A note about some of the references in the letter: the "formation of Kairos" referred to in the
letter consists of the daily community-building workshops conducted by Ellen Hendrick and Luis
Aguirre during the delegation's visits. Ellen and Luis are the directors of the Kairos organization,
which facilitates our relationship with Jiñocuao and with 14 other U.S. and Nicaraguan churches
that make up the Kairos family of sister parishes. The letter also refers to the "Encounter" between
Kairos' 15 churches, which took place in mid-February. Our church sent Nancy Talbot and
Elizabeth MacGregor as representatives to the Encounter. Finally, the letter discusses the illness
of Valentin Ponce, a community leader whom visited our church in a 1995 delegation from
Jiñocuao.
February 14, 2000
Dear brothers and sisters of Takoma Park,
We hope this letter finds you well and enjoying this new year of 2000. Brothers and sisters, it's been
a month since your delegation was here with us, sharing experiences, meeting with various groups in
our community, and participating in the formation of Kairos. The visit was a great success. Your visit
inspired us and recharged our batteries.
Brothers and sisters, we are getting ready to participate in the Encounter in Managua. Our community
will be represented there by two women and a man: Esperanza Arce, Asusena Moncada, and Aurelio.
Brothers and sisters, we want to let you know that our brother Valentin has had a problem with his
vision. He was taken to Guatemala for an operation. We thank God that it went well, and that he will
be back with us very soon.
Brothers and sisters, we thank you for your visit to our community and we hope to see you soon.