When Walking in Solidarity, Sometimes you have to RUN!

For those interested I was involved in the cowardly and violent attack on the University of Arizona Presbyterian Campus Ministry students and their Peruvian partners on Wednesday, March 16th in La Oroya. I accompanied the group on an invitation, and frankly would not have wanted to have been anywhere else...SOLIDARITY. I am bruised emotionally (from having someone slap paint all over my face) and physically from being hit in the shoulder and back by paint cans with full force). I am one of ¨the 2 American leaders living in Peru¨ mentioned in the article, but not out by a long shot, just indignant. My wounds and remnants of a painted face are because I (and my compañeros) were shielding the bodies of Peruvian children and youth that the workers were trying to grab. Just remember that violence ran us out, but peace and non-violence won the day, not hired bullies who think they are the law.

**This photo was taken in the darkness of the little tienda that we were cornered in by the angry mob of workers that chased us up a hill, and were angrily calling for us to come out. I believe it is the only photo that was taken (by us) in this tienda.**

k to the PC(USA) News Article that includes a Press Release from the Joining Hands Network Peru

http://www.pcusa.org/news/2011/3/22/presbyterian-students-back-us-after-attack-peru/

It is interesting how this incident gets mixed reviews. People are entitled to their opinion, just like I am, becasue this is my blog. I must say that the group and I did not travel to La Oroya, Peru planning on being attacked by 200 plus angry workers from a mineral smelter that is currently not functioning. We didn´t say to ourselves ¨YEAH! Let us go get the beatdown for Jesus!¨ There are supportive people who are glad you are safe (me too!) and that no one was seriously injured (me three!). Then there are those who want to know ¨Why were you there in the first place, aren´t their needy people in the United States?¨ Somehow they are missing part of the point, so let me offer a bit of one person´s missiological perspective (i.e. - me). I must respond that yes there are needy people in the United States who need our love and support, as well as someone to accompany them in solidarity, but the in the Gospel of Mark chapter 12 we are called to ¨Love God with all our hearts, mind, and soul, and to love our neighbor as ourselves.¨ Our neighbors are not just the Smiths and the Jones who live on either side of us in Our Town, USA. Our neighbors, as a young man named Orlando, in Ayacucho recently told me ¨Are the people in front of us at any specific moment...that means at some point everyone is our neighbor.¨ In this increasingly global culture, and as our backyards get ever increasingly smaller I cannot see how this commentary couldn´t be more true. When I was traveling in South Africa in January of 2009 this same theme emerged in a conversation about extranjeros or foreigners participating in the anti-apartheid movement. At that point in my theological training I was not really sure how to respond to the assertion that ¨Americans should have just stayed out of it and worried about all of the problems of our own we had back home.¨ The gentleman from Austrailia or New Zealand that was leading that session, and was talking about a Healing of Memories Project, addressed this individual and this topic head on. I sat eagerly awaiting what he might say. The speaker, named Micheal, sat and calmly addressed this dissenting opinion, with two artificial limbs and a slightly scarred face that had healed over the years. Micheal came to South Africa to walk in solidarity with the men, women, and children who were protesting the evil system of separation and racism known as apartheid. He walked in protests, hand in hand with black South Africans, and for it he was severly injured when he opened a package mailed to house. It was a bomb wrapped in a copy of the Christian Century, and it exploded in his hands. Micheal addressed the idea in this way ¨If foreign countries and individuals, like America, had not gotten involved in the struggle against apartheid economically and socially, black South Africans would still be living under this cruel fate. When we choose to step outside of our comfort zone and risk who we are for the sake of others, we choose to walk in solidarity with others. When we maintain an inward focus of who our neighbors are by only focusing on our problems we miss the opportunity to walk in soldiarity with our neighbors both at home, and half a world away.¨ I think most of all we miss the opportunity to learn from our neighbors as we walk with and beside them. Some of my most profound life moments have occurred while walking in solidarity with both Americans, and foreigners that I have joined along the trail. Solidairty is a fellowship arising from common responsibilities and interests, as between members of a group or between classes, peoples, etc. It is a communion or community of people united by feelings and purposes. Walking in solidarity, for the purpose of a communal exchange of ideas and cultures, with friends and young people from Peru was why this group and I went to La Oroya, Peru. We did not go to antagonize or agitate workers, there was a reporter named Beatriz who is already pretty good at that. Social responsibility and where it intersects with my faith tells me that we were there to help amplify the voice of these youth through accompaniament (our presence) and learn from the silenced majority. The silenced majority are the children and youth whose blood contains levels of lead that are off the chart. A year ago a group of students from Colorado College made the same trip for the same purpose, and there were no incidents. Unfortunately, this year a beautiful week of cultural exchange, growth, and learning on all sides was marred by the thoughtless intentions of a small sector of individuals (okay well maybe 200 is not so small) who think that it is their job, since the plant is closed at this time, to defend it, obviously by any means neccessary. Where would they get such an idea? These men violated the human rights of all of those involved when their loud and belligerent inquiries (which they are entitled too) turned to physical violence (which last time I checked they ARE NOT entitled too). These thoughtless men only drew more negative attention to the town of La Oroya, Peru and its struggle with environmental contamination and a long running mineral smelter - Doe Run.