This week I started work at the National Farm Worker Ministry (nfwm.org), a nonprofit, faith-based, grassroots organization that seeks justice for farm workers across the U.S.
As there has been some ambiguity about what, exactly, this means (I myself am still a bit hazy!), I thought I'd post a helpful description from our website:
NFWM an interfaith organization supporting farm workers as they organize for justice. It began in 1920 as a ministry of charity and service, providing food, clothing, and day care to the farm workers. When United Farm Workers founder César Chávez began organizing in the 1960's, he called on the religious community to change its emphasis from charity to justice. NFWM became the vehicle for people of faith to respond to that call. It brings together national denominations, state councils of churches, religious orders and congregations, and concerned individuals to act with the farm workers to achieve fundamental change in their living and working conditions.
Thus far, my work has been restricted to a small office in the basement of the Eno River Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, which has a heavily wooded and summer camp-esque campus (which is, thankfully, dog friendly). I'm learning a lot about things such as immigration, labor unions, agribusiness, Mexican-American relations, food ethics, liberation theology, and lofty ideas such as justice and community empowerment, all of which have only existed as abstractions in my brain until now. When I think about the struggles of this people group (migrant workers), however, I am overwhelmed at its enormity and connectedness to so many other ministry issues... and I'm learning that it's not so much the farm workers who need Jesus (indeed, their faith is often the strongest) but the growers and policy makers.
Office tasks this week have included researching mainline denominations and their stances on social issues, making copies and scanning newspaper articles (from past rallies), and, oh yeah, reading Wendell Berry. If those of you who are well versed in agrarian theology, or whatever you call it, have any book recommendations, send 'em my way!
Next week I hope to visit my first labor camp, which is a basically a shanty town set up by growers for their workers and is usually way below labor standards. It will be an eye-opening and humbling experience. Also, next week I am helping teach children's Sunday School at the UU church...
That's it for now. I hope you guys are all encountering Christ in your various settings. Thanks for keeping us all informed!
bd
