In the Bolivian Friends history
project, I am currently researching the 1970s. As usual my work involves wading
through a lot of tedious detail and occasionally finding hidden treasure.
This decade especially fascinates
me because Hal and I enter the story. We first arrived in Bolivia in January
1972. I find my head sticking up out of the letters and minutes and minutia I’m
wading through. In fact, I wrote many of those council minutes. My memory is
adding spice to the task.
One such minuted item, a piece of
hidden treasure, involved a rather tense discussion in a mission council
meeting. I remember it well. The mission team at that time was made up of Ron
and Carolyn Stansell, Gil and Louise George, and Hal and me. Our friendship and
trust gave us the freedom to disagree, and sometimes we did just that.
The particular issue that day was
important. We were wrestling through ways to relate to a national church
that was experiencing growing pains; we were seeking a path that was holistic and
healthy. Ron expressed the view that our theological and biblical work was key,
that we needed to focus on the formation of leaders who “rightly handled the
word of truth.” Ron had been instrumental in beginning the extension Bible
school program and an interdenominational seminary for pastoral training.
Gil countered that the key was not
education but simply warm pastoral care of our leaders. He found great value in
our task of driving teams of leaders to the conferences and gatherings around
the country. Being in the cab of the pickup with different people for hours on
end seemed a wonderful opportunity to listen, encourage and pray with people.
Gil and Louise were the newest members of our staff and the only ones with
actual pastoral experience.
Then Hal piped in with another
perspective. The key to our relationship, he said, is understanding the culture
of our people—their values, ways of making decisions, family ties, and
worldview. Hal came to the task equipped as an anthropologist, and he was deep
into his investigations of the Aymara culture.
At one point in the meeting (and
this is a point that comes from memory, not recorded in the minutes), one of
the women (and I can’t recall who) observed that bringing together these three
perspectives—the biblical, pastoral and cultural—made for a very holistic
approach. While that seems obvious in retrospect, it was an aha! moment for me.
Hope replaced the tension I had been feeling. And that hope continues to warm
me.
I can’t say, of course, that from
then on the way forward was clear. We continued to struggle and work through
all sorts of issues. But God was with us and with the church, giving light,
slowly bringing about maturity. The insight I gained in that council meeting made
a difference to me.
And it encourages me now as I
wrestle with the different points of view on issues Friends in the northwest—and
all over the country—are facing, within ourselves and in our surrounding
contexts. It encourages me to slow down, listen carefully, value the differing
perspectives, and know that as we stay together God will lead us. And take care
of the church.
