MONDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 1999
Youth Could Create A Future!
By Maggie Fisher, SCN[Maggie Fisher, who says that she is almost 80 years old, is a Sister of Charity of Nazareth, KY, who lives in Barrio Batahola Norte in Managua.]
As Associate Justice and Peace Coordinator for the Diocese of Little Rock, Arkansas, I regularly told inquirers that I wasn't able to add another issue, Central America. Then when Mary Hussman said one more person was really needed for a Witness for Peace delegation to Nicaragua, I relented.
Within days I was saying that I had never known a government to act according to the Gospel. The poor really had a chance; youth could create a future; courageous people in the North guarded their towns; and delegates of the word spoke strongly of liberation, of faith, of sharing. Hardship and joy went hand in hand. We attended the 5th Celebration of the Triumph and at times I knew we were participating in a reverent, hopeful, deeply religious event.
I wanted to wanted to return to Nicaragua after that and find out how the Sandinistas were doing all of this. Many persons said to me that the problems were not really in Nicaragua, but in the U.S., and that it would be better to stay there and organize to change U.S. foreign policy (R.Reagan, O.North, E.Abrams, etc.). So I did that to the best of my ability for eight years.
At length I knew, in 1991, that if I were ever to return to live in Nicaragua, I should do it immediately. I knew I could still learn from the people; I hoped that I might make some amends for the oppressive actions of the U.S. I have now been here nine years. Much has changed. Much has not. The 25th Anniversary has been a strengthening and precious time.
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