Letter to the Diocese of Vermont
From the Rt. Rev. Thomas Clark Ely
March 1, 2007

To the people of the Episcopal Diocese of Vermont:

Ann and I have just returned from an engaging and rewarding month in the Diocese of El Salvador as part of my sabbatical exploration of Global Mission. It was both a humbling experience and a great privilege to be so thoroughly welcomed and embraced by the people in the three missions where we spent most of our time. Bishop Barahona, as always, was most gracious in his invitation to us to participate fully in the life of the Episcopal Church in El Salvador.

The focus of our time in El Salvador centered on the work of three small missions in the eastern part of the diocese (East of the Rio Lempa). The mission strategy of the diocese is to have these three congregations work as a regional team in developing the capacity of the congregations and training local leaders for ministry. As part of that strategy, and the larger strategy for ministry in the eastern part of the diocese, the diocese opened a new Pastoral Center in geographical proximity to the various missions and other ministry opportunities in the East. This Pastoral Center is located in the town of Jiquilisco and served as our home for the month of February. Joining us in the house was Noah Bullock, a young man from California who will return at the end of April to serve as a mission volunteer in this area for a year. Noah will be the Director of the Pastoral Center, coordinating its ministry with the Pastoral Team serving the three congregations.

Our ministry during the month of February included working with the Pastoral Team in their establishment and formation as a team. Presently the team includes one stipendiary priest, one stipendiary lay missioner and his wife, and two non-stipendiary lay missioners (ages 17 and 21!). Two of the congregations (San Pablo in San Juan de Letran and Santiago de Jerusalén in El Carmen) are located in the mountains in the northwest corner of the Department (State) of Usulután, in the area known as Alto Lempa. Driving to these two congregations is quite an adventure! The third and newest mission (Cristo Rey) is located in La Canoa, which is in the southwestern corner of the Department of Usulután near the Bay of Jiquilisco and the Pacific Ocean, in the area known as Bajo Lempa.

We spent a good deal of our time worshipping with and listening to the people of this region talk about their hopes and dreams, as well as the hardships and challenges they face. We were inspired by their commitment to community and to the mission and ministry of the church in these very remote and isolated areas. These are young churches, in the case of Cristo Rey less than a year old, and the Holy Spirit is doing a very good thing with and among these people. Still recovering from the effects of the war and the continuing economic, political and social challenges facing the poor of El Salvador, the people of this region, working closely with community organizers and the church are trying to provide for themselves and their families a decent and sustainable life. It is not easy!

Emerging from our time there and the conversations we had with church members, community leaders and community organizers is an idea for supporting local farmers that I think will appeal to Vermonters. One of the most difficult challenges facing farmers in this agriculturally fertile area, apart from the cycle of droughts and floods, is that of “cash flow” during the growing season. Growing and getting agricultural products to market requires an initial outlay of money that most do not have and so a cycle of meager production and poor harvests continues the cycle of poverty for many of those living in these rural areas. While the “peace settlement” following the Civil War in El Salvador provided land for people to farm it did not provide the corresponding economic support needed for prosperity. As one person commented to us, “they gave us the land and closed the banks to us.”

The idea that emerged during our time there is the establishment of a revolving loan fund for the communities served by these three congregations. The program, “Hasta la Cosecha,” is designed to provide seasonal loans to farmers who agree to pay the money back to the fund after the harvest. Working with diocesan and community agricultural and financial resource persons, the program would also provide agricultural technical support and assistance in the critical area of commercialization. These community revolving loan funds would be administered by the Vestry of each congregation for the community they serve. Open to anyone in the community (not just church members) the Vestry would establish criteria, review applications (including budgets), determine eligibility and award the loans. The program would accomplish three important goals. First, it would provide farmers with the critical cash flow needed to bring a full and good harvest to market. Two, it would demonstrate the commitment of the Episcopal Church to help address the needs of the local communities. Third, it would place responsibility for sustainability and success in the hands of the local leadership of each church, thus increasing its capacity for leadership and mission.

Vermont is a rural and agricultural state and I think our solidarity with farmers in El Salvador would send a powerful signal of partnership and support to the people of the churches there as well as the local communities served by the Episcopal Church of El Salvador. I’ll have more to say about this program and ways that Vermont Episcopalians (and others) can get involved when I return from sabbatical.

As was the case during my time in Africa, I am trying to bring back to Vermont some concrete mission opportunities for us to connect with other Anglicans in other parts of the world. It is mission that unites us in Christ and it is a commitment to participation in God’s Mission that will strengthen us as a church. I will ask the newly formed Global Reconciliation Committee to review this project for future funding and I invite congregations and individuals interested in participating in this initiative to stay alert for further information. I have already made funds available for two such loans ($300 each) to two persons in the Cristo Rey Mission, upon the recommendation of their Vestry.

This is just one of the exciting things I am able to share with you from my time in El Salvador. There is so much more, including the powerful experience of three Ash Wednesday services in these congregations and the “emergency” trip we made to El Carmen on our last night in Jiquilisco to transport a man with a broken leg to the hospital. Ann and I were able to make some improvement in our Spanish language skills, but mostly we were transformed by the powerful presence of God’s Holy Spirit in the lives of the people we met and of whom we have grown very fond. You can view some pictures from El Salvador here and on my Picasa Web Album: http://picasaweb.google.com/TenCup

While we were in El Salvador, my Dad began an aggressive treatment for cancer of the throat and the results have been very positive. He is at home regaining his strength and for now the oncologist is saying he doesn’t need further chemotherapy. His heart is strong following the angioplasty and so the signs of healing are encouraging. Thank you for your continued prayers for him and for us. We head next to Mexico for a time of relaxation and await word about the impending birth of our second granddaughter.

You remain very much in our thoughts and prayers as we continue to give thanks to all those who are working so faithfully to provide diocesan oversight and leadership during this sabbatical. May God continue to bless you this Lent and encourage you to an ever deeper engagement in God’s Mission at home and in other places of need throughout the world.

Faithfully,

+Thomas

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