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Planting Seeds of Hope

Dear friend
 Planting Seeds of Hope                                               Sat, May 19, 2012

 "You brought us to see a peace work that we were completely unaware of going on in our Colombia, thank you so much for coming to help to give your life from USA to work for peace in our country. Your sharing gives us hope for peace." remarked Pastor Oswaldo. I shared in the 1st Baptist church of Bucaramango sunday school, they had many good questions. Pastor Oswaldo and others said afterwards "We will be praying for peace and justice." I also shared in a school in a poor neigberhood where his wife, Graciela teaches. Several of the sudents had to leave were their homes because of threats of the armed groups in their communties. There I gave 6 presetations back to back with just a small break in between. It was the 1st time to do so many sharings so close together. I was wore out afterwards.

 While there my friends I stayed with back in Barranca called to thank me for sharing and check how my knee I was doing. ( which is slowly getting better). There Roberto, whom we prayed for in his quest for election to the city council last year, is now working very hard to bring reform and resist the pressure of doing things the corrupt ways of the past.

 Than on my trip to Cali I met a fellow who comes from a poor farm family. He now farms over a 1000 acres of rice. I was inspired by his vision and practice of providing good work for poor farmers from his background. He makes it a practice of working right along side of them so he knows 1st hand the job he is asking them to do. This was something we connected on as I tried to do the same when I was farming. He regularly contributes to agencies which helped him get to where he is now.

 shalom, Jim

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