What our program participants are saying

Participating in the program on spiritual openness was a deeply transformative experience. It reminded me that true compassion begins with a heart open to both faith and service. Through the lens of Encuentro de Esperanza, I saw how we can become instruments of God's love—offering hope, healing, and guidance to those in need. It wasn’t just about learning; it was about living our faith in action and discovering the powerful ways we can help others grow spiritually, just as we grow ourselves. Being surrounded by a supportive group made the experience even more meaningful.

Just Action greatly expanded my understanding of advocacy and it enhanced my advocacy skills. The print and video resources, small group discussions, individual and group activities provided a framework that I am actively using in multiple ways. Additionally, our Just Action small group developed a template that we are using for ongoing discussion and for future action around housing and related issues.

“The Land is Not Our Own has allowed me the space to honor both my Christian faith and my indigeneity. I have gained a deeper understanding of how to communicate existing in both worlds by sharing with a faith-centered group that is open and empathetic. Our call as people of faith is to journey with the oppressed, and this [program] welcomed being witness to the beauty of indigenous culture and spirituality while also holding space to reckon with the horror experienced by indigenous peoples. We cannot build a better future and world without confronting the sin of genocide that continues to manifest in and through our current systems. This course fostered prayerful critique of history, as well as stoking creative solutions to how to repair the harms of colonization and assimilation, specifically as Christians, both individually and as a group. Together we felt the woundedness of genocide and violence, as well as the hope, creativity, and joyful resilience that indigenous people have carried, carry now, and will carry into future generations.”