36th Year of Publication Stories inside Rotary seeks to ‘move the needle’ for the world - p. 5 Korean sister to use English as global language - p. 7 CdA church’s mission field is right out the door - p. 8 January 2020 Immersion in Central Micah 4:4 [email protected] America impacts lives - p. 9 Volume 37 Number 71 (509) 535-1813 • 535-4112 Calendar on page 11 Monthly newspaper and website covering faith in action throughout the Inland Northwest features 45 events online at www.thefigtree.org • check The Fig Tree Facebook page daily for news and links Movement empowers women leaders By Mary Stamp not understand that women held the Women and men are murdered land, and women were our leaders, and go missing, but indigenous healers, medicine people and food mothers, sisters, daughters, aunties gatherers.” and nieces experience a higher rate Speaking up as an attorney, edu- of violence than other ethnicities. cator, researcher, mother and aunty, Stereotypes that blame victims, she understands the intersection the lack of reporting and investiga- of family life, legal processes and tion, and overlapping jurisdiction urban/rural planning. of tribes, law enforcement and As a former attorney for the courts stymie action. Spokane Tribe, she is now associ- To break the silence, indigenous ate professor in urban and regional women and allies are organizing planning, public and health admin- to bring awareness to the suffer- istration for Eastern Washington ing. They are calling attention to University (EWU) at Riverpoint the violence, trafficking and inad- Campus. She teaches and organizes equate response. people on tribal planning, federal Indigenous women have been Indian law, community develop- raising visibility by wearing red ment and policies. ribbon skirts to symbolize their “When I give presentations to sacredness and resilience, and by tribal and community groups, I do painting red handprints over their not start with numbers and data but mouths to symbolize the blood shed with honoring the murdered and by lost, stolen and murdered sisters. missing people,” she said. They are increasingly visible at The United Nations Declaration the Women’s March, Martin Luther on the Rights of Indigenous People King Jr. Day March, Indigenous recognizes that indigenous people People’s March, and other marches suffer from a history of injustices, and events. colonization and dispossession of “Women are reclaiming their role their lands, territories and resourc- as leaders in tribal communities,” es. The declaration also recognizes said Margo Hill, a leader in the that indigenous people are entitled Murdered and Missing Indigenous without discrimination to all hu- Women (MMIW) movement. Margo Hill educates community on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women. A man rights and that they possess “When Europeans came, they did photograph of her three children in regalia is on her office wall. Continued on page 4 ‘My Road Leads Home’ series features Homeless Connect, ‘Hidden Homeless’ Conference opens with To inform the community of the lessness or living “on the bubble” and siblings make up more than briefing on state issues hidden homelessness of families, or edge—one missed paycheck, 4,800 family members who are Maurice Smith, executive direc- rent payment or auto repair—of experiencing homelessness. The 2020 Eastern Washington Legislative Conference will tor of Rising River Media and being forced into homelessness. The new documentary is “My open with a briefing about priorities among the issues coming member of the Spokane Homeless “We have, however, more strug- Road Leads Home: The Hidden before the State Legislature, led by the Paul Benz of the Faith Connect Committee, is producing gling families than homeless Homeless.” It focuses on families Action Network, and Donna Christensen and Mario Villan- a second documentary on home- individuals living on the streets,” experiencing homelessness. ueva of the Washington State Catholic Conference. They will lessness in Spokane. said Maurice, who recently com- In June 2019, Maurice inter- present priorities they have established related to the issues. The first documentary in the piled statistics from the State viewed City of Spokane home- “Making It Happen” is the theme for the Eastern Wash- “My Road Leads Home” series Department of Education and less service managers and shelter ington Legislative Conference from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., of documentaries on homeless- local shelters. operators at the House of Charity, Saturday, Jan. 25, at Spokane Valley United Methodist Church, ness in Spokane covered the 2019 The 2019 Point in Time survey Union Gospel Mission, Family 115 N. Raymond Rd. Registration and viewing displays with Spokane Homeless Connect, an found 1,309 homeless people Promise, the Salvation Army, St. resources by local agencies begin at 8:30 a.m. annual one-day, one-stop resource on the streets, but schools have Margaret’s, YFA Connections, The event, organized by The Fig Tree, Catholic Charities event bringing together resource reported in 2016, 2017 and 2018 and Volunteers of America’s Eastern Washington, the Faith Action Network, the Sisters of providers under one roof to serve an average of 3,353 homeless Crosswalk and Hope House to St. Francis of Philadelphia and other partners, will also feature people either experiencing home- children, who with their parents determine the number of non- a plenary on tenants’ rights with Terri Anderson of the Wash- duplicated homeless people. ington State s Union and an afternoon panel discussion on When he combined shelter gun violence with Sheriff Ozzie Knezovich, Episcopal Bishop numbers with school students Gretchen Rehberg and speakers from Students Demand Action and families, he discovered that and Mothers Demand Action. the total number of people expe- There will be a choice of six workshops repeated at 10:30 riencing homelessness in Greater a.m. and 1 p.m. Spokane averaged 11,541 over the • “Shareholder Advocacy” will be addressed by Mark Kin- past three years. ney of Numerica Credit Union and Pat Millen OSF of the Reflecting the increasing need Northwest Coalition for Responsible Investment. for services, the 2020 Spokane • “Homelessness Communication” will be led by Joe Ader Permit No. 1044 No. Permit Homeless Connect, from 10 a.m. of Family Promise, Alan Eschenbacher of All Saints Lutheran, WA SPOKANE Spokane, WA 99202-3571 WA Spokane, to 3 p.m., Thursday, Jan. 30, will and Renee Norris and Megan Chandler of Catholic Charities. PAID 1323 S. Perry St. Perry S. 1323 be held at the Spokane Convention • Discussing “Climate Change” issues are Tom Soeldner U.S. POSTAGE U.S. Organization The Fig Tree Fig The Center rather than at the Salvation Continued on page 2 Non-Profit Continued on page 6 Page 2 - The Fig Tree - January 2020 Religion News Briefs REGIONAL ECUMENICAL & INTERFAITH NEWS Around the World World Council of Churches News, PO Box 2100 Six workshops will be repeated on Jan. 25 CH - 1211 Geneva 2, Switzerland Tel: +41-22 791 6111 Continued from page 1 the Veradale United Church of • Addressing “Refugees and Fax: +41-22 788 7244 www.oikoumene.org of the Sierra Club, Maggie Gates Christ, former state senator John the Numbers Cap” are Samuel of the Lands Council and Sunrise Smith and Walter Kendricks, pas- Smith of World Relief and Luisa WCC urges end to people being stateless Movement, and Brian Henning tor of Morning Star Missionary Orellana, who teaches English to of 350 Spokane and Gonzaga Baptist Church. refugees at Spokane Community The World Council of Churches Executive Committee recently University. • “The Census and Justice College. met and made statements on several issues. • A workshop on “Faithfully Work” will be led by Jim Castro- Volunteers are needed to help One statement urges an end to statelessness so people will no Facing Racism: Confronting Lang of the Faith Action Network with arrangements. longer live in a situation of legal limbo. “Children constitute over White Supremacy” will be led by Board, Alex Panagatacos of In- For information and to RSVP, a third of the global stateless population, and in the countries with Gen Heywood of Faith Leaders novia and Denise Guerrero of the call 535-4112, 535-1813 or email the 20 largest stateless populations, approximately 70,000 stateless and Leaders of Conscience and Census Alliance. [email protected]. children are born each year,” reads the statement. “Risks of state- lessness are often increased in the context of forced displacement and migration.” The WCC expresses concern over an increase in ethno-nationalist, racist and xenophobic narratives and policies Retired therapist says ‘Everyone Has a Story’ globally. “History has shown several times and places that states Author and retired child and He believes that communities facing teens. have used access to citizenship and deprivation of nationality as a family therapist Chris Crutcher relying only on tax dollars to solve A graduate of Eastern Wash- discriminatory tool to oppress entire communities based on their will lead a public forum on “Ev- complex problems will fall short. ington University with degrees in descent, color, ethnicity or religion.” eryone Has a Story” at 7 p.m., He believes community involve- psychology and sociology, and a WCC comments on crises in Latin America Tuesday, Jan. 14, at Weyerhaeuser ment requires people to stop call- teaching certificate, he taught at Another statement expresses concern over exceptional concur- Hall at Whitworth University. ing community ills “problems” or primary and secondary schools in rent crises in Latin America. “Brazil is facing a complex crisis of People for Effective Govern- “issues,” and become acquainted California and Washington before political and social polarization, affecting the rule of law, human ment is sponsoring this event, with stories of people. beginning to write. rights and environmental protection, and diminishing civil society in which Chris will discuss his “We don’t have a homeless Thirty-two years ago, he joined space, while Chile, Bolivia, Ecuador, Venezuela, Paraguay, Peru experiences with children and problem.