By Jessica Davis, JTNews Correspondent
While driving along the freeway in rural Outlook, Wash., a Star of David displayed on the outside of an adobe building caught Geri Gustin’s eye.
Gustin, who is Jewish, was interested in finding out more about the building. Unaware of any synagogues in that part of Eastern Washington, the building peaked her curiosity. Last July, she decided to investigate.
The building, located practically in the middle of a cornfield and next to a dairy farm, turned out to be a Hispanic Pentecostal church called Tabernaculo de David. The congregants are mostly field and warehouse workers from Mexico. Services are conducted in Spanish.
“I have found it personally interesting that several of the women from this community, not only this one church, but several in the Mid-Valley area, wear the Star of David pendant,” said Gustin. “And many of them have Hebrew names, though you could say that they are biblical, too. Among them, are Israel, Ari, Arizmandro, Rafael, Gabriel, Rut, forms of Naomi, and many other names like this.”
One of the congregants told Gustin that Jews had settled in Monterrey, Mexico about 400 years ago. Many converted to Catholicism, and were called Conversos. She believes it possible that these congregants could be descendants of the Conversos.
“It is clear to me that this group of people loves the Star of David, Israel and the Jewish people as a people, and they pray for Israel daily,” said Gustin. “They are especially warm and accepting of any Jewish person who steps through the door. My thought is that they may be reaching out to touch their history, whether conscious of this or not.”
At the church, Gustin met Rev. Santos Guerrero and his wife, the Rev. Juanita Guerrero. The Guerreros, who built the church in 1989 and added on to it in 1998, had wanted murals depicting scenes from the Bible painted on the walls. They mentioned their dream to Gustin, who felt an overwhelming desire to offer her hands and talent to the project.
“I started the project last October, not having done any painting, let alone mural painting for many years,” said Gustin, who lives in Benton City, 35 miles from the church. “This is one of the strangest things that has happened to me in my life. Sometimes I feel as if I had stepped through a time warp into Old Mexico.”
An art major in college, Gustin is happy to be exploring her creative side. Gustin worked in a prison medical unit for 10 years and currently works in corrections with juveniles.
“I’ve filled my life with color…lots of color,” said Gustin.
The goal of the Guerreros is for their church to look like the First Temple and remind the visitor of Israel, she said. The mural depicts events from the Old Testament and New Testament. It unfolds from the Star of David, which is the centerpiece, to the walls of the church.
“The colors are very bright, very intense,” said Gustin.
As a resource, she has been using Rabbi Chaim Richman’s book The Holy Temple. Gustin purchased the book from the Temple Institute when she visited Israel with her husband in 1998.
She has spent more than 600 hours painting the mural and expects to spend at least 200–500 more finishing the project. Juanita Guerrero feeds the volunteers, including Gustin, who donate their time to help with the painting. Gustin has also brought freshly baked challah to the volunteers, earning her the nickname, “the woman of the bread.”
“I think a friendship and a bond has formed,” Gustin said.
In addition, the congregants teach her Spanish and she teaches them Hebrew. Gustin said this project has taught her much about the pastors’ Mexican culture. She travels with them, spends time in their home and has enjoyed getting to know them, as well as the Hispanic community in general.
“Not all of the people there can really appreciate the subject matter of the murals, but others love it,” said Gustin, adding that the Guerreros are very proud that their church is unique. “The style is a combination of European fresco and Mexican folk art, because we have painted together, melding ideas and styles.”
Last March, the church was robbed of $22,000 worth of musical instruments, amplifiers, microphones and sound equipment. This was the second time a the church had been burglarized in six years. While the Guerreros work to replace the equipment, the mural continues, offering hope to church members and renewing their faith.
“A burglary is a major interruption,” said Gustin. “In these last few months we’ve been through a lot.”
As of now, the mural is about two-thirds of the way to completion. Gustin hopes the mural will attract new visitors to the small, struggling church. About 65 people currently belong to the congregation.
“I believe in time that this will become an historic landmark,” said Gustin.
“Of course,” she added, “time will tell.”
This is not Gustin’s last contribution to the church. The next project Gustin plans to volunteer for is landscaping the churchyard with a fountain and a gazebo and plants like cacti, grasses and honeysuckle bushes to eventually cover one length of the surrounding chain-link fence. Gustin has been requesting plant donations from local nurseries to help with the church’s landscaping. At the moment, the yard has asphalt, rocks and a little bit of grass.
“We want to make the yard look like Old Mexico so that the people can come and enjoy the more familiar environment,” Gustin said.