NEWSLETTER    No3,  October 2005

From Chris, Alison, and Luke                                                                                                                                       

FOCUS ON ALTO HOSPICIO

This edition of our newsletter will focus on Alto Hospicio, the place where Chris is working

From the top of an 800m cliff, Alto Hospicio overlooks Iquique - its bigger and more prosperous neighbour. Recent government statistics confirm that Alto Hospicio is one of the poorest urban areas in Chile.

The area was only first settled in the 1970s, but, initially as a result of the occupation of government-owned land, Alto Hospicio has grown exponentially since then, with a population now of approaching 70,000 (compared with almost 165,000 in Iquique). Around 20% of the population are of indigenous Aymaran origin, and around 20% are probably what we would call ‘middle-class’. Alto Hospicio was formally recognised as a municipality in its own right in 2004.

This growth of the town has been due to the economic development of the region, initially from the fishing industry, but also from the mining sector, and with the development of ‘ZOFRI’, a tax free port in Iquique that has become a big centre of consumer activity in Chile. ZOFRI has also encouraged commerce with neighbouring countries which has in turn fed the population increase, attracting migrants from Peru and Bolivia.

Some estimate unemployment at 40% in the poorest areas of the town, rising to 70% amongst the youth. There is serious poverty, much crime and an alarmingly high level of drug abuse, all of which have fed the poor image that the place has in Chile. At present there is only a clinic there, and anyone needing more specialist treatment, or accident/emergency services, must travel to Iquique. A vastly improved clinic is on the drawing board, but this is far from being a ‘hospital’, as most would define it.

There are a number of agencies working in Alto Hospicio to improve people’s lives. These include several government agencies and many recognise a general increase in state resources for the place. There are also non-governmental agencies, not least those originating in the churches. The Methodist church has been at the forefront of developing schooling in Alto Hospicio from the early days, and now has two schools in the town. It also has a church which has just celebrated its 5th birthday (see picture in last Newsletter). Attached to this church is the project in which Chris is now based, ‘Centro de Atención Familiar’, which assists victims of domestic violence, and is the only centre of its kind in the town.

If you are a member of our Yahoo Group you can get more background on Alto Hospicio via the ‘files’ link on the homepage:

http://uk.groups.yahoo.com/group/eyes_chile/

Centro de Atención Familiar

This centre, based next door to the Methodist Church in Alto Hospicio, aims to support families who are experiencing hardship as a result of domestic violence. In addition to Chris (who now spends most of his time at the Centre), the staff include Sandra Roja (receptionist/case-worker), Monica Berasay (social worker), and Rev Miriam Kaba (project director). There is currently a vacancy for a psychologist. The Centre is small enough that it can offer a personal service to people, and can respond to their spiritual needs as well as more practical concerns.

The Centre is a first port of call for many families (especially women) experiencing, for example, loss of work, child abuse, loss of self-esteem, and issues arising from simple poverty, though the predominant problem is domestic violence. Where necessary the Centre will refer people on to other expert agencies, such as the police, psychiatric services, child protection agencies, and lawyers (even if his Spanish were perfect, Chris would not be allowed to work in Chile as a fully-fledged solicitor).

Through the support of the church congregation, it is also able to provide some basic food parcels in emergencies.

On 1st October 2005, a new family court system came into operation, along with new legislation to protect families from domestic violence. Chris has prepared materials and delivered training (in Spanish!) on the new provisions.

In the same way that most domestic violence is kept out of sight, few Christians have spent much time with one of the most powerful Biblical texts dealing with violence against women. Try reading the story of Tamar in 2 Samuel 13:1-22, and then ask yourself these questions:

►What is the role of each of the male characters in the rape of Tamar?

►What does Tamar say and do?

►Are there women like Tamar in your church and/or community? What is their story?

►What is the theology of women who have been raped?

►What can you do in response?

In South Africa, these questions (and the Bible Study of which they form part) have been used as the basis for a campaign in support of women’s rights, called “TAMAR SAID NO!”.

You can find more details about this (and the full Bible Study) from the Ujamaa Centre for Biblical and Theological Community Development and Research:

www.hs.unp.ac.za/theology/

Ali’s work

Ali works part-time at Iquique English College (“Colegio Ingles”, which in the UK we would call a school, not a college).  Although at first she was mainly working with the English Department (and she still does some English support with children aged 4-10), her role within the chaplaincy team is now developing and she is pleased that this is drawing more on her skills as a minister.

She leads Bible studies on particular ethical themes with 16-17 year olds as part of the Christian Education syllabus.  She also has pastoral interviews and conversations with students and is developing two support groups – one for recently bereaved students and another for student mums (of which there are 5 at the school).  She also goes to the student pastoral group which meets once a week, and twice a week she gives a talk during the services that are held for each year group.   

In the Methodist Church in Alto Hospicio (which we have decided to attend on a regular basis rather than the Methodist churches in Iquique) Alison attends the women’s group (“Sociedad Feminana”) once a week and has preached twice during a Sunday Service, most recently in Spanish. She hopes that she will have a monthly preaching commitment and that she will be able to help more and more in the church as her Spanish develops.

All change…

It is time for all sorts of change in Chile. A new government and president will be elected in December, and at this stage it appears that the current government (a kind of South American “new Labour”) will be re-elected, but with a new  president  - and, for the first time in Chile, this is likely to be a woman.

The Methodist church in Chile is also in the midst of a long democratic process of choosing its next group of leaders, and a new Bishop (who theoretically could be a woman, though this is apparently unlikely) – a process which culminates in the General Assembly in January 2006.

Out and about

Since our last newsletter, these are a few of our adventures:

►We spent two weeks on holiday with friends in Concepción (around 1500 miles south of here)

►We visited the oasis town of Pica, out in the desert, and bathed in the thermal pools there

►We bathed in more thermal pools, this time in Mamiña, and plastered ourselves with ‘therapeutic’ mud

►We have been to an International Folk Music festival

►Chris went to see a Bolivian band, ‘Las Kjarkas’

►We have had a visit from Tom Quenet, the person from the Methodist World Church Office in London who keeps an eye on us!

Luke’s column

PS mummy and daddy helped me to write this.

Hello! Hola! I am now 2 years and 3 months old. I have lots of words now in English and Spanish. All my friends at nursery talk to me in Spanish. I like my nursery very much. Mummy and daddy say that I talk too much about my friend Martina.

My nursery has lots of fiestas (parties). The last one was in September to celebrate Chile’s independence. We all did traditional dances from different parts of Chile. My group did a dance from Easter Island and I had to wear a grass skirt! All the mummies and daddies came. Normally I love dancing, but in front of all those people I was a bit shy.

This is one of my favourite Chilean songs:

Vamos de paseo – beep beep beep

En un auto viejo – beep beep beep

Pero no me importa – beep beep beep

Porque como torta – beep beep beep

This means ‘We are going for a trip in an old car, but it doesn’t matter because I’m eating cake”. I do the beeps very loudly, though I can’t quite do the other words yet.

Thoughts, prayers…

We hope there is plenty of information in this newsletter to help you focus on some of our concerns about Chile, and in particular Alto Hospicio and Iquique, and our work here. Your continued support by prayer, email, and letter is much appreciated!

What does the Lord require of you? To do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God.

Micah 6:8