Weaving Relationships
Canada-Guatemala Solidarity
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£35.00
Weaving Relationships tells the remarkable, little-known story of a movement that transcends barriers of geography, language, culture, and economic disparity.
The story begins in the early 1980s, when 200,000 Maya men, women, and children crossed the Guatemalan border into Mexico, fleeing genocide by the Guatemalan army and seeking refuge. A decade later, many of the refugees returned to their homeland along with 140 Canadians, members of ""Project Accompaniment"". The Canadians were there, by their side, to provide companionship and, more significantly, as an act of solidarity.
Weaving Relationships describes the historical roots of this solidarity focusing on the Maya in Guatemala. It relates the story of ""Project Accompaniment"" and two of its founders in Canada, the Christian Task Force on Central America and the Maritimes-Guatemala ""Breaking the Silence"" Network. It reveals solidarity's impact on the Canadians and Guatemalans whose lives have been changed by the experience of relationships across borders. It presents solidarity not as a work of charity apart from or ""for"" them but as a bond of mutuality, of friendship and common struggle with those who are marginalized, excluded, and impoverished in this world.
This book speaks of a spirituality based on community and justice, and challenges the church to move beyond its preoccupation with its own survival to solidarity with those who are suffering. It is a book about hope in the face of death and despair.
- Weaving Relationships: Canada-Guatemala Solidarity edited by Kathryn Anderson
- Prologue: Solidarity's Roots in a Refugee Camp
- Preface
- Acknowledgements
- Introduction
- I: Setting Solidarity in Context
Map of Guatemala
- 1. A Brief Historical Overview
- 2. Maya Refugees—From Exodus to Return
- II: Weaving Threads of Solidarity
- 3. Project Accompaniment—A Canadian Response
- A. The Poor Accompany the Poor
- B. The Refugees Plan Their Return with Accompaniment
- C. Project Accompaniment is Born
- 4. Accompaniment in War and Peace
- A. A Triumphant Return
- B. Crisis and Confrontation
- C. Life and Death in the Return Process
- D. Accompaniment after the Peace Accords
- 5. Project A Comes to a Close
- A. Making the Decision
- B. Unresolved Issues
- 6. The Christian Task Force on Central America in British Columbia
- A. Solidarity's Origins in Latin America and Canada
- B. Kindling the Vision in British Columbia
- C. The Christian Task Force is Formed
- 7. Breaking the Silence in the Maritimes
- Phase 1: Network-Building 1988-1996
- Phase 2: Strengthening Relationships 1997-1999
- Phase 3: Forming a Covenant Relationship 1999-
- III: A Tapestry with Many Forms
- 8. New Forms of Solidarity
- A. Building Public Awareness
- B. Encounters with Guatemalans—Journeys North and South
- C. Urgent Actions
- D. Fairly Traded Crafts and Coffee
- E. Vigils
- F. Advocacy and Lobbying
- G. Security Accompaniment
- H. Networking
- I. Solidarity among Children
- J. Solidarity among Youth
- 9. Solidarity's Creative Heart
- IV: The Spirituality of Solidarity and Its Challenges
- 10. Creating Relationships: The ""Spirit"" of Solidarity
- A: Meaning and Spirituality
- B: A Spirituality Forged through Relationships
- C: Implications of Spirituality of Relationship
- 11. Fresh Insights on Faith
- A: Solidarity and Faith
- B. Glimpses into Maya Spirituality
- 12. Four Challenges to the Church
- Challenge #1: The Need to Create Justice-Seeking Communities
- Challenge #2: The Need for a Fresh Vision of Mission
- Challenge #3: Whole World Ecumenism
- Challenge #4: Making Reparations
- Epilogue: Keeping Vigil for an Elusive Peace
- Part 1: What Shapes Solidarity Today?
- Part 2: Where Do We Go from Here?
- Abbreviations
- Research Participants
- Bibliography
- Index