Skip to main content
By
Pray for Visas
Hello,
As most of you know I hope to go to Colombia with Christian Peacemaker Teams [CPT] for all but three months starting Sept.30. This will provide protection for about 80 farm families from the Paramilitaries, Guerrillas, and Colombian Army and Navy. All these armed groups are fighting each other for control of the people, land, oil, and
coca where the farmers live. And so the armed groups are constantly suspicious that the farmers are helping their opponents. And we are able to prevent the killings and threats from the armed groups on the farmers
from happening with our presence there and with the important help of your prayers.

As you might remember a year ago the Colombian government started making it hard for us to get visas and started deporting CPTers. So last fall CPT put on a campaign to pray for and pressure the Colombian government and US government Representatives and Senators to change this, so that we could again more easily be in Colombia. As a result of that pressure CPT got a meeting with the three top officials in the Colombian government who make decisions on visas. I suspect the Colombian government has always suspected us of siding with the guerrillas, and this is why they were
giving us trouble. Well, this gave us a chance to explain to the top officials that we really are neutral and the importance of our presence for peace in the region.

So there on the spot they granted CPT a visa and have granted two more since then. This all reinforces for me the importance of praying for and letting our government officials know how we feel. Once they understand what we are really about they will support us. I think they really do want peace too.

Erin Kindy, a friend from our church, and I are both seeking visas. CPT made the mistake of using a tourist visa the last time we were there. So when Erin applied twice more for a visa more than six months ago she was denied, because they said that wasn't the right visa for peacemakers. So we fear that they might think of denying us visas.because of this
history. We are asking you to pray for us to receive visas.

Tomorrow 8/27 we are going to visit our Senators Fitzgerald and Durbin's offices and Thurs. 8/28 Representative Weller's office about our visas. We hope to apply for our visas about 9/4/03

I hope this finds you well,
Jim Fitz

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

An Incredible Prime Minister

By
           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,”
Post a Comment
Read more

"The Repairman's Mother In-law"

By
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
Post a Comment
Read more

informe de salud

By
  Queridos amigos, Les escribo para informarles que hace unas semanas me diagnosticaron Parkinson vascular. Tenía problemas para mantener el equilibrio y caminar. Vi a un neurólogo y me hicieron una resonancia magnética de mi cerebro, y a partir de eso y de mi historial, me diagnosticaron Parkinson vascular. Me siento muy bien con mi doctora. Mi Parkinson Vascular es causado por mini accidentes cerebrovasculares que bloquean la sangre en la parte del cerebro que controla la marcha. El Parkinson vascular afecta principalmente a la parte inferior del cuerpo, y por lo tanto, afecta la marcha y el equilibrio y regularmente no suele provocar temblores. Es diferente del Parkinson clásico que es causado por la falta de dopamina. El tratamiento principal para el Parkinson vascular es tratar de detener los accidentes cerebrovasculares manteniendo bajo control factores como la presión arterial y el colesterol; esto puede evitar que la enfermedad progrese. Por lo tanto, no necesariamente empeorar
Post a Comment
Read more