>&#8221; &#8220;<\/i><\/b><b><i>The<\/i><\/b> <b><i>sacrifice<\/i><\/b><b><i>&#8220;<\/i><\/b><\/h4>\n<p>We began [our visit] by watching families and <i>jovenes<\/i> arriving at the end of their attempt to migrate&#8230;As we waited outside for the buses of deported migrants to arrive\u2026 I wondered who might arrive on the bus that had just been deported from the US due to increased ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) raids&#8230;<\/p>\n<p>There were many more families traveling together than I expected\u2026 One could transport these families to somewhere like Disney World, stepping off of the shuttle bus after a long day of lines and rides and eating; carrying backpacks and sweaters.\u00a0 But these families were not returning from any vacation. Instead of their backpacks carrying all that they needed for one day at the park, their backpacks were carrying all of their possessions, everything they needed to traverse multiple countries.\u00a0 I wonder what I would put in my backpack?\u00a0 What if my backpack got stolen?\u00a0 What would I do?\u00a0 Unfortunately, I imagine most of these families have faced these questions\u2026<\/p>\n<p>Our final visit of the day was to \u2026 a neighborhood claimed as a territory of the MS-18 gang&#8230; A twenty-five year old woman, named Luz, spoke about her journey north to Mexico, where she worked until she felt she could no longer be separated from her baby who remained in Honduras.\u00a0 As she talked, she often paused, expressing her gratitude to God.\u00a0 She spoke of the reasons she left, as being intimately interwoven with the violence of the neighborhood: &#8220;Here the <i>colonia<\/i> is very dangerous.\u00a0 Living here limits us.\u00a0 There is not work, because when they hear we are from this area, they don&#8217;t hire us.\u00a0 We can&#8217;t get a loan, because of our address here.\u00a0 One doesn&#8217;t LIVE like this, with insecurity and fear.&#8221;\u2026Despite all of her negative experiences, she spoke of the hope she had felt when CASM [<span class=\"TextRun SCX15422228\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCX15422228\">the <\/span><\/span><span class=\"TextRun SCX15422228\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\"><span class=\"SpellingError SCX15422228\">Comisi\u00f3n<\/span><\/span><span class=\"TextRun SCX15422228\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCX15422228\"> de <\/span><\/span><span class=\"TextRun SCX15422228\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\"><span class=\"SpellingError SCX15422228\">Acci\u00f3n<\/span><\/span><span class=\"TextRun SCX15422228\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCX15422228\"> Social <\/span><\/span><span class=\"TextRun SCX15422228\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\"><span class=\"SpellingError SCX15422228\">Menonita]<\/span><\/span> connected with her.\u00a0 She said, &#8220;Thank God&#8230;.No one ever helped me like that before.&#8221;<\/p>\n<h4><b><i>&#8220;<\/i><\/b><b><i>Arroz<\/i><\/b><b><i> Blanco&#8221; &#8220;White rice&#8221;<\/i><\/b><\/h4>\n<p>Despite being tired from a long day and food preparation in the hot, dark kitchen, I was pleasantly surprised by a migrant passing through, named Marco\u2026Both of our childhood families were very poor.\u00a0 My mother would prepare white rice with a little bit of milk and sugar for us for dinner; Marco&#8217;s mother would prepare <i>arroz<\/i> <i>blanco<\/i> with a little bit of coffee and sugar for him for dinner.\u00a0 We both only realized as adults that this was because our mothers were poor and couldn&#8217;t afford better dinners.\u00a0 To this day, he and I both adore white rice prepared the way our mother&#8217;s had prepared it when we were children.\u00a0 White rice is our comfort food.\u00a0 As I watched Marco depart the next day, I embraced him and whispered, &#8220;\u00a1Te cuidas!&#8221; as I thought of his mother and of my oldest Guatemalan sons.\u00a0 Though our experiences had been similar in childhood, I was born in a different geographical location, not needing to make a perilous journey to a better future.\u00a0 While I could freely travel into and out of his country, he had to endure violence and hardship in order to enter mine.\u00a0 A wave of guilt washed over me as I watched him depart with his backpack\u2026<\/p>\n<h4><b><i>&#8220;La <\/i><\/b><b><i>Lucha<\/i><\/b><b><i>&#8220;<\/i><\/b><b><i> &#8220;The struggle&#8221;<\/i><\/b><\/h4>\n<p>[I] found myself reading about Jesus in the desert being tempted by Satan.\u00a0 As I read about Jesus enduring many things (hunger, humiliation, etc.), I was reminded of stories that I had heard of hardship in traveling to <i>El Norte<\/i>&#8230;.stories of hunger, violence, and violation of basic human rights.\u00a0 After Jesus endured the temptation, Luke&#8217;s version simply has Jesus returning home.\u00a0 And that is the reality of many migrants as well.\u00a0 I imagine when Jesus returned home, he was tired from his journey in the desert, but he was filled with the power of the Holy Spirit.\u00a0 According to the writer of Luke, Jesus did not go home to rest from his journey in the wilderness, but instead he began his public ministry of teaching.\u00a0 And as Jesus stood up in his &#8220;home congregation&#8221; and revealed his authority from God, he also announced his job description to those who were gathered: to bring good news to the poor and to liberate the oppressed.\u00a0 Jesus was focusing on justice and mercy.<\/p>\n<h4><b><i>After returning home\u2026<\/i><\/b><\/h4>\n<p>As I finish this [reflection], the community I have been gathering as a mission developer, Communities of Hope, is preparing to gather in a coffee shop in Harrisburg, PA.\u00a0 We will sing, hear God&#8217;s Word, and share a meal together.\u00a0 However, <strong>we also intentionally decided that at every worship service we would have an advocacy component within our liturgy.\u00a0 I will share one of the stories from Honduras (listed below) with the community tonight.<\/strong><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h3><strong><span class=\"TextRun SCX16833145\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCX16833145\">\u00bf<\/span><\/span><span class=\"TextRun SCX16833145\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\"><span class=\"SpellingError SCX16833145\">Por<\/span><\/span> <span class=\"TextRun SCX16833145\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\"><span class=\"SpellingError SCX16833145\">qu\u00e9<\/span><\/span> <span class=\"TextRun SCX16833145\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\"><span class=\"SpellingError SCX16833145\">est\u00e1n<\/span><\/span> <span class=\"TextRun SCX16833145\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\"><span class=\"SpellingError SCX16833145\">aqu\u00ed<\/span><\/span><span class=\"TextRun SCX16833145\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCX16833145\">? &#8211; by Chris Schaefer<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Chris&#039; reflection\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/bf-9KF6CbI8?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>On our first full day of travel in Honduras, we had the opportunity to visit with a small Lutheran community that gathered regularly at a home in [a] small village. While there, several gentlemen shared their stories of attempts to migrate north to Mexico and the United States. They demonstrated great candor in relating many of the trials, hardships, and set-backs they had experienced before leaving their families and friends behind&#8230;\u00a0<span class=\"TextRun SCX16833145\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCX16833145\">After the gentlemen wrappe<\/span><\/span><span class=\"TextRun SCX16833145\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCX16833145\">d up their accounts, a<\/span><\/span><span class=\"TextRun SCX16833145\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCX16833145\"> patriarch of the village stood up and asked ou<\/span><\/span><span class=\"TextRun SCX16833145\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCX16833145\">r group, <strong>\u201c\u00bf<\/strong><\/span><\/span><strong><span class=\"TextRun SCX16833145\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\"><span class=\"SpellingError SCX16833145\">Por<\/span><\/span> <span class=\"TextRun SCX16833145\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\"><span class=\"SpellingError SCX16833145\">qu\u00e9<\/span><\/span> <span class=\"TextRun SCX16833145\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\"><span class=\"SpellingError SCX16833145\">est\u00e1n<\/span><\/span> <span class=\"TextRun SCX16833145\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\"><span class=\"SpellingError SCX16833145\">aqu\u00ed<\/span><\/span><span class=\"TextRun SCX16833145\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCX16833145\">?\u201d<\/span><\/span><span class=\"TextRun SCX16833145\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCX16833145\"> or, \u201cWhy are you here?\u201d<\/span><\/span><span class=\"TextRun SCX16833145\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCX16833145\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><span class=\"EOP SCX16833145\">\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"TextRun SCX155780364\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCX155780364\">He continued by <\/span><\/span><span class=\"TextRun SCX155780364\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCX155780364\">expressing some <\/span><\/span><span class=\"TextRun SCX155780364\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCX155780364\">confusion as to our purpose because after all of the questions and answe<\/span><\/span><span class=\"TextRun SCX155780364\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCX155780364\">rs exchanged between our groups<\/span><\/span><span class=\"TextRun SCX155780364\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCX155780364\"> he was still unsure why we would come all this way to ask about information that <\/span><\/span><span class=\"TextRun SCX155780364\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCX155780364\">we already knew, particularly regarding<\/span><\/span><span class=\"TextRun SCX155780364\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCX155780364\"> why folks were migrating and what faced them on their journeys. Many of us had to admit that we were actually fairly ignorant about the causes of the immigration crisis&#8230;\u00a0<strong>The patriarch\u2019s question struck a chord wit<span class=\"TextRun SCX155780364\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCX155780364\">h me, though, and forced me to reexamine<\/span><\/span><span class=\"TextRun SCX155780364\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCX155780364\"> my reasoning in accompanying this group, as well as why <\/span><\/span><span class=\"TextRun SCX155780364\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCX155780364\">our group was there as a whole.<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<h4><strong>Seeing the faces of our neighbors<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p><span class=\"TextRun SCX240668644\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCX240668644\">The staggering statistics that surround these stories are often too vast to comprehend and fully internalize, but <strong>the story of an individual allows and enables us to see the faces of our neighbors<\/strong> and better live out our calling as Christians to love and care for all of our neighbors, regardless of whether they live right next door or in a country far from our home.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"TextRun SCX179997155\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCX179997155\">As we continued on the trip, my preconceived notions about the intelligence<\/span><\/span><span class=\"TextRun SCX179997155\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCX179997155\"> and abilities of those living in the Northern Triangle were continually shattered and rebuilt in a way where I could better see the true nature of partnership in community and how these strangers living in a foreign land demonstrated <\/span><\/span><span class=\"TextRun SCX179997155\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCX179997155\">true discipleship&#8230;<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<h4><strong><span class=\"TextRun SCX246845976\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCX246845976\">Kindling a stronger sense of love, compassion, and justice<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/h4>\n<p><span class=\"TextRun SCX117527692\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCX117527692\"><span class=\"TextRun SCX149499309\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCX149499309\">I drew great inspiration and strength from our interaction<\/span><\/span><span class=\"TextRun SCX149499309\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCX149499309\">s, and because of that, a stronger sense <\/span><\/span><span class=\"TextRun SCX149499309\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCX149499309\">of love, compassion, and justice has been kindled within me, and I am quite certain that the Holy Spirit was present and active in, with, and among us.<\/span><\/span><span class=\"EOP SCX149499309\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"TextRun SCX123435708\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCX123435708\">Their strength and courage and trust in God in all things has helped tear down walls of fear and anxiety that surrounded me. <\/span><\/span><strong><span class=\"TextRun SCX123435708\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCX123435708\">I feel strengthened and invigorated to live out my<\/span><\/span> <span class=\"TextRun SCX123435708\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCX123435708\">calling <\/span><\/span><span class=\"TextRun SCX123435708\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCX123435708\">as a Christian and I plan to take the stories that were so trustingly and generously shared wit<\/span><\/span><span class=\"TextRun SCX123435708\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCX123435708\">h us and pass<\/span><\/span><span class=\"TextRun SCX123435708\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCX123435708\"> them to others so that the Spirit may work through them as the Spirit has worked in me.<\/span><\/span><span class=\"EOP SCX123435708\">\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><em>\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The reflections you will encounter are\u00a0from Gettysburg seminarians who traveled to Honduras and Guatemala earlier this year in order to better understand the conditions driving so many to leave their communities. The words you will read are excerpts from reports\u00a0the students wrote as part of the class that brought them on this trip. The videos [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":218,"featured_media":1420,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1400],"tags":[51,16282,15024,231],"class_list":["post-1346","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-post","tag-advocacy","tag-ammparo","tag-elca-advocacy","tag-migration"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.4 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>From accompaniment to advocacy: Reflections on Central America migration - ELCA Advocacy<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Gettysburg seminary students reflect on their accompaniment trip to Central America.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/blogs.elca.org\/advocacy\/central-america-reflections\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"From accompaniment to advocacy: Reflections on Central America migration - 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