Skip to main content

A Moment of Peace in Colombia

A Moment of Peace in Colombia May 5, 2011

Friends,

Yesterday I did a presentation at the "Moment for Peace" at the Mennonite Church, which is an outreach to persons who have had to leave their homes because of threats or deaths of family members by paramilitaries, Colombian army, or the guerrillas.

Three that I talked to have had to leave their families behind; all had children. Another had all her family killed. She wanted me to help her get to the USA, which I was unable to do. It is almost impossible for this to happen, on account of US government policy.

So I ask you to be like Moses, who for 10 times - even though he felt inadequate because he stuttered and thought Pharaoh would not listen - was told by God to go talk to Pharaoh anyway. Remember 600,000 heads of households with their families were freed from slavery as a result.

Take a minute every week and go to fcnl.org and with one click tell all your government representatives to stop giving a million dollars a day in military aid to Colombia, which is about the same as putting wood on the fire of war here.

Also tell your senators, congressperson and the president to push for cancellation of the Free Trade agreement which only helps big business and forces people in many ways to work for very low wages for these businesses. They are deciding about this right now.

I had good travel, especially the time with the 5 people I got to know and shared with. They all expressed thanks and support for my work. It was also good practice, since I had not made a presentation for a while.

Pray for :

Colombian President Santos and President Obama and their advisers: that they would seek the way to bring justice and peace, for God to show this to them, that they would be open to it, and put it into practice.

My patience and quick learning of a cell phone and the computer differences here. It has been trying, though it is getting better little by little, thanks to friends here.

That I would learn how to put these messages on facebook and twitter, so as to share them more widely.

Thanks and peace,

Jim

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

An Incredible Prime Minister

           An Incredible Prime Minister     Dear Friends, a hopeful happening,                  Two years ago, Ethiopia was a basket case. The government seemed to be losing control The majority Oromo people were restive under a rule that seemed to rob them of their place. The traditionally powerful Amhara rioted. A state of emergency brought silence on the surface, but underneath the nation seethed. Civil war threatened. A foreigner was killed. Tourism waned. Finally, the prime minister resigned. The church prayed earnestly. Then, unexpectedly, eight months ago, the relatively unknown Abiy Ahmad was elected prime minister. What followed was equally unanticipated. In a bold, courageous acceptance speech; Ahmad announced a policy of peace, love and unity for the nation and its relationships with the rest of the world. He made sweeping promises and, to the surprise of a world cynical of political promises, kept them. “We need friction but not hatred, argument but not insult,”

"The Repairman's Mother In-law"

Dear Friends, "My mother in-law Nellie read that Peace Pilgrim booklet you gave me. She was very moved by it, and she would like to read more by Peace Pilgrim. Do you have any thing else? And she would like to talk to you too," our repairman excitedly said to me. I responded, "I don't have any thing else by Peace Pilgrim, but you can give her this book Restorative Justice by Howard Zehr." Later I got to talk to Nellie. Nellie then shared, "Oh yes, that was really inspiring. We have to build peace person by person and house by house by the way that we relate to and treat each other. What Peace Pilgrim has to say is very important. And I really like the book Restorative Justice that I am now reading. I especially like to read stuff like that." I responded, "When you get that one finished, I can loan you another book!" The political saga continues in Barranca. A prominent Catholic priest, Padre Francisco, a close consultant to the Mayor, who is

un acontecimiento esperanzador

amigos,  un acontecimiento esperanzador  este es un acontecimiento esperanzador! Hace dos años, Etiopía era un caso estancado. El gobierno parecía estar perdiendo el control. La mayoría de las personas Oromo estaban inquietas bajo una regla que parecía robarles su lugar. La tradicionalmente poderosa Amhara se amotinó. Un estado de emergencia trajo silencio en la superficie, pero debajo de la nación se arremolinaba. Una Guerra civil amenazaba. Un extranjero fue asesinado. El turismo disminuyó. Finalmente, el primer ministro renunció. La iglesia oró fervientemente. Luego, inesperadamente, hace ocho meses, el relativamente desconocido Abiy Ahmad fue elegido primer ministro. Lo que siguió fue igualmente imprevisto. En un audaz y valiente discurso de aceptación; Ahmad anunció una política de paz, amor y unidad para la nación y sus relaciones con el resto del mundo. Hizo grandes promesas y para sorpresa en un mundo cínico de promesas políticas, las cumplió. "Necesitamos