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Text of the address of Rev. John L. McCullough, Executive Director and CEO of Church World Service, to the General Assembly of Servicio Social de Inglesias Dominicanas, Inc.
Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
May 26, 2006

Rev. McCullough addresses the SSID Assembly in Santo Domingo. Photo: SSID

To the President of the Board and the Honorable Secretary of State for Christian Relations, the Rev. Manuel Estrella; my esteemed colleague, the Executive Director, Mr. Lorenzo Mota King; Members of the Board of Directors; Delegates to the General Assembly; and to the magnificent staff of SSID:

I am honored by your invitation to address this meeting of the SSID General Assembly, and on behalf of my colleagues, Mr. Richard Williams and Mr. Martin Coria, I want to thank you for the warmth and hospitality you have accorded us during our visit.

I understand that this visit is made historic in that I am the first Executive Director of CWS to visit the Dominican Republic. I should also note that this is my first visit here as well. I apologize for taking so long, but I can assure you that for the past forty-four years [Ed. Note: SSID was founded 44 years ago, in 1962.] I have been preparing for this visit. We should remember, however, that what seems like a lifetime to man, is nothing more than a twinkling of an eye for God. I might have taken a long time to arrive, but in God’s mind, I have arrived right on time.

Our meeting here today affirms our common mission to “facilitate community development through education and training, with Christ-centered principles and values” (SSID); to work “together to eradicate hunger and poverty and to promote peace and justice around the world” (CWS) (statements paraphrased). For nearly five decades we have been on a common journey--one of accompaniment with the poor here in the Dominican Republic, and during this time we as people of faith have had a profound impact upon the lives of millions of people.

Someone once asked, perhaps somewhat sarcastically, “What can the church do to improve peoples lives?” Church World Service answers that question by saying that together we have generated and put to work more than a billion US dollars worth of humanitarian assistance, we have helped families all over the world to find a place they can finally call home--and to enjoy a better quality of life, and we are proven and effective advocates for change in both national and international policies.

Church World Service this year celebrates sixty years of ecumenical collaboration by thirty-five of the most prominent communions in America. Sixty years of Christians and other people of good faith and conscience building a tradition of help and a legacy of hope in some eighty countries around the world. Ours is a tradition of post-war recovery following World War II, of standing firm in opposition to apartheid in South Africa, of launching an historic humanitarian response to the Biafran crisis, and of opposition to economic embargoes that entrench the sufferings of the poor.

Like other ecumenical organizations such as the World Council of Churches, the All Africa Conference of Churches, and the National Council of Churches in Korea, CWS is an advocate for peace and reconciliation recognizing that long-term sustainable development cannot be achieved in unstable contexts. So our voice is heard and our presence felt in the Middle East where we have long supported a two state solution to the Palestinian crisis, in West Africa where we supported the Liberian Council of Churches as it helped broker the end of the Charles Taylor regime, and Colombia as we stand in solidarity with the churches in their quest to end murderous violence and bring peace to their nation. We have provided assistance to pediatric hospitals in Iraq, are working with orphaned and vulnerable children in Rwanda, and support free trade when there is fair trade with small holding farmers. Some people criticize faith-based organizations, saying that the church has no business getting involved in politics. I say, the church is not confused about its role and does not seek to displace the role of government; however, the church has a major stake in national and international development. We understand that we must be active participants in shaping the kind and quality of world in which we want to live and want our children to inherit.

Rev. Manuel Estrella, SSID board chairman (center), commemorates the historic visit with a plaque for Rev. McCullough (r). Photo: SSID

Similarly, I congratulate SSID for being a transforming influence in Dominican society, and for having risen to the status of public recognition, appreciation, and cooperation. Your efforts to empower poor rural communities, equipping them with the tools and training to more effectively organize their communities and improve their quality of life is of enormous benefit to this country. And, your commitment to equally care for Dominicans and Haitians along the length of a porous border is a model for how all of us should respond when our neighbors come to us desperate and in need. You demonstrate a welcoming spirit, while others simply send them back home with little regard for the consequences. You are making a profound difference in this country and region, and we look forward with anticipation for the important ministries you will undertake in the years ahead.

The ecumenical movement as we know it today traces its roots to the Edinburgh Missionary Conference of 1910. John Mott was elected Conference chair. Mott went on to become the most distinguished ecumenist of his era, and in 1946 was voted a Nobel Laureate. In his Nobel Lecture, * December 13, 1946 Mott said:

The summons has come to wage a better planned, more aggressive, and more triumphant warfare against the age-long enemies of mankind - ignorance, poverty, disease, strife, and sin.

Today these “enemies” have manifested themselves as the War on Terror, global warming, the Avian bird flu, the burgeoning gap of personal wealth between the rich and the poor, the influence of religious extremism on public policy and social behavior, rogue governments that practice genocide and other atrocities against their own people, conflicts that take decades to resolve stunting the potential of younger generations, and the revelation that even the world’s greatest nation-state can no longer stave off disaster. Not surprisingly, more of the worlds’ people today feel less secure than those who feel confident about the future.

Whenever vulnerability resides in the hearts, minds and spirits of people the role and responsibility of the faith community is to be a prophetic witness, a sign of hope, and an agitating presence for change. That is when we are called to be at our best, and to be leaders in civil society.

The plight of vulnerable populations is central to our mission and at the very heart of the gospel. Everyone is entitled to freely feel the embrace of the love of God, and to have his or her humanity respected. For agencies like CWS and SSID there can be no neutrality or paralysis when it comes to matters of injustice. We are called not only to be messengers of God’s deep and abiding love for all of humanity but catalysts for the fulfillment of God’s vision for the world – which is Peace. Always, we are responsible for recognizing and honoring the humanity of others. That is why the intervention of SSID in the areas of health, education, food security, exploitation, and relations between the two nations that inhabit this island are of critical importance, and is entirely consistent with the work of other faith-based non-governmental organizations in other countries around the world.

To the extent that poor and vulnerable populations exist in the Dominican Republic, the mission of SSID demands that it must speak truth to power. Through activities of strategic economic development and public advocacy SSID must clearly make it known to President Leonel Fernańdez that it not only holds this government and people, but also itself accountable for the well being of all Dominican people, including those Haitians who come here seeking refuge and relief.

Achieving public health, education for all, increased farm production, protection of women and children, employable skills for young adults as an option to prostitution, and absorbing the costs of refugees are daunting tasks for any government, let alone one in the developing world. Government must work intentionally with other sectors of society if it is going to achieve measurable success, and that includes working with the religious community. This paradigm holds great potential for success, so CWS is committed to building broad coalitions, and consensus building.

Today, Church World Service and other faith communities engage in coalitions, making their presence known: in the Chaco Region, standing as advocates for indigenous land rights and fair compensation; in Darfur, seeking to end the world’s worst humanitarian crisis and the reckless sufferings of women, children and men; in the Korean peninsula working towards the reconciliation and reunification of the Korean peoples; and, in Pakistan helping people rebuild their houses and reclaim their communities following one of the worst earthquakes in their history.

Today, Church World Service is an active participant in a national dialogue on the rights of immigrants. We oppose legislation when we feel it is unwise and discriminatory. We respectfully disagree with those who propose building walls and electronic fences to keep people out when our custom has been to welcome strangers to the shores of the United States. We meet with members of Congress and discuss possible solutions. Ours has always been a ministry of hospitality, welcome, and sanctuary ; so we understand why SSID offers hands of help, hope, and hospitality to migrant workers, to those seeking refuge on Dominican soil, and all other persons in need. Compassion should not be criticized or criminalized. Compassion should be practiced and honored.

The summons has come to wage a better planned, more aggressive, and more triumphant warfare… While admittedly I struggle with Mott’s image of warfare, at the same time I recognize that the religious community must indeed take a stronger position if it is going to be recognized by government as a legitimate partner in development and peace making. Government needs more that just a recitation of the issues and problems it already knows, government needs to hear possible solutions. The decision of the Fernańdez government to establish a government post enabling religious counsel is part of a growing global trend, and the president is to be commended. I hope other governments will follow this example; and, that SSID and others will take full advantage of this opportunity.

On behalf of the Board of Directors and staff of Church World Service I bring fraternal greetings, and encourage SSID to continue its historic work with the poor, to rebuild communities, to support economic independence, to advocate for human rights and social justice, and to work tirelessly towards fulfilling its mission and vision. I encourage you to be a voice for those whose voices otherwise would not be heard, to be a source of healing when society is broken, and to be a source of wise and trusted counsel. Let it be your mission that:

None of God’s people will wake to a world of terror,
All will know a world of peace and human security,
And,
The Love of God will be known as a force to be reckoned with.

-Jlm-

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