Jim's Peacemaking

Traveling  to  Georgia Hello Friends,        I will be spending a week at Jubilee Partners, a rural community that is dedicated to helping refugees learn how to adjust to our culture. I will be responding to their many invitations over the years to visit them and will be giving four presentations while in  Georgia . Pray we may come to realize anew how God is using people to bring justice and peace in this world of violence from the sharings. I will also visit two nephews, one of which I haven’t seen for 30 or 40 years. That will be a special reunion. Since Lyn’s request for our separation one and a half years ago I have been part of the 11 member household called “The Clearing” at Reba Place Mennonite Fellowship. It has been a wonderful haven for me during this very painful time. It has made me feel this is what the church should be about – supporting each other in such times of deep pain. I am very grateful to feel safe and s...

An Amicable Marriage Separation as an Answer to Prayer December 10, 2013  Hello, Friends As many of you know from past letters Lyn, my wife of 34 years, had asked for a divorce in the fall of 2012. This is an update on its legal finalization and some unusually positive aspects of dividing assets. Lyn suggested, “I would like to make as part of the written agreement that we aspire to keep in touch with each other’s needs. And if one of us becomes in need we seek to help the other.” “Could we name each other as beneficiaries of our assets?” I wrote Lyn . She responded, “Ok, that is something I am willing to do.” We have a promissory note for $16,000 in which the person is wavering on paying it back. “I will take responsibility for that,” Lyn volunteered in our meeting with our lawyer mediator. One of my major preoccupations has been that if by chance Lyn would pass on I would have little monthly income since I do not have a pension. I learned and told Lyn...

Una separación de la unión amistosa como Respuesta a la Oración 10 de diciembre 2013  Hola, Amigos Como muchos de ustedes saben de las cartas anteriores Lyn, mi esposa de 34 años , había pedido el divorcio en el otoño de 2012 . Se trata de una actualización de su formalización jurídica y algunos aspectos excepcionalmente positivos de los activos que se dividen. Lyn sugirió: " Me gustaría hacer como parte del acuerdo por escrito que aspiramos a mantenernos en contacto con las necesidades del otro. Y si uno de nosotros se convierte en la necesidad de que tratamos de ayudar a la otra.” “¿Podríamos nombrar unos a otros como beneficiarios de nuestros activos? " Escribí Lyn. Ella respondió: " Bueno, eso es algo que estoy dispuesto a hacer. " Tenemos un pagaré por $ 16.000 en la que la persona se tambalea en pagar por ti. "Voy a asumir la responsabilidad por ello", Lyn se ofreció en nuestro encuentro con nuestro mediador abogado. Una ...

Hello Friends,                  Your Prayers and My Mission  September 3, 2013   What do you do?”  “I work for the chiropractor who has this booth.”  “ You’re a chiropracter?”   “No, I am his helper.  Would like to sign up for a free adjustment?” “No, I don’t live here.  I work at peacemaking, working to end war. I have a booth here. I give out a pamphlet that tells how you can help do that by writing to President Obama, and your senator and your representatives with one click . Would you like one? Sure! Come visit me around the corner. What do you do when you are not here?” “I am mom, I have 3 kids.”  “Being a good parent to children  is important peace work, too, to create a future society of peace.” Thus went one of many conversations . Here I’m  sharing about peace with several women at my booth.  I gave out over 500 pamphlets in the five days I was there. ...

Estimado amigo,                                     Separación  y  Divorcio , Ayuda!                        02/02/13   No está seguro de cómo empezar esto, así que aquí va. En junio mi esposa Lyn pidió una separación . Y luego, en octubre ella pidió el  divorcio . Esta  separación  ha tomado una parte importante de mi atención y energía desde entonces. Es por eso que no he recibido ninguna carta para un largo tiempo. Este ha sido un momento muy doloroso para mí. Ha habido muchas noches de insomnio y sentimientos de desesperación dando vueltas en mí.   En las próximas semanas o un año esperamos trabajar en decidir cómo dividir nuestras cosas y el dinero. Me temo que podría conseguir lleno de tensión. Por eso quiero pedirte que estar orando por nosotros para que podamos mantener nuestra relación...

Hello Friend,          Separation to Divorce, help!           2/2/13 Not sure how to start this, so here goes. In June my wife Lyn ask for a separation. And then in October she asked for a divorce. This separation has taken a major part of my attention and energy since then. This is why you have not received any letters for a long time. This has been a very painful time for me. There have been many sleepless nights and feelings of despair rolling around in me. In the next weeks or year we hope to work on deciding how to divide up our things and money. I fear it could get full of tension. So I want to ask you to be praying for us that we can keep our relating amicable for the good of us and all our family for the future. Also pray especially for me that I could keep from falling into a defensive attitude which would undermine that. One hopeful thing is that Lyn and I both want...

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 t...