Will the South Be Possible?
A Reflection on Mission, Identity and Partnership in Latin America and the Caribbean
Attitudes toward Latin America and the Caribbean have long been shaped by distance, misunderstanding, and uneven relationships. Yet, for nearly two centuries, Methodist communities across the Americas have been connected through shared mission, faith, and history.
This reflection explores the question: Is the South possible? Drawing on theology, history, and lived experience, it invites us to reconsider how the Church relates across regions—and how partnership, rather than control, can shape a more faithful future.
By Doug Ruffle and Juan Gattinoni
With reference to the work of Eduardo Gattinoni
A Question Shaped by History
Attitudes towards southern neighbors of the United States of America have fluctuated over the years. Many Canadians and US people enjoy vacationing in places like Cancun, Puerto Vallarta, and the islands of the Caribbean. Church groups send volunteer teams to work with locals in places like Haiti, Mexico, and Honduras. Yet, at times northern hemisphere people have ignored, controlled, or disdained neighbors to the south. Such disdain has worsened due to tensions surrounding US southern border migration.
These attitudes have permeated relations between The United Methodist Church and sister churches in Latin America and the Caribbean. United Methodist attention draws more easily to Africa, Europe, and the Philippines whose churches remain–for now–in the denomination. While there are nearly two hundred years of relationships between US Methodists and Methodists to the south, the fact that most Methodists are autonomous from The United Methodist Church has diminished missional involvement.
That is why relationships with Latin America and the Caribbean are more important today than ever. The US population continues to show increases in Latinx presence. By mid 21st century, as much as 30 percent of the population in the United States will identify a Latin-American heritage. Despite the ever-growing population of Latinx people in the US, many US non-Latinx people still carry distorted views of those who trace their roots to the south. For instance, many non-Latinx assume their neighbors who originated from the south are Roman Catholic. In truth, there is great diversity of religious expression among Latin Americans.[1]
There are excellent reasons why most of the Methodist churches of the Latin America/Caribbean region became autonomous affiliated churches of The United Methodist Church. We will explain those reasons later. For now, we raise the question, “Are strong, connectional relations even possible in Latin America and the Caribbean among people identifying as Methodists?” Is the south possible? Will it be possible?
A Voice from the South
This question echoes a deeper question given expression in poetry and song nearly forty years ago. As countries in South America emerged from military dictatorships (At least 16, including Argentina, Uruguay, Brazil, and Chile), the human cost of the struggle for freedom and democracy was laid bare in the words of Jorge Boccanera, himself forced into exile during the “dirty war” in Argentina from 1976 to 1984, and his fellow exile living in Mexico, Carlos Fernando Porcel De Peralta, who put music to the poem. The song, ¿Será posible el sur, será posible? became an anthem for many living in the south. It became known best through the voice of Mercedes Sosa in an album by the same title in 1984.
Play a small clip of Mercedes performing part of this song.
Source: Será Posible el Sur, a 1985 documentary produced by Gerd Unger
and Chris Sievernich. The film was directed and written by West
German filmmaker Stefan Paul.
¿Será Posible el Sur? (Español [Original])
¿Será posible el sur, será posible?
Tanta bala perdida al corazón del pueblo
Tanta madre metida en la palabra loca
Y toda la memoria en una cárcel
¿Será posible el sur, será posible?
Tanto invierno caído
Sobre el último rostro de mi hermano
Tanto salario escaso riendo con descaro
Y en el plato vacío el verdugo esperando
¡Mi territorio!
Que una vez gira en la oscuridad
De esa pregunta, de esa pregunta
¿Será posible el sur, será posible?
Si se viese al espejo, ¿se reconocería?
¡Mi territorio!
Que una vez gira en la oscuridad
De esa pregunta, de esa pregunta
¿Será posible el sur, será posible?
Si se viese al espejo, ¿se reconocería?
Fuente: Musixmatch Letra y musica: Jorge Boccanera / Carlos Fernando Porcel De Peralta
Will the South be Possible? (English Translation)
Will the south be possible, will it be possible?[3]
So many stray bullets straight to the heart of my people
Too much ‘mother’ meddling crazily
And every memory of incarceration
Will the south be possible, will it be possible?
So much winter fallen
On the last longing look of my brother’s face
So much meager laughable salary
And with the empty plate the executioner awaits
My territory!
That once turns in the dark
From that question, that simple question
Will the south be possible, will it be possible?
If you saw yourself in the mirror, my South, would you recognize yourself?
My territory!
That once turns in the dark
From that question, that simple question
Will the south be possible, will it be possible?
If you saw yourself in the mirror, my South, would you recognize yourself?Songwriters: Jorge Boccanera / Carlos Fernando Porcel De Peralta
From Question to Affirmation
When Mercedes Sosa sings it, the song takes a turn when she incants the words, “¡Mi territorio!” My territory! After the questioning comes the affirmation. This is my territory. This is my people. This is my future and my hope. More than my territory, for the those living in Latin America and the Caribbean, it is “our” territory, and the song carries the promise that the people living there will be the protagonists of their own future.
A Response Through Partnership
The Methodist churches in Latin America and the Caribbean work with some of the most marginalized populations… Our relationships with our US and Latin American/Caribbean partners are guided by Christ’s mandate to love our neighbors. We understand this to mean:
- Preserving the dignity of our mission partners through open, honest communication
- Recognizing each national Church’s right to self-determine its own strategic plan
- Allowing each person involved with Encounter to develop their gifts
- Celebrating unique cultural differences that make the body of Christ more inclusive
Encounter with Christ in Latin America and the Caribbean offers a unique opportunity…
What This Looks Like in Practice
The funds that EWC have raised has helped more than 150 programs. Here are a few highlights from the grants recently made:
- $10,000—MCCA Leeward Islands District…To develop and operate a small-scale commercial farm…Program Goal: The project’s overall goal is to develop and operate…
People Impact: The total number of persons to directly benefit…
- $10,000—National Evangelical Primitive Methodist Church in Guatemala…To provide livestock care training to women…Program Goal:
- Training on malnutrition and livestock management
- Knowledge assessment after training
- Timely follow-up on animal health
People Impact: 30 women will benefit directly…
- $9,700—Council of Methodist Churches in Venezuela…To create an online store supporting youth ministry.Program Goals:
- Identify emotions and healing needs
- Develop listening and communication skills
- Strengthen relationship with God
- Provide healthy leisure spaces
- Promote teamwork and belonging
- Support sustainability of activities
Activities include:
- Workshops on emotional intelligence
- Communication training
- Spiritual formation workshops
- Sports and arts programs
- Online store funding support
People Impact: 50–100 adolescents and 4 adults.
- $9,000—The Methodist Church of Mexico…To provide academic tutoring and life skills training.The first goal is improving academic achievement…
The second goal is improving self-esteem among women…
People Impact: Approximately 30 women and 20 children.
Why Autonomy? A Necessary Freedom
- Discipline.The Discipline of The United Methodist Church is approved…
- Disconnect.The disconnect between The Discipline and the reality…
- Distance.Additionally, our Annual Conference had to vote…
- The first proposal was simple…
- The Mission Board convened consultations…[4]
A Shared Mission, A Shared Future
In sum, the churches of Latin America became autonomous…
The relationship and missional partnerships…
The south is possible. The south has a future of hope…
In Christ’s Love,
Douglas Ruffle
[1] For more information, see this Christian Century article:
How did abortion become legal in majority-Catholic Argentina?
[3}This translation of the song, ¿Será posible el sur, será posible? is humbly offered by Douglas Ruffle, former Mission Interpreter for Encounter With Christ. Improvements to the translation are welcomed.
[4] We thank the Reverend Juan Gattinoni for putting together this history from which excerpts were translated by Encounter’s Douglas Ruffle. The explanation attributed above to Eduardo J. Gattinoni is Juan Gattinoni’s father.