MOTE-BETHEL-UNEV - First Field Trip

On Wednesday our Practical Theology class of pastors and leaders took our first field trip to a community called El Valiente.  The community is pretty remote.  Transportation to and from the area is difficult. 

Doctora y Pastora Susana Sanchez talking with one of the pastor-students.

There are thousands who live in the community of El Valiente, but the homes are much more spread out than they are in town or in even in other bateys.  We are used to seeing many homes right next to each other.

Most of the residents don't have vehicles, so they have to walk quite a distance for school, work or even to get to a store. 

One thing that many don't realize is that there is a cave in this community.  So far it's been kind of a community secret.  There hasn't been any major efforts to preserve it or to turn it into a tourist attraction, as we've seen in other places. 

The residents have mixed feelings about whether or not they'd like the cave to "go public."  Some say it would provide more job opportunities.  Others are afraid of how it would change their community and are aware that they may lose their land to the government.

When we got to know more about the needs of the people who live there, the residents talked about a major need for job opportunities, especially for women, and a daycare center. 

In a recent census done by one of the leaders, they found that very few of the residents are married.  They found many homes with single men raising children and other homes with single mothers.   

With very few job opportunities, many of the residents have used prostitution as a way to try to support themselves and their families.

The leader who invited us to the community would really like to focus on getting a daycare center going and training some of the women in basic skills, so they can start to earn an income.

It's hard to hear sometimes about all of the suffering that goes on in some of these places.  So thankful that we have a God who heals and restores.  May the Holy Spirit move in this community, and may this leader and others in her community have the wisdom, courage and compassion to be able to demonstrate the love of Christ with their words and actions.  In Jesus' name.  Amen.

The group of pastors-leaders exploring the cave.

At our student "Open House". 
Kristin, Dr. "Chappy" Dave Walden, Dr. Susana and the university journalist.