With Chris Bain, Director of CAFOD and Francis McDonagh, Andes Programme Manager
17th-26th March 2011
A year ago, Chris Bain, the Director of CAFOD, asked if I would be willing to accompany him and Francis McDonagh, the Andes Programme Manager, to visit some of their sponsored projects in South America. As a result, I spent ten days in Colombia meeting various people who have been involved in setting up, sustaining and working in the projects. Some of the projects were situated in the demilitarised zone of Colombia and others in the poorer areas on the outskirts of Bogotá. Below are some thoughts about the visit which I would like to share with you.
What have I learned?
I did not really know very much about Colombia and its people. So pretty well everything I saw and heard was new to me. It is a vast country with such geographical diversity and parts of it are well developed and accessible. Other parts are very remote not only because of distance from the capital, but because of the lack of what we would call decent roads and normal transportation. On top of this, although there has been politically organised central government for a long time, this central government is a long way from many of the more remote areas. There have sprung up many different groups who have tried to fill the regional political vacuum, among them the FARC, various armed groups and guerrillas. Add to this the Drugs Industry and its involvement with all these groups, the result is a very poor situation for the ordinary citizens of the country, especially those living in the remote regional areas.
Freedom and security are very much lacking. Violence and the rule of the gun are experienced very frequently in these areas. People are displaced either forcibly because their land is confiscated, or out of fear for themselves or a family member who is serving with one of the above-mentioned groups or with the State Army or Police. Colombia has one of the largest number of displaced persons in the world. People are torn apart by all these elements and there is no real redress. The only institution they can turn to with trust and hope is the Church. Through its dioceses, national and local agencies, the Church is able to support individuals and groups, financially, socially and spiritually.
Various projects help the people to establish small businesses in order to give them some means of livelihood and in this way to gain some freedom and independence which affords them a certain self-esteem. Through programmes sponsored by the Church, they are made more socially and politically aware, and are shown ways to approach the regional authorities, such as they are, to access a response to and redress their situations.
Preaching the Gospel is very much a case of bringing the Good News to bear on all areas and levels of life and human interaction. It spreads out from the Eucharist and sacramental celebrations into the streets and even reaches the remotest country areas by means of dedicated, courageous clergy, religious and lay workers.
Groups like CAFOD and other Church organisations and NGOs provide the support, encouragement, expertise and the wherewithal to sustain such development and progress. The people of Colombia are very aware of this and are inspired that so many of their brothers and sisters from other parts of the family of the Church and the world should show such love, generosity and solidarity.
In a way, I am so glad I did not know much about Colombia and especially that I did not know about the demilitarised zone handed over to the FARC in 1992 because that was precisely where I was headed – San Vicente del Caguán!!
What moved me most?
I found the whole experience very moving, therefore it is difficult to pick out a specific occasion. However, we visited an area just outside Bogotá called Soacha. As we moved further away from Bogotá, the roads and the housing became poorer and poorer. We visited an area called Leo XIII ñ I have never seen a Billiards Hall named after a Pope before!! We met with the local parish priest who explained that a large percentage of the people living in this area were ‘displaced‘ people from the country areas who had been forced by violence or fear to leave their homes and come to the city. Of course, when they arrive they have nowhere to live nor any means of making a livelihood. So the Parish had set up a house to take in 28 people for a month at a time in order to give them a start. During this time, with the help of the Church, they try to find somewhere to live and a job.
Most of the people live on a hillside overlooking the main road in and out of Bogotá. The hill is partly natural but also it is where residue from the mines has been dumped. Sadly, last October there were unusually heavy rains, and the result was that part of the hillside collapsed and the road running up and down the hill also subsided. This caused many of the houses to be destroyed. Luckily, no one was killed in the disaster, but all the people felt that they had been dealt a double blow – displaced and now with nowhere to live again despite their best efforts.
Again it was the Church that came to their help by providing temporary accommodation, food, support and, with the assistance of the local authorities, grants towards rebuilding their homes. I met a group of about 15 women from this area in a ‘Café‘ which had been set up to feed the local children and provide a place for the adults to meet. They told us their stories with restraint and dignity but one by one they broke down in tears as they described this double disaster which had overtaken them. You would have had to develop a very hard shell indeed not to shed a tear as they spoke. Yet despite all this, they were so full of hope for the future and of the desire to get on and put their lives together.
What did I enjoy the most?
One of the areas I visited had been created as a demilitarised zone in 1992 and was now run by the FARC – the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia. The centre to all their activities is a town called San Vicente del Caguán. I stayed with the local Bishop, Monseñor Francisco Javier Múnera Correa, who is a Consolata Missionary. He had worked in Kenya while I was there and although our paths had never crossed, this missionary experience created a real bond. The main purpose of going to San Vicente was to meet with groups of displaced persons and hear how various programmes and projects were working. However, while there, we celebrated the World Day of Prayer for Women – a week later than the rest of the world, but better late than never! It was a wonderful occasion with a procession of home-made banners around the main plaza (square) then a rededication of the people of the town to work for the rights and support of women. I was honoured to be asked to take a leading role in the service. Then after that celebration came yet another celebration in music and dance. It was really exuberant and uplifting.
The next day, after visiting an outstation of the town some 75kms away (we had to leave at 5.00 am so as to be back by 9.30 am), I was asked to be the main celebrant at Mass in the Cathedral. Luckily, I had been forewarned of this and so had my little sermon prepared in Spanish. The place was packed to the gunnels and the congregation was lively. At the end of Mass, the people flocked around to meet us and speak to us. They were so pleased to have visitors. It is not the sort of place that Colombians go to, let alone foreigners from England and Wales. The most striking thing was the sheer joy of all those who were there at the Mass and the pleasure they demonstrated in having visitors among them.
What puzzled me most?
Colombia is a well established country and has a long cultural and political history. Yet into the 21st century, it is still so troubled and complicated. It has many well developed parts and derives quite a bit of income from local and foreign tourism. Parts of the terrain seem to be very fertile and productive. I would imagine that there is plenty of space for everyone to live in peace and harmony. Either through mismanagement or desire, there is a great inequality of life. Some live in great wealth and freedom, there is a well developed middle class, but still there are vast numbers of poor, victimised people. Either regional government is virtually non-existent or it is corrupt. Many areas are run by guerrillas, armed bands or the FARC. Even the Army and the Police are known to use violence and torture to attain their ends. A huge percentage of the GDP is spent on the army and weapons while so many citizens live well below the poverty line, in fear and intimidation. The new President, Juan Manuel Santos, part of one of the elite families of Colombia, is seen as a possible bearer of hope. Although he was part of the last government, he appears to be trying a new tack in order to bring the country greater prosperity and development for all. I really hope and pray that this will happen.
What will remain with me as I leave Colombia?
I met so many people; all types, from all different backgrounds and social status, from the Archbishop of Bogotá to Amparo, a metal furniture welder in a little business in Neiva: all were equally welcoming, open and friendly. Much or little, all wanted to share what they had with us. There was no end to the hospitality that we were shown. It was so impressive. We met people from parochial pastoral groups all over the Diocese of San Vicente who had travelled miles to be with us and meet together to tell us what they were doing. They wanted us to hear about how they were learning to recognise that they had to have the courage to require the civil authorities to do what they were supposed to do.
We met people in a shop who were earning their living making mops and cleaning materials. Although they would never be millionaires, they were so pleased to be able to earn something and rebuild their lives. We visited a fruit-pulp business in which a group of nine or ten people were working together to extract fruit pulp, package it and sell it to local shops and individuals. Then we spent time with folks from a coffee co-operative way up in the hills. They were so proud to show us what they were doing and what a good finished product they were producing. We visited the metal furniture business that is featured in the CAFOD Lenten Family Fast literature. Together with Amparo, they were a chatty, joyful group. Each one was involved in a particular process ñ measuring the metal, shaping it, welding it, preparing the wooden features and the upholstery work. Their surroundings were not palatial by any means, but they were completely in charge of what they were doing and, as a result, had gained an important degree of independence.
We met lots of very determined women, determined to make a future for themselves and their families. We experienced such dedication from the directors and managers of the various programmes that are being supported by CAFOD. They are making a real difference to people’s lives. And the reality of the situation is that so are we, all of us, through our support of CAFOD, we are making a difference to people’s lives. I saw it with my own eyes and these thoughts will remain with me as I leave Colombia.
Rt Rev Terence Patrick Drainey
Bishop of Middlesbrough