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5/18/09 Seed Sowing on my PA Trip
Hello
Friends,
“I want to let you know, I am going to be praying for you,” a young
man quietly told me after my slide presentation in his middle
school in West Virginia.
At each of my school presentations I say, “If you have interest
in reading any of these books that have impacted my
peacemaking, let me know and I will give them to your
library.” Interestingly, the middle school students always
mention a few books on my list.
The most requested book, both in Philadelphia and in West Virginia, was
Real
Sex by Lauren Winner. A most honest and healthy look at sex.
It brings to light the violence that is happening regarding sex that we
never talk about or deal with. I wish I had read this book when I was a
teen.
In Philadelphia In one class I had 90 minutes and only 4 hours’ sleep
beforehand, and I was wearing out, when the students brought up
questions about what Quakers believe. Fortunately my Nephew Dave Fitz
who is a Quaker and who is much more articulate than I am was along. It
resulted in some very deep sharing about faith. Dave seemed a Godsend
similar to the Bible account of Aaron the man skilled with words,
In Indianapolis, I shared slides in Sunday School. Afterwards the
pastor insisted I share during worship because he sensed I had more
important things to share than he had prepared in his sermon.
The trip was a special time to connect with my family after 4 years; I
had many very special conversations with family and other friends. Two
that stand out were sharing our present faith journey, and about a new
marriage counseling program in my home church.
Each of my 27 slide presentations went really well in this trip to PA
and back. 14 were in schools. A special thanks to each of
you who helped set them up.
Pray for:
1. Pray and lobby the Obama administration to chose to seek
diplomacy (the way of Jesus) and not expend more troops (the way of the
devil) to solve international conflicts.
2.Pray that the seeds sown on this trip will sprout, grow and flourish.
Peace to you, Jim
Hello Friend,
Last night the Advisory Board for Jim’s Peacemaking established Reba Place Fellowship Ministries as the 501c3 charitable organization to receive contributions for Jim’s Peacemaking. The Advisory Board consists of Rich Foss, Ron Frantz, Tim Doran, Ron Johnson, Heather Clark and myself. I was very encouraged to hear each sharing their personal calling to peace and justice work when I asked why they joined this board. I feel very privileged to have each of them supporting and guiding this work.
If you would like to support my peacemaking, make checks out to:
RPF Ministries NFP and write Jim’s Peacemaking in the memo line.
Send to: RPF
Ministries NFP
723 Seward
Evanston, IL. 60202
Peace,
Jim
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Answered
Prayers
3/24/09
Dear friends,
I asked for you to pray in the last letter and to say it simply, God
answered far beyond our expectations.
1. In El Salvador, a moderate leftist candidate was elected, 51% to
48%. And a good friend in Colombia who was watching the election wrote,
“I think this new president has real potential to be a government that
is really for the people.”
2. When I went to give the five presentations to the Proviso West High
School, the teacher was so fearful he would lose his job if my
presentation even hinted anything about religion that I was ready to
say, “Oh, let's just forget it.” But when we went to check with
the principal, she assured us there would be no problem and said “This
kind of presentation is an important part of giving the kids a good
education.”
In asking the students what they thought of CPT afterwards, they were
90% very positive. One senior is seriously considering CPT as part of
her future.
3. I got an email from the Presbyterian director that contained the
following: “I have the sense that your gifts and interest
may work with our Presbyterian program. Your deep sense of commitment
and desire to reach out to share the story are gifts which we very much
need and value. … My personal sense is that your heart is clearly in
the right place, and I think the dynamics of our program may prove a
better fit for you.” With them I would be a part of accompanying
Colombian Presbyterian church people who are being threatened by the
armed groups. The final decision about joining the Presbyterians would
happen after I do their training in September.
4. About my crisis I felt myself in such a hole I thought it
would be weeks if not months till I saw light . So what has happen
feels miraculous. My big part in this life crisis was precipitated by a
long pattern of being a coward and letting my fear of conflict keep me
from saying in a gentle way what I really felt when I felt hurt
or disagreed with someone. My counselor is helping me face this and
begin a new pattern in how I relate to others. My depression seems
directly related to this pattern of stuffing things. As a result, I
have noticed I am freer in relating to others and therefore
happier. Pray with me that I have the courage to keep on this
good track.
5. In Springfield we found out that in 57% of the crimes in Chicago the
weapons could be traced back to less than 1% of the gun dealers who
were not doing background checks. And House Bill 48, for which we
lobbied, would close that loophole. We heard from people who lost
loved ones because of this loophole, the writer of the bill, and the
priest who is heading up the campaign.
Here we are lobbying in Springfield. On my left is a church
pastor I got to know who has a novel Apostle Paul tent making business
of providing basic services like running errands, escorting clients to
appointments, doing laundry, etc. to seniors and the disabled. Thus he
serves others and provides income for his church work.
One added bonus was meeting a friend I had not seen for years. And then
she introduced me to a school principal of one of the roughest schools
in Chicago with the hope of me getting to share CPT presentations
in that school as way of planting seeds of peaceful ways of resolving
conflicts there.
Prayer Request
I am planning a trip to Pennsylvania from about April 13-24.
Pray I can get some good places to share to plant more seeds.
Smile, it pays to pray!
Jim
Here is a small group from our church. I am part of it as a
way of testing my call to be part of Reba Place Fellowship common
purse. So far I have observed a lot of very positive things about Reba
Place. This is the Reba Place retreat cabin on a Wisconsin lake a
welcome change from Chicago.
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Hello
friends, 3/15/09
Calling Prayers
I have a prayer list for you.
1. El Salvador is in the midst of an important election today. Pray that God’s will be done. That whatever the out come that people would have dialogue with each other and not resort to the gun to resolve their differences.
2. Tomorrow I plan to give 6 presentations in the Proviso West High School in Chicago. Students are involved in gangs and probably some carry guns when not in school. Pray that we all could be open to what the Lord wants to say to and through each of us to bring his peace, justice, and joy.
3. I have made an application and had an interview to volunteer in the Colombian Presbyterian accompaniment program. I felt very good about the interview and feel their program would fit me very well. The Presbyterians have been waiting 2 weeks to talk to CPT before they can move ahead with my application. Pray CPT would respond soon and if not that I would have patience.
4. I am going through a crisis in my life and will be seeing my counselor on Tuesday at 2:30. Pray I especially could be open to what ever the Lord wants to do.
5. This Wednesday 3/18/09 I am going to spend the day lobbying for Illinois state gun control with CAPS “Chicago Alternative Policeman’s Strategy” a organization under the Chicago Police department. Pray for our efforts to keep guns out of the wrong hands.
Thank you for every word prayed,
Peace to you, Jim
PS. Re CAPS and you are from Illinois
Email Your Representative Today
We urge you to take the time to contact your State Representative today and ask him/her to support requiring background checks for private handgun sales (HB 48).
To email your legislator, click here: http://capwiz.com/icpgv/home/
House Bill 48, sponsored by Rep. Harry Osterman (D-Chicago), would close the “private sale loophole” by requiring the private sale or transfer of any handgun to be conducted at a federally licensed firearm dealer so that a background check can be completed. This is a common sense bill that would help prevent felons, domestic violence offenders, individuals with severe mental illness, and minors from accessing handguns.
For more information about HB 48, click here: http://www.icpgv.org/icpgv_policy1.html
Gun Violence Prevention Lobby Day in Springfield
On Wednesday, March 18th buses of activists will head to Springfield to urge lawmakers to support HB 48.
For
more information about this Lobby Day or to sign up to participate,
visit http://a.saintsabina.org/
or call 773-483-4300.
Dear Friend, 2/23/09
below is letter from a CPT friend, Peace to you today
Reverend Salvador Alcántara –by Stewart Vriesinga
"I thought you were dead! I had orders to kill you! I knew you were a good man –a man of integrity — and I couldn't carry out those orders, but I thought another one of my colleagues would!"Reverend Salvador Alcántara, from Garzal township of Simití municipality in the southern Bolívar province, is a remarkable, exemplary and inspirational man. He is a husband, father, grandfather, pastor of a local church, farmer, president of the Garzal town council, and vice-president of ASPROAS – Association of Alternative Producers of Simití. That he is able to take on all these tasks and do them well has earned him the respect of both the larger community of Simití and his own smaller community of Garzal. His interpretation of his pastoral duties has led him to become involved in his community's struggle to stay on their lands in the face of constant threats of forced mass displacement.
–a demobilized paramilitary
The much-heralded achievements of the Uribe administration –the demobilization of the paramilitaries and the recovery of large tracts of land once controlled by guerrilla groups, have failed to provide residents of Garzal with security. On the contrary: The government has refused to recognize them as the legal owners of the land and instead granted title to these lands to a drug trafficker. Most residents of Garzal have lived there since the early seventies and should have received squatters' rights after only five years of occupation. (See photo essay) The title-holder left when his cocaine laboratory was raided in the late 1980s, and he wasn't heard from until 2003, at which time he returned in the company of paramilitaries. He then presented local residents with an ultimatum: Leave or die. Some families fled, and Salvador as the local representative received both bribes and personal death threats. Years later Salvador ran into a now-demobilized paramilitary, he expressed shock at seeing Salvador alive: "I thought you were dead! I had orders to kill you! I knew you were a good man –a man of integrity—and I couldn't carry out those orders, but I thought another one of my colleagues would!"
It seems that in addition to the respect of his local community and parish, Salvador has also gained the respect of some of his enemies. Salvador attributes his being alive to God's providence.
In December of 2008 Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT) received an accompaniment request because of fears that a large group of armed men gathering nearby had been contracted to carry out the original death threats.
Fortunately the much-feared forced displacement never happened. Maybe it was because the river had flooded its banks, and the armed group decided to wait for things to dry up a bit; or maybe it was because the military had sent planes to fly over the area and the armed groups dispersed; or maybe it was because the guardian angel God sent to protect Salvador prevented it. Or maybe it was a combination of all of the above.
Salvador, I know, sees God's hand in all these things, and has chosen to look for ways in which he can actively collaborate with his God. He never allows his faith in God to become an excuse for doing nothing. May we all learn from his example!
(The May 26th - June
8th, 2009 CPT International Delegation will be visiting Garzal.)
MISSION STATEMENT: Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT) Colombia is a
community made up of trained volunteers from different cultures that
forms part of the international, ecumenical organization, CPT. Our work
is based in, though not limited to, the Middle Magdelena region of
Colombia. We work together on grassroots initiatives to expose and
transform structures of domination and oppression through active
nonviolence in order to make possible a world grounded in respect,
justice and love, even of enemies.
Get involved! CPT
COLOMBIA ACTION & SOLIDARITY NETWORK New!
Website: http://www.cpt.org/work/colombia
Previous releases: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/cptcolombia
Informes en español:
http://espanol.groups.yahoo.com/group/ecapcolombia
Journey
sharing with
others in community 2/16/09
Over our cell group
lunch Sharon Moriarty
Doran shared how her father said, “...many cruel things in the
course of one ten to fifteen minute conversation which left me in
tears. He referred to my daughter and his granddaughter as
a little sh*t, and how much pain it caused her emotionally. He
brushed it off as just being funny remarks. This is the way he has
always been, he will never change.” One of us said, “That
is a lie, to believe he will never change; that keeps us in the same
old rut. You need to let him know how it makes you feel with an “I
statement”. He probably doesn’t realize the pain this is
to you. Your not letting him know is enabling his negative ways to
continue. If you do it, just let him know how it makes you feel,
without accusing him, be gentle.” We then prayed together for
the situation.
That night Sharon wrote an email to her father
trying to do the above. The next morning she received an email back
in which he apologized, He had asked his wife, Sharon’s
mother, what she thought about Sharon’s email. Always before
her mother had tried to ignore the many times such things happened,
but this time she told him, “That wasn’t funny; you need
to apologize to Sharon.” Sharon shared, “He apologized
for all his slights towards me and promised to "do better"
the next time we speak.” Alleluia! Alleluia!
Insanity
is to keep responding the same way over and over while expecting new
results.
Here at Reba and LWCC communal people have been
trying to decide whether to go to a fancy center that would cost
$7000 for a retreat or try to do it at home here for a lot less.
Allen said now we have the money and there is nothing right or wrong
in this decision, so we will not try to seek consensus: if the vote
is 25/ 23 we will just follow the majority. Then there were some
remarks about how 50 years ago we were all under 30 and now
that we have several above 60 some can’t go to the fancy place
because they have to sleep at home, and that we should consider being
inclusive in the vote. Then Allen called for a vote, “who votes
for the fancy place?” And nobody raised their hand. We
all laughed - what great sense of humor the Lord has.
My
friend Rod Orr shared how in a visit to a prison after asking the
prisoners “what was something good that God has done in your
life? And what are your concerns and needs?” About all the
prisoners thought to share was all the good God has done for them,
like getting into the word, their prayer time, their cell mate
initiating turning off their TV so they could pray. One shared how
his cell mate initiated going to the library when he wanted to pray,
another how he came to feel that God’s solution to his problems
was the distance between his knees and the floor so he prayed on his
knees. The only concern mentioned for prayer was when one asked for
prayer for his sister who was pregnant.
In my own life in my
recent separation from CPT Colombia the Lord has done a lot in
helping me and CPT come to a good space with each other. In my last
conversation with Pierre (the designated communicator by CPT), we
spent over 10 minutes in which he applauded my gifts at sharing about
CPT work, especially with people who disagreed with peace and justice
work. “You have more people on your list than CPT Colombia
does,” Pierre remarked.
I thank all those who responded
to my separation from CPT Colombia letter with many caring
encouraging words and your many prayers. Blake from Jubilee and Norma
from Hope called to express their care. Thanks to all I feel a
miracle has happened in the positive space to which CPT and I have
come out in this saga.
I am now planning to have a
conversation with the Presbyterians in which I will share about my
history with CPT and our differences that brought us to separation.
As my counselor recently shared, 69% of differences never result in
agreement, and whether we stay in relationship is determined by
whether we turn in love toward the other with whom we disagree. Too
often we turn away or against them the person we disagree with which
breaks our relations.
Several of us have been attending a
10 week healing seminar here at Reba Place put on by Karl and
Charlotte Lehman. Some of the most significant information for me was
that when we verbally share our appreciation for others and positive
memories of God’s presence it actually produces very positive
changes in our sense of wellbeing and positive chemical changes
in our brains. This has sparked me to share the above acts of
God using us despite all our warts.
Last
Saturday I heard Walter Wink above who wrote The Powers
that Be. I was able to shake his hand and tell him how God
used my 4 or 5 readings of the book to shape my peacemaking. I had
several very good conversations with others too.
Please
pray for my conversation Thursday 2/19 with the
Presbyterians.
Peace, joy, and love to you this day,
Jim
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