The following interview appeared in the February/March 2001 edition, of
The Connector: A Bimonthly Publication of Greater Dayton Christian Connections.

A Call to Non-Violence:
   The Cost of Discipleship

    For the past three years, John Ewers has been a part o f a Miami Valley contingent that frequently protests the presence, action and activities of the School of the Americas (SOA) at Ft. Benning, Georgia. In the fall 2000, John Ewers for the third consecutive year traveled to Ft. Benning to protest the SOA. And, for the third time, he was arrested and now awaits prosecution by the U.S. government.
   The Connector caught up with John Ewers following his most recent trip and asked him about the cost of discipleship for Christians as it pertains to social justice.

The Connector: Of all the social justice issues out there, why protest the School of Americas? What drew you to this issue? Or, rather, what called you to this issue?

John Ewers: I'm a member of the Global Missions Committee of the Miami Presbytery. We developed a partnership with the North Coast Presbytery in Barranquilla, Colombia. My wife, Paula, and I were a part of a contingent that visited there in May 1998.

In preparation, we did a bunch of research and discovered that a weak central government, two strong guerilla armies and many paramilitary groups were wreaking havoc among the people of Colombia. When we got there we learned more up close and very personal. We learned that there were and still are over a million displaced persons in a country of 39 million people. We learned that these people are driven out of their homes and off their land by the national army, guerilla and paramilitary groups. We learned that there are direct ties to the School of Americas (SOA), which has trained many of these mercenaries. They come back from their training at the SOA and turn against their own people, killing and driving them off their land.

We stood in the middle of an indescribable displacement camp of 25,000 (now 40,000) and saw misery and poverty. We heard stories. One hit me real hard. The paramilitaries came to this family's house and told the husband that they wanted his land. They offered to buy it for a pittance. He refused. He was told, "OK, we'll buy it from your widow."

There isn't a lot we can do but we can participate in stopping the United States from training soldiers to oppress their own people by helping the movement to close this "school."

The Connector: As Christians, do you think we are all called to social justice? Is this, to use Bonhoeffer's phrase, "the cost of discipleship"?

John Ewers: Each and every Christian is called to do his or her part in improving the lot of other human beings. My Presbyterian heritage is the reformed tradition. John Calvin taught that life is lived in the Christian community, the church, but it cannot be detached from life in the larger community of humankind. Calvin was convinced that religion is the source of all true social action. For proof, we only need to read and accept Jesus' teaching.

I like Bonhoeffer's phrase "the cost of discipleship." It makes what we do in service to justice clearly very important and basic. I think I haven't done enough if there isn't a real cost.

The Connector: How would you help someone find out what he or she is being called to do in the way of social justice?

John Ewers: For me, I think active exposure to what is going on is necessary. Studying issues and exposing myself to opportunities to serve with others on an issue works for me. If I see the importance of an issue and my skill set fits the strategies used to deal with the issue, I probably belong there. My wife and I both decided a long time ago that we belong in solidarity with the poor and oppressed, but that doesn't mean everyone should feel the same way. There are a lot of worthy ways to serve the call to justice.

The Connector: What can a person do to continue to nurture their call to social justice? What do you do?

John Ewers: Personally, I need to read a lot, stay in touch with the problems and progress. I also need to be around people who are involved with the same issues. I need to be aware of times when I lose heart or, even worse, am embarrassed to talk to others about my actions and opinions. When this occurs, I can come out the other side stronger and more committed.

The Connector: Anything else you would like to add?

John Ewers: Yes. I ask all readers of The Connector to please study the issue and lobby your congressional representatives to support legislation to close the SOA. We think it is not only good for our Latin American brothers and sisters, it is good for U.S. citizens. We can all be proud if our country truly supports the poor and powerless in our own hemisphere. Help them be free and all that they can be. May God bless us all.

 

 

Contact: John Thomas Ewers