Faith-Rooted Organizing by Rev. Alexia Salvatierra & Peter Heltzel

Author:Rev. Alexia Salvatierra & Peter Heltzel [Salvatierra, Rev. Alexia; Heltzel, Peter]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: InterVarsity Press
Published: 2013-11-13T00:00:00+00:00

Chaplains to the Poor

Jose was a hotel worker from El Salvador, the single father of six children. When he became involved in a campaign in his hotel to hold on to their family health insurance, he quickly became a leader. Around that time his best friend at work, a onetime worker of the year, was fired—apparently in retribution for her leadership in the struggle. Jose was frightened and went to his pastor for advice, fully expecting to be told to forget all of that union business and take care of his family.

Jose’s pastor was an Irish immigrant to the United States, a cultural tradition which often supports the fight for justice. The pastor assured Jose that he should not be afraid: the God of the exodus was a God of justice. At that moment, Jose says, he felt a rush of power from his head to his feet, and he was no longer afraid. He knew he was fighting for his children and the other workers’ children to be respected as children of God, as worthy of health care as wealthy children. He knew that this was a holy fight, and if he were to lose his job he would find another one. He knew that he wanted his children to see him live out of faith and not out of fear. He realized that if God was with him, who could be against him?

Fear is contagious; so is courage. When Jose returned to the struggle fearless and full of faith, he inspired his coworkers; in the power of their unity, they eventually won their battle.

CLUE leaders have been chaplains for many workers and other poor people who must take serious risks in their struggle for justice. This kind of chaplaincy is rooted in respect, the knowledge that poor and oppressed people are often more able to carry the cross and bear a serious sacrifice than those who are more financially and socially secure. Dolores Huerta tells a story about when she first came to work with Cesar Chavez. He gave her the task of collecting union dues—the only income for organizers. Chavez refused to raise funds from outside, a strategy that would have provided middle-class salaries for organizers. Instead, the organizers lived hand to mouth, at the same level of the farmworkers, and dependent on their support. Chavez saw this as essential to the empowerment of the workers and their ownership of the union. Union dues were $3.50 per month. In addition to supporting organizers, they also funded a small disability and death benefit for members. At the time, farmworkers were earning about $.70 an hour; $3.50 would buy a bag of potatoes, a dozen eggs, tortillas and a pound of beans, but workers chose to pay the dues.

Early in her relationship with the union Huerta approached a small chicken shack where a single mother lived. The mother was absent, but her teenage daughter was home. The daughter accused Huerta of taking the only money the family had to buy dinner.

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