Setri Nyomi, general secretary of the World Alliance of Reformed Churches, has just returned from a visit to member churches in Mexico, Cuba, Guatemala and Honduras. He brought back these impressions from the trip.

Mexico: churches called to be faithful to the gospel

Our three Mexican churches are committed to living faithfully in response to the gospel. I was impressed by the good relationship between the three churches, and their reaching out into communities faced with poverty and injustice in various forms. The Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church works among the people of Oaxtaca. The National Presbyterian Church of Mexico does extensive work in Chiapas, which includes working with other churches in advocacy for people who are unjustly imprisoned and in providing financial help to their families.

It saddens me that none of our member churches in Mexico ordain women. Discussions at the Juan Calvino seminary of the Presbyterian Reformed Church in Mexico indicated that some of the theological students are raising questions on their church's stance. I pray that as the churches read and reread the scriptures, they will be opened to including all God's people fully in God's mission.

Cuba: Presbyterian Reformed Church's ecumenical role

On May 28 2001, the Cuban Council of Churches celebrated its 60th anniversary in the First Presbyterian Church, Havana - the very church in which it was constituted in 1941. This fact, and the long list of Presbyterians who have served as presidents and executive secretaries of the council, indicate the role the Presbyterian Reformed Church in Cuba has played in Cuban ecumenism. Héctor Méndez, pastor of the First Presbyterian Church, is currently a member of the central committee of the WCC.

Founded in 1890, the Presbyterian Reformed Church of Cuba has remained faithful in service to God and the people of Cuba through many challenging times, both before and after the 1959 revolution. It is a forceful prophetic voice today. The Theological Seminary of Matanzas, led by Ofelia Ortega - an old friend of WARC - provides a solid base of training in contextual theology, not just for Presbyterians but ecumenically, and not only for Cuba but for Latin America.

The enthusiasm of the young people is refreshing. They have embraced a proactive role in addressing injustices that affect them and have accepted their responsibility to help shape the church to work for fullness of life for all God's people.

Guatemala: new leadership brings hope to a troubled church

The National Evangelical Presbyterian Church began among the urban middle class but in the course of the 20th century grew to include all sections of the population, especially the indigenous peoples. It is a church to which some of the Mayan tribes feel very close.

The church has seen its share of struggle, within a nation that has experienced much turmoil. This year's Synod, which was held in the Evangelical Presbyterian Seminary in San Martín Zapotitlán just before my visit, took decisive steps to give the church a new sense of hope. It was an open-style synod, in which delegates spoke frankly about the problems experienced in the past and stated their views on the future of the church. A large majority of those present expressed the desire to see changes in the vision of the church and to recover a Reformed understanding of holistic mission. An entirely new leadership was elected. The new moderator is René Arturo Morales Alvarado, a hands-on lawyer and a former football star in the Guatemalan national team in the 1970s, who understands the importance of leading the church towards clear goals and objectives. Carlos Enrique Estrada Escobar was elected as treasurer, and Carlos Alberto Lara Gabb as secretary. Also elected were representatives from each of the sixteen presbyteries of the church. Together, they embody a vision for healing and reconciliation in the church and for effective witness in a country which has known so much trouble. On July 11 and 12, an extraordinary session of the Synod will take place in Quetzaltenango to continue this process of renewal and reform.

The church is also excited about hosting the workshop for women in Central America organized by our Latin American area, AIPRAL, which will take place at the end of June.

Sister churches are asked to pray for the National Evangelical Presbyterian Church and its new leaders as they work to fulfil the hopes expressed at the Synod meeting.

Honduras: hopes for healing and reconstruction

The Christian Reformed Church of Honduras is one of WARC's newer member churches. It works very closely with the Centre for Community Development, headed by Noemí Espinoza, to address development issues in the nation. It also has very strong diaconal work.

Hurricane Mitch in 1998 had a devastating impact on Honduras, and reconstruction is still a major task. Many of the people I met told me that the church was among the first to offer help.

The church has experienced some "congregationalist" tensions: not all the congregations feel a sense of belonging to a national entity, preferring to act on their own. According to José Rodas, secretary of the church, the biggest challenge it faces is "to take the gospel to areas of poverty".