Do You Have Sisters?

That may seem like a simple question, but it’s one that has occupied my thoughts over the past few years. I do, in fact, have a sister that was part of my family before I was born. We grew up together, had bedrooms side by side and occasionally drove each other crazy with musical tastes that weren’t shared.

Later in my life, my brothers got married and brought wonderful sisters-in-law into our family. Then when I got married, I acquired yet another sister.

Over the past three years, I’ve had the pleasure of participating on mission trips to Huanta, Peru with other adults from my church, Sharon Presbyterian in Charlotte, NC. These trips have presented amazing opportunities to build relationships with my sisters in Christ in this Andean community that was at the center of Shining Path activities in the 1980’s. These women have seen extraordinary violence and many lost friends and loved ones during the time of terror. They continue to struggle daily with extreme poverty and extraordinarily difficult lives. However, they amaze me with their strength, faith and dedication to Christ.

On our first trip to Huanta in 2008, we started building relationships with our hosts. On the day of our arrival, several church members met us outside our hotel to walk us to a wedding that had been delayed so that we could attend as guests of honor. One of the women, Modesta, immediately smiled and took my hand. She held onto me for the entire walk and made a point of looking out for me during our stay in Huanta. As we got to know many other women in the Christo Rey church, they asked for our help organizing a Presbyterian Women’s group. They already met together regularly, nurtured the sick and visited prisons, but they lacked materials for focused Bible study.

When we returned to Huanta in 2009, we were very pleased to take gifts of Spanish language versions of the very Bible study used in our PC(USA) circles at home. The women in Huanta were thrilled as they were now able to study Joshua, as we did in the US! This book provided some needed structure as well as guidance for their study. This material was so successful in strengthening their group that there is now an effort to organize a retreat for the women of four Synods to be held at Christo Rey Church.

Modesta and my other sisters in Huanta are in my prayers daily and I know that I am in theirs. On the surface, we may appear to have nothing in common. However, through the love, ministry and grace of Jesus Christ, we are truly sisters and I will be forever grateful!

Connie Dale