Good Shepherd has a long standing relationship with Cristosal, a human rights organization founded in 2000 by two Episcopal bishops in New York and El Salvador, to address democratic and civil rights concerns following the civil war. It has evolved to become the largest human rights organization in the country and is respected worldwide. We have participated in courses through Cristosal's Global School three times, including one that was created in collaboration with the El Ocotillo community. Our longtime friend Jeanne Rikkers, the past director of the Global School, and Noah Bullock, the Executive Director, have visited Good Shepherd many times, most recently in November 2024.

On July 18th we received a letter from Cristosal that begins with this statement:

After 25 years in El Salvador, Cristosal has been forced to suspend operations in El Salvador in response to escalating attacks on human rights defenders, the authoritarian Foreign Agents Law, and the collapse of judicial independence. Our work now continues from our Guatemala and Honduras offices.You can read The New York Times' reporting on this here and in many other news outlets.

On July 23 Noah (who is now in Guatemala with the remaining staff) and Ricardo González, an expert on the effects of exile, participated in a conversation on Field Notes about the larger issue of exile as a form of political violence that has a domino effect far beyond the displaced individuals. You can access this profoundly interesting interview here.

Cristosal is raising funds to cover the expenses of its displaced staff. If you would like to donate to this worthwhile cause, please send a check to COGS with "Cristosal" in the memo line. We will forward any donations to them with a letter of solidarity.

Please keep all of the Cristosal staff in your prayers as they navigate this traumatic experience.