Skip to main content

Jim Fitz's 2007 Peace Plans

Image
By
Greetings friends!

Here are my plans for 2007 combined with a report on 2006.

I gave 34 presentations this past year, sharing with about 1355 persons about CPT peacemaking. I see this as planting seeds which help people to consider nonviolent ways of resolving conflicts from the personal to the international level.

To start off, here are some photos that catch some of the highlights of my peacemaking.


Here I am planting peace seeds by sharing photos and stories about CPT with this army sergeant in the Opon.
He asked several times, "Do you think a person could be forgiven if they killed someone?"
He added, "It sure doesn't make any sense the way we Colombians are killing each other."
Even soldiers are seeking the way to peace.



This was part of a couple of days where persons who had lost family members
in a massacre broke their years of the silence.
This is an important element in forging a lasting peace for Colombia that is based on reconciliation and justice.
The interviewers, Santiago and Francisco, in the center of the photo remarked,
"Your presence as CPTers helped people feel safe to share more openly and provided protection for us and them.
Thank you so much."

I would like to ask you to read this letter prayerfully and consider whether you might join me in this peacemaking by giving me some financial support.

My mission statement is still challenging and relevant to me: To do peacemaking lovingly, humbly, calmly, joyfully and prayerfully, so that it supports and fosters reconciliation, friendship, understanding and compassion between people locally and internationally.

Making a Difference for Peace in 2006

  • I gave 34 slide presentations in 2006 and had many significant conversations. I often challenged my audience by saying, "We all have a role to play in peacemaking, and the sooner we get to doing our part the sooner peace will come to this world." As one CPTer said to me, "Ninety percent of the importance of our time here in Colombia is how much we share with others about it up north."

  • I managed CPT booths at the Cornerstone Music Festival and our county fair. At C-stone CPTer Cliff Kindy gave six seminars about Christian Peacemaker Teams work in Iraq. Eight other people helped with the booth, enabling us to have more personal conversation time with the many interested people.

  • I went to Colombia in September for 2 and 1/2 months to be part of the CPT team protecting some eighty Colombian families from the threats of the paramilitaries and the guerrillas. One of the more significant parts of that time was sharing with the Mennonite Brethren in Colombia as they struggle to integrate peacemaking into their lives as Christians. The Colombian church has an important part to play in bringing a justice and peace that has integrity there.

  • I wrote 19 letters so that you can be an informed prayer partner and advocate for peace. Over 1400 people receive these letters. My letters and photos are on this web site
    www.jimspeacemaking.org

  • I participated in our local Peace Vigil, sharing each week with passengers in the cars that drive by our messages like "Remember suffering US troops and families," "Who would Jesus bomb?" and "But I say . . . love your enemies.--Jesus". It has also been a place for us to interact personally with people who agree and disagree with us.

  • Almost every day I spend over an hour praying for others, myself, world justice and peace. Not that I am so great at praying, but we do have the Greatest Listener when we pray. Praying helps me keep on track, for I inevitably get off track. Many of you are on my prayer list.

  • I will do peacemaking in 2007 in similar ways as in 2006. Let's keep it going!


Pastoral Oversight

I will continue to review my peacemaking activities, go over plans, and budget spending with my pastor and friend, Rich Foss, and with others as needed. I will plan to report regularly to supporters during the year.

I always welcome your suggestions, questions, or encouragement.


Your Invitation to Invest in this Peacemaking Ministry

I am passionate about peace. Will you join me in making peacemaking a priority in today's world?

If so, please send your checks to Jim's Peacemaking and mail to

723 Seward St
Evanston, IL 60202

Or you can donate quickly online with this link:

Give for Peace

All contributions are tax deductible.

Thank you for caring and for your support. I wouldn't be nearly as effective without you.

I want to say a special thank you to each of you who prayed, shared your money, encouraging thoughts, edited, helped with bookkeeping, or assisted me with computer help at home. Also, I give a big thank you to those who set up places for me to share with schools, churches, and groups.

If you know some group that might be interested in a slide talk, let me know and I will try to work you into my trips.

Here is my budget, in which I've tried to keep in mind my commitment to live simply despite rising prices. I am grateful to have giving keep up with increased expenses.

Sincerely,

Jim

PS. Please consider acting on your concern for peace by investing generously in this peacemaking today.

To maintain one soldier for war, our taxes pay $150,000 a year.
I will be a soldier for peace for $22,900 a year.

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

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 empe...
Post a Comment
Read more

Fear and the Corona Virus

By
Dear Friends,                                        Fear and the Corona Virus In some self-reflection I have come to see that I have been unconsciously enveloped in a fear over the coronavirus pandemic. I feel paralyzed and hopeless. I noticed I feel I just have to turn the radio on to keep up on what is happening. Each time I hear more figures on how it is getting worse everywhere in the world, it fills my mind, the focus of much of what I think about. When I came to see this was happening, I noticed I wanted to just turn on the radio, and it was and is hard to turn it off. Just about everything on the radio was related to the virus. In reflecting I realized this subconscious fear permeated me. This fear was not healthy. It was creating anxiousness and anxiety, and anything but peace and contentment. This fear was what I needed to get rid of. From a Dr. Bruce Lipton...
Post a Comment
Read more

un acontecimiento esperanzador

By
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. "Necesita...
Post a Comment
Read more