The San Bartoleme Story
Several weeks ago I read the book Under His Wings by Urie Sharp and Dorcas Sharp Hoover. Most of this true story takes place in San Bartoleme, Guatamala in the 70's and early 80's, and includes events during the guerrilla insurgency in the country.
Since Christians' involvement with politics has occupied my thoughts recently, I took special note of how that issue played out in the context of Christian living in guerrilla-targeted populations.
Mennonite Air Missions workers taught people in their churches that political involvement was unacceptable at every level. This unyielding position was severely tested. Some of their members were forcibly taken for induction into the military. These young men refused to carry guns and carried their Bibles instead. One pastor, Carlos, whose leadership abilities were apparent, was appointed a leiutenant. He explained that as a pastor and a Christian he could not carry out the duties of a leiutenant. After several temporary releases and appeals, Carlos ran out of legal options and ended up abandoning his home and livelihood to go into hiding rather than serve in the armed forces.
Bartolo, who was the first person in his village to become a Christian, eventually turned away from following Christ. On the day he was shot after being identified among a group of travelers on a passenger truck, his assailants told him, in the hearing of the other passengers "We are going to kill you. You are like Judas Iscariot who betrayed Jesus. You betrayed Jesus too. You were once a member of the church, but you turned your back on the Lord. Now you are involved in politics. We are going to kill you." Several men who were once brothers of Bartolo in the same church fellowship, crept off the truck and retrieved his body for burial in the village cemetery.
Modesto was a trusted Christian brother and deacon when guerrilla activity in the region accelerated and the town people organized civil patrols to stand guard at night when most of the raids occurred. Modesto believed that Christians, as well as others, ought to take part in the patrols. Shortly after this he was elected mayor of the village where he lived. His fellow-pastor and other church people mourned this shift in his loyalties, and he was relieved of his church responsibilities, although he continued to attend church with his family. Modesto died when the truck he was riding in was blown apart by dynamite planted and detonated by guerrillas who had noted his leadership position and his known opposition to the guerrilla cause. Ten others died with him.
On the truck with Modesto was Jose, a pastor who had steadfastly refused to become involved in the political conflicts of the time. He was injured, but his life was spared, and he recovered. This pattern was repeated several times. Another Christian brother, whose name was also Bartolo, was shot and left for dead, but he recovered eventually. No faithful Guatamalan member of the Mennonite church was killed during the guerrilla uprising or the military crackdown that followed. But the church had at least four widows whose husbands were former members.
John Troyer, a missionary, died at Palama during this time period, and his fellow missionary, Gary Miller was also shot and left for dead. This was a sobering reminder that the dangers were real, and no one's safety was guaranteed. Those men who separated themselves from political controversy did so at the risk of their lives. But, as became obvious over time, those who compromised also risked their lives.
When our boys were young, I remember talking to them about the hard choices many Christians have had to make in the crucible of human suffering. I told them that it was always better to make the right choices early on, even if it looked like doing so would put them in danger, because doing so might help them avoid harder choices and perhaps even more dangerous situations later on. I should perhaps have emphasized more strongly the cost and benefits of obedience to God that were involved in such choices. Now that they are older, I hope those matters are clear to them, as they ought to be for all of us.
I'm glad that the story of the San Bartoleme Christians has been written. Reading it has allowed me to add another entry to my mental "Christians in Politics" file, with cross-references to "Nonresistance," "Discipleship," and "Church Planting Among Indigenous Peoples." Although I'm not sure that the right course of action would have been as clear to me as it was to the missionary leaders in that situation, it's certainly helpful to be able to examine their choices and see how it worked out for them.
Since Christians' involvement with politics has occupied my thoughts recently, I took special note of how that issue played out in the context of Christian living in guerrilla-targeted populations.
Mennonite Air Missions workers taught people in their churches that political involvement was unacceptable at every level. This unyielding position was severely tested. Some of their members were forcibly taken for induction into the military. These young men refused to carry guns and carried their Bibles instead. One pastor, Carlos, whose leadership abilities were apparent, was appointed a leiutenant. He explained that as a pastor and a Christian he could not carry out the duties of a leiutenant. After several temporary releases and appeals, Carlos ran out of legal options and ended up abandoning his home and livelihood to go into hiding rather than serve in the armed forces.
Bartolo, who was the first person in his village to become a Christian, eventually turned away from following Christ. On the day he was shot after being identified among a group of travelers on a passenger truck, his assailants told him, in the hearing of the other passengers "We are going to kill you. You are like Judas Iscariot who betrayed Jesus. You betrayed Jesus too. You were once a member of the church, but you turned your back on the Lord. Now you are involved in politics. We are going to kill you." Several men who were once brothers of Bartolo in the same church fellowship, crept off the truck and retrieved his body for burial in the village cemetery.
Modesto was a trusted Christian brother and deacon when guerrilla activity in the region accelerated and the town people organized civil patrols to stand guard at night when most of the raids occurred. Modesto believed that Christians, as well as others, ought to take part in the patrols. Shortly after this he was elected mayor of the village where he lived. His fellow-pastor and other church people mourned this shift in his loyalties, and he was relieved of his church responsibilities, although he continued to attend church with his family. Modesto died when the truck he was riding in was blown apart by dynamite planted and detonated by guerrillas who had noted his leadership position and his known opposition to the guerrilla cause. Ten others died with him.
On the truck with Modesto was Jose, a pastor who had steadfastly refused to become involved in the political conflicts of the time. He was injured, but his life was spared, and he recovered. This pattern was repeated several times. Another Christian brother, whose name was also Bartolo, was shot and left for dead, but he recovered eventually. No faithful Guatamalan member of the Mennonite church was killed during the guerrilla uprising or the military crackdown that followed. But the church had at least four widows whose husbands were former members.
John Troyer, a missionary, died at Palama during this time period, and his fellow missionary, Gary Miller was also shot and left for dead. This was a sobering reminder that the dangers were real, and no one's safety was guaranteed. Those men who separated themselves from political controversy did so at the risk of their lives. But, as became obvious over time, those who compromised also risked their lives.
When our boys were young, I remember talking to them about the hard choices many Christians have had to make in the crucible of human suffering. I told them that it was always better to make the right choices early on, even if it looked like doing so would put them in danger, because doing so might help them avoid harder choices and perhaps even more dangerous situations later on. I should perhaps have emphasized more strongly the cost and benefits of obedience to God that were involved in such choices. Now that they are older, I hope those matters are clear to them, as they ought to be for all of us.
I'm glad that the story of the San Bartoleme Christians has been written. Reading it has allowed me to add another entry to my mental "Christians in Politics" file, with cross-references to "Nonresistance," "Discipleship," and "Church Planting Among Indigenous Peoples." Although I'm not sure that the right course of action would have been as clear to me as it was to the missionary leaders in that situation, it's certainly helpful to be able to examine their choices and see how it worked out for them.
posted by Mrs. I at
6:34 AM
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