SISTER PARISH INC

The mission of Sister Parish, Inc is to foster mutual understanding and commitment to peace and justice among people in the United States and Central America. This objective is pursued through intentional linking between churches and Christian communities in the United States and in Central America. Delegation travel to the North and South with home stays is an essential aspect in enhancing awareness and understanding, as evidenced by the experiences shared by our delegates - like the story below. "My first immersion experience with Sister Parish was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done. During our delegation, I began to understand the problems caused by big multinational companies, US economic policy, trade policy, immigration policy, militarism, etc. I saw how most of the world lives – I’d stayed in their homes, slept in their bed, eaten their food, played with their children, struggled to communicate and cried over the frustration of not being able to. They didn’t want my money; they wanted my love and solidarity. Giving my heart would prove to be much more costly to me personally. I could no longer look at my own life without remembering the faces of those I had come to love in Guatemala. A strong sense of community is very evident in Tierra Nueva Dos and I realized how little community we have here – so I began to create my own community through more involvement at St. Joan’s...I felt I was making a positive contribution to the world around me, allowing me to do more. Do more; like participating in the peace movement, volunteering with different organizations, living more sustainably. My long-term involvement in Sister Parish has transformed my life and I feel the need to return to Guatemala regularly to keep things in focus – to remember what is really important and to connect with my other community in Tierra Nueva Dos and those who have become family for me. I yearn to better understand their reality." -Mindy Ahler Olmstead