Participants at Mission u celebrate during this workshop. The Rev. Paul Jeffrey led a session on Latin America during last year’s Mission u. Register for Mission u 2016 at bit.ly/missionu-2016.
Latin America Study Impacts at Mission u
By N.H., June Butler, and Joan Hackett | Photos by Keith Hackett
With over 20 years of experience as a missionary in Latin America, photojournalist the Rev. Paul Jeffrey presented the all school study “Latin America: People and Faith” during last summer’s Mission u held at Central Washington University in Ellensburg.
This year was a “ping-pong of emotions”: from anguish and helplessness about Latin America to lighthearted laughter in learning how to create our happiness with God-one of the elective studies. “Paul spoke frankly and openly about Latin American history,” said Naomi Harvey, a first-time participant at Mission u.
“From Columbus, to William Walker, to the Dirty War, to today, atrocities have been committed in the name of national security, democracy and even in the name of Christ himself. I was familiar with some of the information but not with many specific events or their extent,” Harvey continues:
“As I listened, I couldn’t stop asking myself, ‘Where is God in this?’ The people who were supposed to speak for God so often seemed to have been blinded by power, wealth, or indifference. What do I do and what can the church do to atone for its sins? I‘ve been encouraged to hear about how some have worked to end the oppression and injustice – not by ‘rescuing’ the ‘helpless’ but by standing beside them and empowering them to work for their own development and fight for their rights and freedom.”
June Butler, a seasoned attendee, shares that “Anguish during the Rev. Paul Jeffrey’s presentations on our country’s role in the destruction and oppression of lands and peoples of Latin American countries, was counterweighted with the bounce and joy of the Happiness studies. The Rev. Jen Stuart taught us how to keep a single eye on God as the true source of happiness, how John Wesley told us to use our money, and how to simplify our cluttered lives. All was done with a lot of laughter and singing as well as deep thinking about happiness, relationships with God and others.”
