VALLEY FORGE, PA (ABNS 10/19/06)-Representatives of the Central American Parliament (PARLACEN) presented the Rev. Dr. Gustavo Parajón with its distinguished Francisco Morazán medallion, in honor of his courageous work for peace and reconciliation during the war between Nicaragua's revolutionary government and the Contra guerrillas during the 1980s.
The presentation occurred during a moving ceremony held on October 17, 2006, at First Baptist Church of Managua, where Parajón is senior pastor. The sanctuary was packed with diplomats, but also with people from every walk of life in Nicaragua. Especially notable was the presence of a large delegation from one of the regions that had been particularly affected by the conflict. The delegation, from Nueva Guinea, included many who had served in that region's local peace commission, as well as the famous "Comandante Gallo," a leader of Contra forces in Nueva Guinea during the war.
The decision to hold the ceremony in the sanctuary of First Baptist Church of Managua was itself significant, as it is the first time that a session of PARLACEN has been convened in a Protestant church in the region. In honor of the church setting, and in a departure from normal protocol, the Nicaraguan national anthem was sung not by Nicaragua's military choir, but by the renowned Parajón-Domínguez choir of First Baptist Church, which is directed by Mrs. Joan Parajón.
The action of PARLACEN comes as part of a growing chorus of appreciation for Parajón's decades-long ministry on behalf of justice, reconciliation and peace. In 2002, during the celebration of its 150th anniversary, the City of Managua awarded Parajón its Sesquicentennial Medallion as one of the city's outstanding citizens. In July of this year, the Baptist World Alliance, at its meeting in Mexico City, gave Parajón its 2006 Human Rights Award for his peacemaking ministry.
From mid-1964 until the end of 2003, Gustavo Parajón and his wife Joan served as American Baptist missionaries in Nicaragua. Additional details concerning the ministry of Gustavo Parajón will be featured in the November issue of International Ministries Update (to receive a free subscription to this monthly newsletter, contact Jill.Mussel@abc-usa.org). Additional coverage of the PARLACEN ceremony in honor of Parajón will appear soon on the International Ministries website.
Andrew C. Jayne American Baptist Churches, USA Mission Resource Development http://www.abc-usa.org/