All Comments for: Cleaning Up La Oroya | Christianity Today

Free Newsletters:

RSS Feeds |

Audio |

Twitter

Home > 2007 > April

Christianity Today, April, 2007 |

Cleaning Up La Oroya

How American and Peruvian Christians teamed up when factory pollutants were poisoning children.

Hunter Farrell | posted 4/20/2007 08:59AM

Something's very wrong here," said Esther Hinostroza. "It's the children."

Hinostroza was calling from her Peruvian town of La Oroya, speaking with members of the Joining Hands Network of Peru. The group ...

[Reader Reviews]

Average User Rating:

Rate and Comment on this article

Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 comments.

Page: 1

Show All

Will A.

Posted: April 30, 2007 2:01 PM

What fascinating debate that includes interesting traffic patterns formed around each individual perspective on a global issue of poverty that we as Christians all seek to improve through our OWN gifts, and gifts of our PARTNERS in mission, and partners in Christ. “For I am longing to see you so that I may share with you some spiritual gift to strengthen you—or rather so that we might be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith, both yours and mine.” –Romans 1:11-12 My thoughts run parallel to many of my friends’ frustrations and angers that so much scientific research has been done, which undoubtedly required the resources of many Christians involved in this project, and yet not “ENOUGH” tangible reform has taken place in La Oroya. As the above opinion flows, I can’t also help but recognize some validity in the opinion of those whom I don’t know, who seem to question why substantial reform hasn’t taken place, and in my interpretation seem to go further suggesting that the Pe

Tim	Posted: April 25, 2007 4:05 PM

I think Jay's comment can be easily dismissed as simplistic. Jesus quoted Isa. 60:1-2 at the beginning of His ministry explaining the the Gospel--"the good news" is about taking care of those who cannot take care of themselves. The Gospel is more complex than what Jay wants to distill it down to be--hence Mark begins his book with "The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God." Jay needs to consider Isa 58. There the words of the Lord are clear that false worship to God is manifest most obviously in neglect of the poor, homeless, oppressed, etc. However, it is the cross of Christ which must be preached ultimately if we are going to call it evangelism. Let us not confuse preevangelism with evangelism. Both are necessary. We are the most wicked of all if we turn our backs on those who cannot help themselves especially when we have been given so much that God requires we give in return for His glory!

Karen Wilson

Posted: April 25, 2007 10:59 AM

It is so important to get the word out about what is happen to the children in La Oroya. Technology is available to vastly improve the air quality. Without public pressure, nothing would be done. With public pressure, hopefully the Doe Run Company will be forced to comply with the regulations that they have for so long been ignoring. Parents should not have to be afraid they will lose their jobs if they stand up for the health of their children. Doe Run is only concerned with their bottom line. The lives of the children need to be a priority in La Oroya. Thank you for publishing this article.

Barb	Posted: April 24, 2007 8:45 PM

I am ever humbled by the faithful witness of our peruvian brothers and sisters to God's love . They continue to reach out with their hearts and minds despite the hardships handed them by the Doe Run company and the lack of fortitude by the Peruvian government to put it's people ahead of profits and intimidation.While in La Oroya this past summer I was so moved by the teenagers who had taken up the fight to reclaim their city from pollution and disease caused by the emissions from the Doe Run Smelter.They were the ones to tell the story of junk metals being brought into their country from faroff places to be melted down. They were the ones to describe the injustice of their hopes for increasing exports of artichokes and other crops to the US and other markets being put in jeopardy due to the contamination of not only La Oroya but the entire Montaro River Valley known as the "Breadbasket" of Peru. We are all connected. We are all God's children.

Shana

Posted: April 24, 2007 4:44 PM

Part of the unfolding of this story is how the citizens of La Oroya, and other stakeholders in the Mantaro River Valley, have found their voice to speak against the oppressive human rights injustice they face (health of all at risk, even babies in utero) and the ongoing lasting damage to the environment (including agricultural products for international trade), while being at risk of intimidation and reprisal from the Doe Run company and those friendly to them. A couple of weeks ago, several unions and their members staged a strike to speak truth to power – what was due them in compensation from Doe Run, as mandated by Peruvian law, was at risk. This "lifting up" of Peruvian voices is made possible by the Holy Spirit that has infused all with the hope to speak and act, especially in the face of fear. It is the Holy Spirit that has enlivened the ecumenical coalition. And it is the Holy Spirit that fills us as we pray for the softening of hearts at Doe Run and its parent, Renco Group.

melissa bowerman

Posted: April 24, 2007 1:34 PM

I met Esther Hinostroza. I met the children of La Oroya. And I met God in the eyes of Esther and these children – and let me tell you, God was sobbing. It’s heartbreaking to read about the injustice, but it’s absolutely staggering to meet the people whose lives are suffering due to preventable contamination. I just returned from a mission trip to La Oroya with a group from Allen Park Presbyterian Church in Michigan. Surely, La Oroya was an unlikely place for the hope and inspiration we experienced with our Peruvian brothers and sisters. Together, we painted a mural of the smelter resting in two clasped hands, on a backdrop of green trees and blue waters, in an expression of hope. Together, we composed a beautiful song about uniting in God’s name and dreaming of a better La Oroya. And we will continue to take to the world the message that the people of La Oroya deserve a clean environment, and that, in the words of the Dr. Rev. Farrell, “hope is the most powerful ingredient in change.”

lensterling

Posted: April 23, 2007 11:48 PM

The sad thing is that there are so many countless situations like that and even worse. There are so many suffering people in the world; just trying to comprehend even a fraction of the suffering in the world is an impossible task. The human capacity for processing such enormous problems is simply inadequate. Amazingly however, we can intervene and make a difference in this suffering world. Jesus gave us a direct line of communication to Him through His Holy Spirit. Jesus teaches that those who pray will develop deeper conviction. Deeper conviction leads to more prayer which leads to deeper conviction and deeper conviction leads to being shaped by our Creator to do His work. Of course all this means being small in the eyes of the world, which of course means great in the eyes of the One who created us to have fellowship with Him forever. Keep writing articles like this to give us a glimpse of where we need to focus our prayers and send our resources!

Patti

Posted: April 23, 2007 10:28 PM

Excellent, Dr. Rev. Farrell. And yes, the ecumenical results of this effort are indeed fabulous. Still, it's biblically and morally wrong to dump poison on people's heads, isn't it? I recall the days in 2002, when the first results started coming in. "It just can't be," we said. The CDC predicted we'd find all kids in La Oroya lead-poisoned. They were right. "We'll tell them," we said. Surely if the decision-makers such as the Doe Run company and the Peruvian government knew about this, they'd put a stop to it. Yet today, 5 years later, the problem continues. Doe Run is "working on finding solutions." Really? Is "finding solutions" enough, when it's your child who has 2 tons of lead and 1 ton of arsenic dust dumped on him......each day?? Instead, how about if Doe Run abides by its 1996 agreement to spend $120 million to stop this? Possible previous contamination underfoot is a red herring. No matter what, to continue to dump tons of arsenic onto fellow children of Go

Judy Hoffhine

Posted: April 23, 2007 8:35 PM

The Gospel is embodied in the Peruvian/American partnership that is based in the church. Without mission co-workers and the members of the churches involved in full partnership with the Peruvians, there would be no article and no hope. When there, we discovered that these folks need hope. There's plenty of love among them anad in their families anad congregations, but hope was dwindling. Through a sense of discipleship that brings people together to work, study, and promote change, we all felt that we were truly accepting Christ's invitation to follow. The Gospel is in the action and love and hope.

Cole Fuller

Posted: April 22, 2007 10:26 AM

This is a beautiful story of Christians working between borders (whether denominational or geographical) to help relieve the strife of these La Oroya people. In response to DeQuee: The gospel of Jesus Christ is evident in the helping of these people; Jesus calls us to this mission in Matthew 25:44-46(NIV): "They also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?' "He will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.' "Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life." These people saw the workings of Christ through a church united with a common cause. The gospel can't be communicated any clearer than that. The Gospel of Christ is meanlingless if the ones being witnessed to cannot see an evident change brought from the gospel. The work these people did is truly inspiring.

Karl	Posted: April 21, 2007 1:17 PM


Wonderful article, demonstrating how preaching the gospel involves loving your neighbor. Too many missionaries seem to forget the second commandment. Jesus told us to go make disciples. He didn't say go make church members. Remembering how that played out in Rwanda should make us all shudder.

Jay	Posted: April 21, 2007 5:49 AM

Another example of how sin is running rampant in this world. I am talking about the sin of Christians. Matthew 28:19 tells us "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:" I don't see any of that in the article. We as Christians have a God-given responsibility to preach the Gospel, it is a commandment. The Gospel is not found in helping the helpless in the world. Helping the helpless falls under the category of "Loving thy neighbor as thyself" which is another commandment. There are those in Christianity today that despise commandments. I love them for if I know what the commandments are and obey them then I am in God's will. The Gospel is that God sent His only begotten Son to die for the sins of the world that whosoever "Believeth" will not perish but have everlasting life with God - forever, Amen! Many missionaries are getting caught up with caring for the "victims" and forget about preaching the Gospel.

len sterling

Posted: April 21, 2007 1:59 AM

Certainly provokes inspiration to delve deeper into the maze of tragic stories spanning the history of civilization. Man’s resolve to create paradise in his own part of the world at the expense of exploiting lives of others he cannot see and thus has no empathy for is not a new concept. Horrific stories such as this one are stark reminders of the reality of sin. Sin clothes itself cleverly inside a sensuous skin, transmitting a false promise of delightful pleasures. Reality however is that the end result of living for fleshly desires results in the devastating loss of one’s own soul. This tragic end lasts an eternity with no hope of salvation. The task given to us by Jesus to spread His message of salvation to a lost world is remains a reality for us today. We all have the responsibility to touch a world full of devastation with His love. In addition to just blogging here, let’s pray for God to show us His plan for each of us to touch a lost and suffering world with His love.

Mark	Posted: April 20, 2007 10:19 PM


Superb article...shows the ethical depth of American business...the U.S. is no longer a democracy but a mercantilistic corporate welfare state. If you don't beleive me, read The Real Lincoln by T.J. DiLorenzo.

frances marie

Posted: April 20, 2007 10:09 PM


There does not seem to be any pressure on the Doe Run Company by the Peruvian Government. This tells us that the Peruvian Government does not care about their citizens, but does care about the profits the government recieves from the Doe Run Company.

Mike	Posted: April 20, 2007 5:05 PM


I echo Ian's sentiments. Based on the language of the article, the Peruvian government was indifferent, while Doe Run emerges scott-free. Also, a thought for DeQuee: The gospel of Jesus Christ is found in caring for the poor who do not have their own voice.

DeQuee

Posted: April 20, 2007 4:29 PM


Very nice story. Where is the gospel of Jesus Christ?

Page: 1

E-mail this page

Write CT

Print this article

Post a comment