Jim's Peacemaking

Dear Friends: The Koran and the Bible 8/12/18 Recently, I went to Aldi's to grocery shop, at the entrance there was a security guard. I had never noticed a security guard in an Aldi’s before. So I curiously ask him about it. He said “I am here to catch shoplifters. I have caught 5 or 6.” Unexpectedly he added, “People don’t read the Koran or the Bible these days. These books both tell us stealing and killing (as he swiped his finger across his throat) is wrong. These things do not bring peace or contentment only sadness, anger and hate. I noticed he had an obvious accent so I asked, “Where are you from?” Surprising me he said, “I’m from Nigeria.” I replied, “I am from the Church of the Brethren and the 200 girls that were kidnapped there were from the Nigerian Church of the Brethren. I met one of the girls who was kidnapped who had escaped. I visited with her in the home of some Brethren friends in North Manchester, Indiana.” He replied, “Where I liv…

Dear friends, Apartment Peacemaking I live in an apartment and above me live a couple with a girl about six. Often over the last weeks the girl has ridden her scooter back and forth for over an hour at time. Can you imagine the racket? Knowing how little ones can be, I mostly just lived with it. Except when I was trying to get to sleep, so one evening I knocked on their door patiently several times and talked to the mother. Then one time after doing this several times, she said, “You don’t have to come up each time, here’s my phone number. Just call me if we get too loud.” Each time the noise would stop. Then recently the other day the couple were hollering and obviously fighting. So I went up and knocked intermittingly several minutes. I wondered whether I would be able to understand them when they are so angry. They have bit of an accent. I was anxious and fearful not knowing what might happen. Finally the fellow opened the door. I said “are …

Dear Friends, Separations I attended a rally in Chicago where 60,000 gathered calling for keeping families together. I think of what if my Andy and Emily were forced to be separated from their children of 3years, 1 year, and 11 months old. Is there any law that would be right for that to happen? Dear Friends, Separations I attended a rally in Chicago where 60,000 gathered calling for keeping families together. I think of what if my Andy and Emily were forced to be separated from their children of 3years, 1 year, and 11 months old. Is there any law that would be right for that to happen? Can a believer justify family separation in light of the Bible? Leviticus 19:33-34 and 24:22 – “When the alien resides with you in your land, you shall not oppress the alien. The alien who resides with you shall be to you as the citizen among you; you shall love the alien as yourself, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.”…

Queridos amigos,                                             Separaciones
Asistí a un mitin en Chicago donde 6,000 se reunieron para mantener a las familias unidas.
Pienso qué pasaría si mi Andy y Emily se vieran obligados a separarse de sus hijos 3 años, 1 año y 11 meses. ¿Hay alguna ley que sea adecuada para que eso suceda?



¿Puede un creyente justificar la separación familiar a la luz de la Biblia?
 Levítico 19: 33-34 y 24:22 - Cuando el extranjero reside contigo en tu tierra, no debes oprimir al extranjero. El extranjero que reside con usted será para usted como ciudadano entre usted; Amarás al extranjero como a ti mismo, porque extranjeros fuiste en la tierra de Egipto. Yo soy el Señor tu Dios ".
Deuteronomio 24: 17-18 - "No debes privar a un extranjero residente ... de justicia".
O el llamado de Jesús a "amar a todos"

En el mitin tuve una conversación de 20 minutos en español con una familia donde los padres eran indocumentados y sus hijos 1 y 14 fueron d…

Dear friends “Healing Our Divided Country” First I rejoice at the North and South Korea peace agreement. I suggest you go to the link democracy now.org for a very good interview of an American coronel who resigned in protest against the afghan war, and even though she opposes most of trumps doings she gives surprising hopeful insights about the accords. “I have a friend who recently told me he thinks we should deport all undocumented persons. And we should just do away with those who disagree. We are quite good friends we play soft ball together. How do I begin to talk to him?” shared a student at George Fox University in Oregon. The professor suggested, “Well you have some common ground in softball. Maybe that would be a good place to start.” The prof added, “Just about every student enter the conversations that was great.” This was from one of the 10 times I shared in Oregon. Here is our Emily with her family that I shared about in the last letter. I am glad to report that donation for …

Hello friends,3/23/18The Colombian Election Sad to hear the guerilla political party the FARC got very few votes after signing the peace accords and surrendering their guns that ended a lot of the violence. They do get 5 seats in each of the two houses of congress. They lost due mainly to wealthy and politically powerful former president Uribe’s push against the agreement by his convincing Colombians that the accords were too lenient on the FARC. One consolation to me is to remember in El Salvador when they signed the peace accords (1992) it has taken 26 years till now to have a government that cares for the poor. The present El Salvadoran president was a commander of the guerillas FLMN.Pray with me something similar can happen in Colombia soon. I just spent four days with our new granddaughter Izzy, her mother Emily and family just north of Portland in Washington. It was very special to hold and feed Izzy.She is beginning to respond and smile lots. She is just learning to roll over and…