Nurturing Communities Gathering in Oaxaca, Mexico
Report by Donald Boller
Mish Harrison and I attended the Nurturing Communities conference in Oaxaca, Mexico. I will do my best to summarize five days of dialogue, worship, fun, and fellowship. Luis Rey picked us up at the airport. He is originally from Oaxaca, a part-time economics professor at the University of Oaxaca, and also a dedicated pastor. Over his life, he spent twenty years in the United States, living in South Carolina, Ohio, and Texas. He eventually settled in Waco, Texas, as a member of the Hope Fellowship Church, and after returning to Oaxaca, he built the community center where he now lives: Casa de Esperanza (House of Hope).
“This gathering was a valuable opportunity to strengthen the bonds of our community and to reaffirm that, despite the distance, we are one body in Christ, united by a faith that transcends every difference.”
For the conference, Luis had reserved cabins in Apoala, a wilderness campsite two hours from Oaxaca. Due to delays and setbacks, we only arrived at 10:45 that night. Most of us went to bed around midnight and gathered for breakfast the next morning at 11:00. In total, 26 people came from across Mexico and abroad to attend. Maurilio, from his community in Yalala (Northern Oaxaca), opened with a fascinating account. His church, Cristo El Salvador, is a culturally inspired community where money, land, and possessions are shared. It is rooted in Zapotecan traditions and seeks to re-establish that way of life on a firm biblical foundation.
“I take with me the insight of how, in different expressions of communal life, God’s love impacts these communities, becoming a blessing both for believers and for those who are not yet believers.”
In the evenings, we gathered around the campfire, singing Spanish praise songs with guitars and drums, and sharing our reflections. On Sunday at dawn, a group of us climbed partway up a nearby mountain to watch the sunrise. Apoala, at over 6,000 feet above sea level, offers a dramatic and awe-inspiring landscape. Later we hiked together to a waterfall, swam in its icy, crystal-clear waters, and explored a bat-filled cave. Although our plan was to return to Oaxaca by 10:30 a.m., we left shortly after noon. Back at Casa de Esperanza, we held a moving rededication ceremony and ended the day singing and praying fervently, accompanied by handmade drums and rattles. Most of the participants from Oaxaca are hoping to attend next year’s Nurturing Communities conference in Kentucky this coming September.
“The practice of peace often requires creativity and a willingness to follow what the Spirit of God calls us to do. Even when we cannot clearly see how to take that step, if we do, we will find that it connects, helps, and surprisingly reveals what God is able to accomplish.”
Donald Boller lives at Spring Valley Bruderhof, Farmington, PA.