Current
Ministry Position:
Co-Director with my spouse, Trena Yonkers-Talz (IREPM MEd, 1996) of Casa
de la Solidaridad, a ministry of Santa Clara University in San Salvador,
El Salvador. The Casa is an academic initiative between the Association
of Jesuit Colleges and Universities, the University of Central America in El
Salvador and Santa Clara University. The mission of the Casa is the
promotion of justice and solidarity through the creation of a meaningful academic
experience where you can integrate rigorous academic study with direct immersion
in El Salvador.
What draws you to this work?
I feel my work really is my vocation at this point. I am able to direct a program
which serves as a bridge between people and institutions in the U.S. and the
people of El Salvador. My work brings me into direct daily contact with the
people of El Salvador, many of whom have unjustly suffered and continue to suffer
today. Contact with their realities keeps me rooted in what is real. It also
helps me be a better Christian. My work encompasses two passions: working directly
with the poor and accompanying U.S. college students as they encounter the realities
of people living in poverty.
What are the challenges of your ministry?
We just had our third daughter, Hannah Clare. Although my folks are supportive
of our work, they would like us to live closer so they could visit more frequently.
That is one of the challenges of our work. Another challenge is the extent of
the poverty here. There are far too many people here who do not have access
to the resources they need to survive. This is a constant challenge.
What in your ministry gives you hope?
I get the most hope from the Salvadoran Scholarship students we work with. They
come from marginal Salvadoran communities and have a scholarship to study at
the UCA. These young men and women are committed to working for a better world
for their families and their communities. Their commitments, which spring from
their faith, fills me with hope.
How did IREPM contribute to your skills and capacity to minister?
IREPM was a watershed experience in my life. It enabled me to deeply reflect
upon my faith in conversation with other perspectives from around the world.
I remember sitting in Christology class with students from Africa and Asia thinking
to myself, ‘this is what education is all about!’. There were so
many perspectives in the discussion. Tom Groome’s classes really made
me reflect on my role as an educator. Having to write our pedagogical creed
was one of the best academic assignments I have ever had. It really encouraged
me to reflect on my assumptions as an educator. To this day, I feel immensely
grateful to the IREPM community.
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