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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

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