Uplifting News When So Much Isn’t
I so enjoy the emails you send describing all the great work you and your circles continue to do. In a world where “Christian” is increasingly a term for hateful, racist, close-minded ignorance, your work is a true inspiration. Too bad the media don’t find covering good things as clickable as the opposite!
—Wes Howard-Brook, Seattle, professor emeritus in Theology and Religious Studies at University of Seattle; Teacher of the “Radical Bible” series on YouTube2023
Isai Robledo Talks Alternative Currency as Guest at Global
“Gathering for the Earth,” URI Zoom Meeting
Isai was a special guest at the July 2 monthly “Gathering for the Earth” hosted by Lauren Van Ham in her work as Climate Coordinator with URI (United Religions Initiative). Each meeting features one of the 1000+ URI Cooperation Circles (CCs). Isai will be talking about the Tumín, the currency that complements the peso and is used by JEM’s Alter-Nativas as well as over 100 San Cristobal businesses. Isai will explain how complementary currencies strengthen the local economy and increase agency among people with few pesos.
JEM’s four Jubilee Circles became a Cooperation Circle early in 2023 to become part of a larger, global network. Gradually we are finding ways to make this network work for JEM and for JEM to contribute significantly to the CCs of the network. Isai’s appearance at the “Gathering” exemplifies the value of this kind of networking among small circles, providing a way to get beyond the isolation that typically discourages people in small efforts.
Quick Peek into Six Months of Activities at San Mateo
Just Look at All the People Being Served
Note: Thanks to Angelica Juarez Jimenez for supplying information for this newsletter article.
Educar tambien es Amar (To Educate Is Also to Love) —This preschool program is aimed at developing the skills of children between 2 and 4 years old and includes parents in this process, it is similar to the EU Parents as Teachers program. and in the period 2023-2024 there are 25 children.
The Breakfast Room is for children of all ages every Saturday. An average of 40 children attend. The kitchen prepares approximately 2,000 breakfasts in a year. During this time the children make a craft and receive a class with biblical teachings.
Human Rights for Women —In the area of human rights and advice, approximately 50 women benefited during the year. Mariana Velez, an attorney with special training in women’s rights, leads this program.
The savings bank serves 70 adults and 10 children as all learn the value of saving so they can meet needs that arise.
Saving water includes both education on why and how and learning alternative measures to save water. One hundred (100) people have been involved in the past year. Drought and water scarcity continue to be the reality of our area, exacerbated by heavy water use by a Coca-Cola plant and a cement plant.
Healthcare—500 people have received medical consultations from Dr. Angelica. In addition, Angelica hosts the radio program “Hojas de Sanidad” (Health Sheets) every Friday morning which reaches hundreds or even thousands.
Senior Care—During the months of June to December, 2023, we had an elder meeting once a month to give them breakfast and talk about issues related to this age with about 30 each time.. ( 180 in total)
Youth meetings are held once a week, reaching between 20 and 25 young people each time. These are led by Mariana Velez and David Delgado and give an alternative to gang activity for youth.
Hooray! $2400 Grant
for Nonviolence Workshops in Chiapas
Board President, David Funkhouser, led the way in obtaining a $2400 grant from the Gemmer Foundation for the San Cristobal Jubilee Circle. Gloria Gonzalez and the Na’Xajobal ministry she leads will use the grant to host three workshops for women in three different locations in Chiapas. These will empower women by education on their rights and how to handle abusive relationships nonviolently. Sooo important to counter pockets of femicide.
For all the wonderfulness of grants, it is your donations that sustain JEM’s ministries in Mexico and the U.S. $50, $100, $500, $1000, and multiple thousands—all gifts according to your capacities as donors. Some donors give by check; others go online to oneearthjubilee.com. We also receive donations from Charitable Remainder Trusts and stocks (which we promptly sell). Give however works best for you. Thank you.
Where Economics, Ecology, and Spirituality Intersect
When JEM applied for status as a 501(c)3 nonprofit, we said our mission is to educate at the intersection of economics, ecology, and spirituality. We continue to put education foremost with the understanding that learning happens through conceptual teaching, interactive discussion, and learning through doing and experiencing alternatives. That describes what we do in all four Jubilee Circles.
The San Diego Circle offers Jubilee Forums that continue to be a lively time of educating one another as we look at current news through a theological lens—that’s what happens every first Saturday of the month at the free online OneEarth Jubilee Forum. The June and July Forums give you examples. Please register for a future Forum by requesting the Zoom link from lee@jubilee-economics.org or john@jubilee-economics.org.
June Forum: Even Beyond 1.5°C Another World Is Possible
In this Forum we used a theological lens to look at the climate poly-crises that creates anguish for many. While science is essential, spirituality is too often ignored. This Forum brought them together.
Each month Lee Van Ham writes 2-4 on the upcoming topic. For the June Forum, the following two essays were written and posted to https://leevanham.substack.com where you can read them.
- We’ve Passed 1.5°C!! We Need New Thinking—The Call for Metanoia in Science and the Gospel
- Even Beyond 1.5°C Another World Is Possible
[Above graphic is from Zapatista movement of Indigenous peoples in Chiapas, Mexico]
July Forum: Responding to MAGA, Jesus and Exodus Style
This Forum emphasized what is overlooked in many approaches to the Bible. We recognized that Jesus was a political and economic figure, a systems thinker—all as part of his spiritual power. Likewise, the classic story of Exodus was political, economic, and spiritually transforming. It is the political, economic, and spiritual power of these stories that upset much of the status quo today. To this end I wrote three essays, all available to read at https://leevanham.substack.com
- The first two are entitled “Responding to MAGA, Jesus Style.”
- The third is “The Ten Commandments Were Not Delivered to MAGA.”
Recordings of the above Forums are available upon request.
Living in the Way of a OneEarth Jubilee
The website, oneearthjubilee.com, has a Covenant for Living the Jubilee Way. Knowing others are on board with our efforts always helps our motivation so we don’t lose heart. Here is a part of that Covenant.
Because strengthening my local economy has become more important to me than convenience,
_____I will buy locally. If I shop online, I will find what I want, but then buy it locally if possible.
_____I will use cooperatives whenever I can, preferring them to other business models.
_____I will urge all groups, where I have influence, to take these actions also.
Help Us Find Any of the Following
If you have any information regarding these questions, please send it to us via our email lee@jubilee-economics.org or john@jubilee-economics. org.
- Do you know of a person who can volunteer to help JEM increase outreach through a variety of online platforms?
- Do you know a young adult who could express their ecological-alternatives passion by volunteering to become part of a JEM team to facilitate learning and action among other young adults?
Living with Cartels in the U.S. and Mexico
Early in June Feds in the U.S. broke-up a California-based drug network with ties to the Sinaloa cartel. A US Border Patrol agent was also arrested. Forty-seven (47) people were indicted. Why is this in a JEM newsletter? Because when we hear “cartels” in the U.S. most people think of Mexico. Some have shunned traveling with JEM to Mexico fearing for their safety. But what’s less understood is that the ruthless violence of cartels is directed at other cartels or law enforcement as cartels fight for their territory and markets. The rest of us are most affected, not by their violence, but by drug and human trafficking.
The Sinaloa cartel is present in many states beyond California—Montana and Georgia to name two. You can read much more on the Sinaloa cartel at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/
As we do in the U.S., Jubilee colleagues in Mexico know how to avoid areas of gang or cartel activity. That’s why traveling with JEM is as safe as traveling in the states.
Many families in the U.S. deal with the impacts of fentanyl (my own included) that’s such a deadly part of cartel drug-trafficking. In San Mateo, the Jubilee Circle purposefully plans their youth ministry to keep youth from the enticements of gangs—much like youth organizations and congregations do in cities of the U.S.
Recently, a sad story came to us from the Tapachula Jubilee Circle where Edman and Rosy have recently had to deal with displacement of some families when cartels took over La Hacienda, a small town in nearby mountains. Edman felt the sadness of this especially because his mother had grown up in that town. Edman wrote:
…all the families in that place have left and abandoned their homes and lands. The vast majority are evangelical and have dispersed throughout Chiapas and others have gone to Tijuana. Those who passed through here have preferred to look for a family member in some other part of the State or the country. We continue in prayer for those lives.
And so you see that Jubilee ministries respond to the presence and fallout of gangs/cartels but do not feel their own lives endangered because they know how to take care just as we do in the U.S.
Photo above: Edman sharing with a migrant
