Xa'al Be' offers delegates the opportunity to enter deeply into the culture of Toledo, Belize by participating in meaningful service projects led by Belizeans. Our model aims to subvert the pervasive power dynamic inherent in “short-term mission trips.” The implicit message is that the westerners are here to help. “Service is different from helping,” Rachel Naomi Remen writes. “Helping is based on inequality…Service is a relationship between equals.” The Cucul family and I bring the communities together to get to know one another before any project begins. We cultivate a sense of curiosity and openness to the dignity of the differences in our cultures as we celebrate our shared humanity. For UCC churches, we seek to maintain the awareness that given the history of colonization and genocide of indigenous communities, it is an act of grace to be welcomed into their homes and form these relationships. 

 

We view international service not as a form of charity, but as a means to economic empowerment. Aside from access to electricity, solar installations provide ownership of the power source. We are in the early innings of the green revolution. Why shouldn’t the United Church of Christ lead the way in building models for cross-cultural, faith-based global partnerships for our sustainable future? Why can’t we take the extra steps to work toward a more equitable approach to international service?