Healthy Development?

Greetings and peace to all of you: family, friends, supporters and other interested persons!! 

From a somewhat foggy, rainy day at Machu Picchu,
pictured with Grace Iverson, Jannaya and Graham Jensen.

Remains of a building being destroyed
in the name of development, Ollantaytambo

A recent trip to the Cusco, the Sacred Valley, and Machu Picchu recently inspired some thought around globalization and whether all development is healthy development. Take, for example, this home next to the river in Ollantaytambo. It is being demolished to make room for an expanding tourist hostel. The growth of the tourist industry in this part of the world has allowed for expansion of highways, the development of restaurants, hostels, and hotels throughout the Sacred Valley. Employment is stable in transportation and service industries as well as the local artesan markets in many of the small pueblos in the area. 

My curiosity around all of this development caused me to talk with several of our drivers, guides, waiters and tour operators during our various travels. As we sat drinking our coffee one day, our waiter told us that around 80 tourist buses visit their location, Inca ruins in Ollantaytambo, every day, driving on the old cobblestone roads. In Pisac, the number of tourists has even converted the Plaza Principal (the main centrer of town) into a market of artisan goods. We can all agree that steady employment is a good thing, however are farmers and musicians,  tradespeople and laborers people becoming slaves to the tourist industry? Is this the type of work they would like to do, what does all of this traffic and all of these tourists mean to the infrastructures of water, highways, sewage and waste, not to mention the overpopulation of heritage sites?

                                                                                                                                                                            

The Plaza Principal in Pisac, now an
artisan market

How do we as Christians respond even as we are tourists in another culture? What kind of development is healthy development, for the local people, for the economy, for the environment, etc...?

Good questions, and I hope and pray we can be faithful in our awareness of those around us, of their lives and realities, of the effects our presence has on the environment, of livelihoods, of development. I hope and pray we can continue to be aware of the "sacred" in our midst, even as we are tourist to another country and culture. Because no matter where we are, I believe God calls us to care for our environment and our planet so that we can all live with dignity, with clean water and air, with sufficient food and enough work and resources on which to live. Our God calls us to awareness, to speak for justice and equality, to protect and speak on behalf of the voiceless whose livelihood depends on land and water systems that are healthy, to speak against those empires and corrupted powers who value money over people, trade over land, economy over justice. Whether in our own communities and cities, or whether as tourists, let us be aware.

The Sacred Valley is, indeed, a sacred place yet it continues to grow and develop, catering to the growing tourist trade. May God continue to empower us to protect the sacred places such as these that exist in our countries and in our communities, as well as those whose leaders seem to pay little attention to environmental impact, be it mining development or tourist development.

Left: the Colca Valley, beautiful during its rainy season....










Prayer:

O God of Abundant life, give us the strength, courage and wisdom to speak out against development that is harmful to the environment and those who inhabit it.The challenges are great but we know that you, O Lord, are faithful. Inspire and move us to greater awareness, to increased advocacy, and to a deeper commitment for justice. May your Holy Spirit so inspire us so that all may live in the abundance and grace that you provide to all your people. Amen. 

With Epiphany grace, enlightenment, and peace,
Pastora Fran.