Time Out of Time
by Ann Rhomberg, Executive Director
There are moments in life when stepping outside of our familiar rhythms offers more than just a change of scenery—it opens our hearts and minds in transformative ways. Entering a different cultural context is not only mind-expanding; it is heart-expanding. This was certainly true for me during a recent trip to Bolivia. I traveled with Solidarity Bridge founder and former Executive Director, Juan Lorenzo Hinojosa, and his wife, Sarah Hinojosa, who led our Mission Identity efforts throughout our founding years.
Our primary motivation for the journey was to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Puente de Solidaridad (PdS) a remarkable milestone for this organization rooted in compassion, service, and mutual support. Over the past two decades, PdS has built vital partnerships and strengthened local communities while giving witness to Gospel values and the power of solidarity. In addition to attending their gala celebrations in Santa Cruz and Cochabamba, we had meaningful meetings with their board of directors, committed staff and various medical partners. These gatherings were not simply logistical; they were deeply relational. They reflected the values that PdS has always stood for: mutual respect, collaboration, and a shared commitment to justice and healing.
One of the most profound moments for me personally came during a quiet hour of reflection with the PdS staff, centered on one of our foundational spiritual texts, Living Up to Our Name. The author, Sarah Hinojosa, guided us into a contemplative space, inviting each of us to reflect on our own lived experiences of “solidarity.” Her words challenged and inspired us, bringing new depth to a word we often use but rarely sit with in silence.
Sarah reminded us of a powerful theological truth—that at the heart of Christian spirituality lies the mystery of the Trinity. She noted that the Trinity is perhaps the most important expression of God’s solidarity with humankind: a God not distant or removed, but relational, self-giving, and fully immersed in our human condition. In the Trinity, we see divine solidarity not as a concept, but as a lived reality—a model for how we are called to be with and for one another.
I pondered this deeply throughout the days that followed, when I made a solo journey to the Chiquitania region of Bolivia—a place renowned for its historic Jesuit Missions and recognized as UNESCO World Heritage sites. These centuries-old communities bear witness to a complex history of faith and resistance, cultural blending and erasure, harmony and tension. And yet, I imagined stories of God's solidarity with humankind while noting my own quiet sense of solidarity—with people very different from me —connected in ways I’m still coming to understand.
My entire trip truly felt like “time out of time”—an expression I first heard in 2007 from Juan Lorenzo during my first medical mission trip with Solidarity Bridge. A sacred pause that re-centered me on what matters most. That solidarity is not just a strategy for change; it is a way of being. A bridge not just between people, but between heaven and earth.