Colombia Accompaniment Reports

Settling in

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 17:33:00 GMT

Settling In by Liz and Bill Branch This first week has been one of settling in. We have learned the routine of the presbytery office and the lack of routine in daily life, including the water coming on and going off unpredictably. We have learned that we don´t know nearly enough Spanish, but we have also learned that German, the Accompaniment Coordinator, is very patient and uses English when he sees a blank look on our faces. We have learned some of the history of the Colombian Presbyterian church (IPC) and how this fits into the history of the country of Colombia. We have met with four representatives of the internally displaced (IDP). They came to the presbytery office to dialogue about the partnership between the IDP organizations and the North Coast Presbytery of the IPC. The major agreement between the two parties, aside from the conclusion that the partnership had been helpful to the displaced, was to meet again next week. As we have talked to people here, we have heard "accompaniment" used to describe several different roles. Mamie Broadhurst and Richard Williams are here in Colombia for three years as pastoral accompaniers. Bill and I are here for five weeks as short-term accompaniers. The IPC describes its activity with the IDP´s as "accompaniment". In the next few weeks we´ll be searching for clarification of all these roles. One of the highlights of the week was the World Day of Prayer celebration on Friday evening. Our apartment mate, Linda, who was an accompanier in January and February, and Liz represented ¨the world¨by reading parts of the service, which Cameroonian women had written. Thanks to the Latin beat that the keyboardist used and her enthusiasm, the congregational singing got us all moving. We were particularly struck by the youthfulness of the women. Some, but only a few, appeared to be retired. Many had just left their work to come to the service. Gracia y paz, Liz y Bill Branch ---- You are subscribed to the following list: Colombia Accompaniment Reports using the following email: example@example.com You may automatically unsubscribe from this list at any time by visiting the following URL: <<a href="http://www.presbypeacefellowship.org/cgi-bin/dada/mail.cgi/u/colombia/&gt">http://www.presbypeacefellowship.org/cgi-bin/dada/mail.cgi/u/colombia/&gt</a>; You may also change your subscription options here: <http://www.presbypeacefellowship.org/cgi-bin/dada/mail.cgi> Mailing List Powered by Dada Mail <a href="http://www.presbypeacefellowship.org/cgi-bin/dada/mail.cgi/what_is_dada_mail/">http://www.presbypeacefellowship.org/cgi-bin/dada/mail.cgi/what_is_dada_mail/</a>

Terror and Transformation in Three Presbyteries

Thu, 04 Mar 2010 03:23:00 GMT

<html> <head> <title>Terror and Transformation in Three Presbyteries</title> </head> <body> Terror and Transformation in three Presbyteries Linda Eastwood and Carol Weaver, 2/27/10 One of the challenges of the Accompaniment Program, as seen from Colombia, is how to be relevant to all three Presbyteries of the IPC – North Coast, Central and Urabá – and not just to the North Coast Presbytery (headquartered in Barranquilla) where our work started. As thoughts on this develop, Carol and Linda have had the unusual opportunity to travel and talk in all three Presbyteries – in various parts of North Coast Presbytery, in Bogota, and in a week's trip (from which we've just returned) through Antioquia's Urabá and inland regions. It's not been cheap – but folks in the IPC do seem to have become sensitive to the fact that not all North Americans are rolling in money, and they were good about trying to find economical travel, and in lining up "homestay" accommodation. From our perspective – and we hope from theirs, too – it's been well worth the trouble. (See more on our travels at <A HREF="http://www.lindacolombia.wordpress.com">Linda's blog</A>) Our Bogota trip was primarily to attend the national synod / General Assembly meeting, which meant that we got to meet the 30 formal delegates, and various others, from all three Presbyteries. There are disagreements regarding how different groups perceive the church's mission, and these are perhaps all the more obvious in a small denomination like this one, but there are major efforts to find common ground and to support each other in ministries of evangelism and social transformation. Having met the Urabá delegation in Bogota, it was a pleasure to meet them again in their home settings, as we (Carol, Linda, and mission co-worker <A HREF="http://calledtocolombia.org/">Richard Williams</A>) visited churches, and between the three of us preached in three churches in the presbytery on February 21. Our most moving experiences, across all three Presbyteries, have been hearing stories of both terror and transformation – of past and present threats, but also of hope for the future. The hope might best be seen in Medellin, where the new Metro system (including Metro-cable cars linking mountainside settlements to the city center) and parks, and museums, and a general face-lift give a sense that this former "murder capital of Colombia" is undergoing a radical transformation. Even there, however, the challenge of terror remains; Medellin's murder rate is once more on the rise, and the government is turning to desperate measures (like paying students $50/month to act as informers) to try to stem the tide. The challenge of terror was most clear as we've listened to stories of displacement. With <A HREF="http://advocacydays.org/">Ecumenical Advocacy Days</A> fast approaching (please take part if you can!), <A HREF="http://www.witnessforpeace.org/">Witness for Peace</A> requested real-life stories of displacement to present to our representatives in Washington. While PC(USA) mission co-worker <A HREF="http://calledtocolombia.org/">Mamie Broadhurst</A> was collecting stories in Barranquilla, we took advantage of this journey to collect some stories in Antioquia – not difficult, especially given how many Urabá churches were started by, and are still predominantly made up of, victims of displacement. Tomorrow, Carol returns home to Texas. Linda stays on in Barranquilla for another 6 weeks (and her blog will continue), but she will be "accompanying" the Reformed University rather than the "diaconía" of the church. Bill and Liz Branch arrive Monday March 1st to take up the reins of accompaniment. We wish them well. ---- <div style="font-size: 70%">

From Camelot to Cumbia, displacement to dancing

Thu, 11 Feb 2010 21:24:00 GMT

From Camelot to Cumbia, displacement to dancing Linda Eastwood & Carol Weaver, 2/9/10 In the two weeks since we last wrote, so much has happened. We've seen much of the teaching mission of the IPC (Iglesia Presbiteriana de Colombia) in visits to the Colegio Americano and in joining the Reformed University's convocation gatherings. We've attended church in Barranquilla, Pital (where Linda preached) and Sincelejo, the last being several hours south of Barranquilla. It's on the other side of Montes de Maria, an area whose roads are still not safe from night-time violence, a fact that put a time-limit on the afternoon session meeting. Linda's also traveled to and worshipped in Valledupar, close to the Venezuelan border, a five-hour drive not only through the stunning scenery of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, but also through banana fields and palm-oil plantations, with their stories of forced displacement. (The suppression of "ELN guerrilla supporters" makes a great pretext for clearing land for plantations.) Perhaps the greatest contrast was between two events last week, one a visit to Camelot (Cah-me-loh), a five-year old barrio of primarily displaced people, and the other watching Guacherna, the "parade of lanterns" that is part of Carnaval, moving towards its peak next weekend. We were taken to Camelot by Antonio, a volunteer leader in ANDESCOL (Asociación Nacional de Desplazados Colombianos, the National Association of Colombian Displaced People), and then guided by a couple of the women-leaders in the community. Many of the homes here have been beautified with paint and plants – mango trees grow pretty big in five years! But behind the facades, the homes are poorly built, and the families struggle – to find work, to pay the mortgage (typically 3-5 million pesos, or around $2,000), to send the kids to school when there's only a private school nearby. We heard a little of why these people were displaced – fear of violence, the killing of a community leader – but we also saw the pride and hope in the tiny community school which allows even those who can't afford fees and uniforms to get some education. Camelot seemed such a world away from the joy and music and dancing (and throwing of water and foam) of the Guacherna parade, with its brightly costumed characters and its wonderful dancing groups – many of them dancing Barranquilla's traditional cumbia, with the men in white, and the women swirling their full skirts as their hips swayed but heads stayed absolutely still. Even here, however, there were costumed reminders of the violence. There were mock army-soldiers (or paramilitaries?) brandishing ridiculously oversized weapons. "Victims", many costumed to look decapitated, with head under arm, and all well covered in "blood". And, to remind us of our complicity, an "Uncle Sam" surrounded by overzealous U.S. troops. Black humor is one way to try to cope with the ongoing violence in this society, but it's just a stop-gap. Rebuilding lives, and creating a culture of peace, is a much longer-term project – and it is to that project that the IPC is dedicated, and that we, in our limited way, accompany. Tomorrow to Bogotá, for the biennial synod meeting. ------------------------------ For more on our experiences, see Linda's blog at www.lindacolombia.wordpress.com (Subscribe to receive e-mails when the blog's updated. Linda will be here in Barranquilla through the middle of April, and while she'll be "moving on" at the start of March from accompanying the IPC to "accompanying" the Reformed University, she'll continuing blogging.) ---- You are subscribed to the following list: Colombia Accompaniment Reports using the following email: example@example.com You may automatically unsubscribe from this list at any time by visiting the following URL: <<a href="http://www.presbypeacefellowship.org/cgi-bin/dada/mail.cgi/u/colombia/&gt">http://www.presbypeacefellowship.org/cgi-bin/dada/mail.cgi/u/colombia/&gt</a>; You may also change your subscription options here: <http://www.presbypeacefellowship.org/cgi-bin/dada/mail.cgi> Mailing List Powered by Dada Mail <a href="http://www.presbypeacefellowship.org/cgi-bin/dada/mail.cgi/what_is_dada_mail/">http://www.presbypeacefellowship.org/cgi-bin/dada/mail.cgi/what_is_dada_mail/</a>

Welcome to the Network

Mon, 01 Feb 2010 17:25:00 GMT

Welcome to the network by Linda Eastwood and Carol Weaver, 1/23/10 Our first week in Barranquilla has been full of reminders of how "connected" is the IPC (Iglesia Presbiteriana de Colombia, Presbyterian Church of Colombia). The strength of links to the PC(USA) was in evidence as we tagged along with the delegation of PC(USA) vice-moderator Byron Wade, here for the weekend to show solidarity and to learn more of the local situation. Then there's the friendly and helpful presence of Mamie Broadhurst and Richard Williams, here for three years and working out their role as long-term accompaniers. To cap it off, Tom Milligan, chair of the PC(USA) Colombia Mission Network, turned up on Thursday to talk at a 3-day symposium of the "Red Ecuménica" (Ecumenical Network). The "Red Ecuménica" is a coalition across many churches – from Catholic to Pentecostal – building ecumenism based not on discussions of doctrine, but on a common commitment to action on behalf of the marginalized (and especially the internally displaced) in this society. Their three foci – advocacy, formation and training in community leadership, and pastoral accompaniment – remind us that we are not the only "accompaniers"; churches here accompany each other, especially when communities are in active resistance to displacement, or are trying to return to the lands from which they have been displaced. Our job, then, is to accompany the accompaniers. We've had a number of reminders of the human displacement that is at the core of why we're here. The strongest, perhaps, was our visit with the vice-moderator's delegation to a displaced community of 64 families trying to eke out a living on borrowed land near Galapa. With only 400 square meters of drought-affected land per family, trying to survive would be hard enough without their being defrauded of government grants by the very agencies that are supposed to help them. These families were not poor before they were violently displaced. Their leader, José, told us his story of being kidnapped and ill-treated 3 times – by the guerrilla groups FARC and EPL, and by the paramilitaries – before he left his working farm with only the clothes he was wearing. These people need our prayers, our practical help (through the IPC and Red Ecuménica), and our advocacy. We were strongly reminded of the importance of Ecumenical Advocacy days in Washington; this year (March 19-22) the themes are displacement and immigration, making this a perfect time to advocate on behalf of our brothers and sisters in Colombia. ---- You are subscribed to the following list: Colombia Accompaniment Reports using the following email: example@example.com You may automatically unsubscribe from this list at any time by visiting the following URL: <<a href="http://www.presbypeacefellowship.org/cgi-bin/dada/mail.cgi/u/colombia/&gt">http://www.presbypeacefellowship.org/cgi-bin/dada/mail.cgi/u/colombia/&gt</a>; You may also change your subscription options here: <http://www.presbypeacefellowship.org/cgi-bin/dada/mail.cgi> Mailing List Powered by Dada Mail <a href="http://www.presbypeacefellowship.org/cgi-bin/dada/mail.cgi/what_is_dada_mail/">http://www.presbypeacefellowship.org/cgi-bin/dada/mail.cgi/what_is_dada_mail/</a>

Not so complicated

Wed, 16 Dec 2009 22:59:00 GMT

Not so complicated by Phyllis Stutzman "Es muy complicado" is a semi-humorous code to denote "there's more than meets the eye in this situation" or the presence of particular risks in particular places. "I'd like to go for a walk." Response: "It's very complicated." However some things are not so complicated. Here are two: 1. Regions with the highest displacements are the areas that have strategic natural resource wealth. Coal, for example. In La Guajira, Cerrejon, a consortium of 3 international partners operates the world's largest export open pit mines. In César, Drummond, headquartered in Arkansas, is on course to be even bigger. Both operations are expanding at breakneck pace in the Caribbean region of Colombia. Simply put, paramilitary forces have ways to move people and communities who are in the way of large scale resource exploitation. Both Departments have significant indigenous and Afro-Colombian populations who for generations have lived in traditional ways, relatively isolated from national influence, practicing small scale agriculture. They are the displaced of Colombia. A growing number of threatened groups are organizing to resist all manner of pressures and tactics to leave their land. Several communities are acting to reclaim their land after fleeing violence. They are designated as "Peace Communities" and "Communities of Resistance." They prohibit armed individuals or groups –Police, Military, Paramilitaries or Guerillas to enter their communities. At great cost they are beacons of Peace. 2. US and Colombia governments signed a pact for US military use of 7 Colombian military bases. There is not a shred of evidence that military force solves the deep socioeconomic problems that beset Colombia or the US. Simply put, the US greatly underestimated the continent-wide outrage against more US military operations in Latin America. The history of US military intervention is long and horrific. Latin America governments, with the serious exception of Colombia, no longer trust military forces to resolve longstanding injustices. Much less to bring peace. The Teusaquilla Mennonite Church hosted a 2 day Study and Vigil of Indignation for the Installation of US Military Bases in Colombia. (Análisis y vigilia de indignación por la instalación de bases militares estadounidenses en Colombia.) Many are speaking out against the military plan imposed on both Colombia, Latin America and the US without official involvement of either Colombian or US Congress or Courts. How do you think peace can be achieved with more than 4 million people displaced through violence? Even as displacement, as a terror tactic, continues? ---- You are subscribed to the following list: Colombia Accompaniment Reports using the following email: example@example.com You may automatically unsubscribe from this list at any time by visiting the following URL: <<a href="http://www.presbypeacefellowship.org/cgi-bin/dada/mail.cgi/u/colombia/&gt">http://www.presbypeacefellowship.org/cgi-bin/dada/mail.cgi/u/colombia/&gt</a>; You may also change your subscription options here: <http://www.presbypeacefellowship.org/cgi-bin/dada/mail.cgi> Mailing List Powered by Dada Mail <a href="http://www.presbypeacefellowship.org/cgi-bin/dada/mail.cgi/what_is_dada_mail/">http://www.presbypeacefellowship.org/cgi-bin/dada/mail.cgi/what_is_dada_mail/</a>

Vigil at Peace Park

Sat, 05 Dec 2009 02:02:00 GMT

Vigil at Peace Park by Phyllis Stutzman November 25, 2009 Tonight several hundred people gathered for a vigil at Parque de la Paz (Peace Park) in Barranquilla, observing the International Day to End Violence Against Women. Groups from the offices of the President, governor, and mayor, NGOs such as World Vision, and churches were among the organizers and supporters. How remarkable so many abhor violence against women! Domestic violence statistics in Colombia are disturbingly high –as everyplace where violence is the star policy tool that dominates at national and community levels. Not only war, but poverty and too few jobs are policies of violence. Parque de la Paz symbolically represents the hard work of peace. It's possibly the largest slab of solid concrete I've ever seen –exception being highways and runways. Not a tree, not a flower, no soil, no benches, no water. Barranquilla day temperatures range between 88 and 97 degrees fahrenheit! The slab park is mostly vacant by day. After sundown, food vendors set up their grills and fruit stands in one corner where commuters pass. Precarious lanterns on the carts provide light. This evening scene reminds me of fragile and small acts that are part of constructing peace; of transforming the massive, hard and impervious into space for friendly interaction around common needs and interests. The music and poems on the stage at tonight's vigil brought laments, determination, and hope. An angel with arms outstretched to wave large gauze wings walked the concrete slab on dangerously high stilts. ________________________ For more of Phyllis's reflections, visit her blog: <a href="http://phyllisstutzman.blogspot.com/">http://phyllisstutzman.blogspot.com/</a> ---- You are subscribed to the following list: Colombia Accompaniment Reports using the following email: example@example.com You may automatically unsubscribe from this list at any time by visiting the following URL: <<a href="http://www.presbypeacefellowship.org/cgi-bin/dada/mail.cgi/u/colombia/&gt">http://www.presbypeacefellowship.org/cgi-bin/dada/mail.cgi/u/colombia/&gt</a>; You may also change your subscription options here: <http://www.presbypeacefellowship.org/cgi-bin/dada/mail.cgi> Mailing List Powered by Dada Mail <a href="http://www.presbypeacefellowship.org/cgi-bin/dada/mail.cgi/what_is_dada_mail/">http://www.presbypeacefellowship.org/cgi-bin/dada/mail.cgi/what_is_dada_mail/</a>

Welcome to California

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 00:25:00 GMT

Welcome to California by Faith Garlington, Nov. 23, 2009 No, not the state of California in the U.S. but a region of Colombia in the Gulf of Uraba that is called California. I arrived in Barranquilla late last Thursday evening, and at 4 a.m. Friday morning, we were on the road for a 14-hour car trip south. Words feel weak in my attempt to share the contrast between people's exuberance in the communities and the somber realities of life in California. We passed through a government checkpoint to enter the region, and I learned that the area is considered a red zone by the Colombian government. The area is known to be controlled by a paramilitary group, and it was decidedly calm....but not peaceful. Later, we were given more specifics: coca (the crop which is chemically treated to form cocaine...much like methamphetamine) is grown by paramilitaries in this area; the bench we sat on to watch the pick-up softball game is directly in front of a house occupied by a member of the paramilitary planted in the community; and, everyone we met has been displaced at least once by violence in their community. After the retreat in California, we visited small churches in various communities. In each village, we met remarkable men and women. Chigorodo is a small community made up almost entirely of displaced families. Several church members raise and sell pigs and chickens as a result of a grant from the Presbyterian Church (USA). One church leader shared details of a guerrilla takeover of his town several years ago. For three days, he and his family were trapped under a bed because of dangerous crossfire. In these communities that welcome us as family, the generosity abounds and individuals exude a peace that matches the tranquil earthen landscape and not the tumultuous human environment. ---- You are subscribed to the following list: Colombia Accompaniment Reports using the following email: example@example.com You may automatically unsubscribe from this list at any time by visiting the following URL: <<a href="http://www.presbypeacefellowship.org/cgi-bin/dada/mail.cgi/u/colombia/&gt">http://www.presbypeacefellowship.org/cgi-bin/dada/mail.cgi/u/colombia/&gt</a>; You may also change your subscription options here: <http://www.presbypeacefellowship.org/cgi-bin/dada/mail.cgi> Mailing List Powered by Dada Mail <a href="http://www.presbypeacefellowship.org/cgi-bin/dada/mail.cgi/what_is_dada_mail/">http://www.presbypeacefellowship.org/cgi-bin/dada/mail.cgi/what_is_dada_mail/</a>

Camelot Upside Down

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 23:02:00 GMT

<html> <head> <title>Camelot Upside Down</title> </head> <body> Camelot Upside Down by Phyllis Stutzman, November 11, 2009 Not the knights of King Arthur at a round table. However the displaced people in today's Camelot, located 30 minutes outside the major Colombian city of Barranquilla, do sit together and imagine a different world. They strategize. Then they take action. Their children lack access to public education. So families of 50 elementary age children are paying a Colombian bank rent for one tiny house which they use for their education efforts. There are no textbooks for the 50 children who crowd into the space from 7 a.m. to noon each day. The tiny space becomes a kindergarten in the afternoon; on the weekend it's an adult education classroom. The adults are continuously in contact with the Education Ministry to make Renacer a public school with textbooks and teachers. There's no fancy castle in today's Camelot. People live in very close quarters, tiny one-room dwellings in some stage of construction on sun-baked, eroded soil. "You can meet people from all parts of Colombia with a visit to Camelot," according to a community leader, who with her husband and children fled home and land in the mountains of a distant Province. People who did not know each other until their common fate brought them together, share common dreams: Sufficient food Education Employment A health clinic Community kitchen Space for children to play. --------------------- Pictures can be viewed on Phyllis's blog: http://www.phyllisstutzman.blogspot.com/ ---- <div style="font-size: 70%">

Today I'm grateful

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 21:44:00 GMT

Today I'm grateful for Brilliant blue skies, sun, and fragrant air after a day of copious rains; An apartment on the beautiful campus of La Universidad Reformada. The ambiance speaks tranquility and industriousness; The generous acts, love, humor, values, and sociopolitical analysis of the men and women leaders of the IPC (Presbyterian Church of Colombia); The privilege to collaborate with J. who documents human rights violations; Antonio, twice displaced from land, unemployed, who serves as President of the Atlantic Region of the Association of Displace People in Colombia; Participants from around Barranquilla who are part of a global advocacy network for just wages and decent work in a globalized economy. The IPC is a member of the network which held a local forum Thursday; La comida costeña. "In the face of all our realities: we are the people who heal each other, who grow strong together, who name the truth, who know what it means to live in community, moving towards a common dream for a new heaven and a new earth in the power of the love of God the company of Jesus Christ and the leading of the Holy Spirit." (#200, Sing the Story –a worship book supplement) Phyllis Stutzman 7 November 2009 for information on groups/issues mentioned above: www.ipcol.org www.nocheyniebla.org www.internal-displacement.org www.trabajodecente.org.co ---- You are subscribed to the following list: Colombia Accompaniment Reports using the following email: example@example.com You may automatically unsubscribe from this list at any time by visiting the following URL: <<a href="http://www.presbypeacefellowship.org/cgi-bin/dada/mail.cgi/u/colombia/&gt">http://www.presbypeacefellowship.org/cgi-bin/dada/mail.cgi/u/colombia/&gt</a>; You may also change your subscription options here: <http://www.presbypeacefellowship.org/cgi-bin/dada/mail.cgi> Mailing List Powered by Dada Mail <a href="http://www.presbypeacefellowship.org/cgi-bin/dada/mail.cgi/what_is_dada_mail/">http://www.presbypeacefellowship.org/cgi-bin/dada/mail.cgi/what_is_dada_mail/</a>

On faith, resilience, and dignity

Tue, 01 Sep 2009 00:14:00 GMT

On faith, resilience, and dignity by Bob Leslie I spent the week of August 20-27 visiting the churches of the Urabá Presbytery in northwestern Colombia. It was a full week of active accompaniment, and I witnessed several exciting results. There is a thriving Presbytery here with 10 churches and various more congregations. One of the largest is in Currulao, where there is not yet a church building constructed by the Presbytery. Many people have come to services in a temporary space. Among the displaced are campesinos who did live in the nearby mountains until the violence forced them to leave. Many left the village of Saiza where there had been a Presbyterian church, but sadly now it is closed due to the violence there. Many of these campesinos have come to Currulao to find refuge. As a result of small grants through the Presbyterian Church, some micro-enterprises have flourished here. We saw several homes where they were raising chickens to sell and one where the eggs were being collected and sold. In another there were pigs and perhaps the most creative of all was the case of a woman who prepared bollo, a ball-shaped fried mixture of corn and cheese the size of a small doughnut. They are delicio us, especially when warm. She has hired kids from the neighborhood to help sell her bollos fresh and hot each morning. We met eight boys, 9 or 10 years of age, who come to her house early each morning and pack maybe 50 hot bollos to sell in the streets and door to door before they go to school. With her troop of young distributors she was able to sell 300 or more bollo a day. They sell for maybe $500 pesos each or about $.25. The Presbyterian Church granted her the money that she needed in order to buy the small gas stove she uses for cooking. I think this came through a Self-Development grant from PC(USA). She has expenses of oil, corn flour, cheese, and gas. Selling bollos, she is able to cover her expenses and she and her helpers are earning some extra money this way. For them it is only a supplement to the family income but it certainly helps. In addition she is providing employment for a number of young boys who probably wouldn't otherwise have such an opportunity. Thirdly it is a way to show how the church can be of service to a community where employment is a serious concern. Indeed it is another form of accompaniment. Finally also the self-respect that one gains in providing for one's family is of enormous significance. This woman radiated her personal satisfaction and joy with what she was doing. In turn she is able to give back to the community because of her good fortune. She also shared her bollo with us. Que bueno! Too often I think we forget the deep psychological trauma suffered by the displaced of Colombia. Not only have they lost their land, their livelihood and in some cases family members, but also their self-respect. They belong to the lowest economic stratum as designated by the Government. They are marginalized by the society. When we think of reparations for these losses incurred, their self-respect is usually ignored. On my last day in Urabá I led a workshop for pastors and lay leaders in the churches of the Presbytery. In small groups they answered three questions. First, what does the word accompaniment mean to you? Second, what does the Bible have to say about accompaniment and third, what symbols can you think of to represent accompaniment? The groups worked for about an hour and a half, and we then spent another hour with group reports and discussion. All was recorded and computer projected on the wall so each group could compare itself with the others. I was impressed with their knowledge of the Bible, their intelligent responses and their energy. Futhermore, their responses will assist us all in defining more precisely how we can better accompany. I feel that in spite of the poverty, the heat, the violence, and other daily crises, the people of the Presbytery of Urabá exhibit a faith and resilience which is a good model for the rest of us. They are strong churches, they are united as a Presbytery, and in spite of scarce resources they make a powerful witness to the love of God in Jesus Christ. ---- You are subscribed to the following list: Colombia Accompaniment Reports using the following email: example@example.com You may automatically unsubscribe from this list at any time by visiting the following URL: <<a href="http://www.presbypeacefellowship.org/cgi-bin/dada/mail.cgi/u/colombia/&gt">http://www.presbypeacefellowship.org/cgi-bin/dada/mail.cgi/u/colombia/&gt</a>; You may also change your subscription options here: <http://www.presbypeacefellowship.org/cgi-bin/dada/mail.cgi> Mailing List Powered by Dada Mail <a href="http://www.presbypeacefellowship.org/cgi-bin/dada/mail.cgi/what_is_dada_mail/">http://www.presbypeacefellowship.org/cgi-bin/dada/mail.cgi/what_is_dada_mail/</a>

Witnesses for Peace Speak Against Impunity

Thu, 20 Aug 2009 03:16:00 GMT

Witnesses for Peace Speak Against Impunity by Bob Leslie We were invited to accompany various people from the Coast here to the town of Sincelejo, Sucre about 3 hours away toward the southwest. The purpose of the trip was to join with others—nationals, internationals, indigenas, and local people from around Sincelejo—to hear the testimony of persons and family members from the department of Sucre who have been victimized by the armed and violent actors of this region over the past decade. The singular event this day being commemorated was the assassination of a man who was a well known leader from a town called Betulia, outside Sincelejo near Corozal. His mother, sisters, and brothers survive and are still searching for those responsible, even though it happened twelve years ago. One sister in particular, a lawyer, has enlisted the support of the community and many others throughout Colombia to expose the impunity of crimes committed in Sucre over the last decade. One expression of our unity was in the call: "La Impunidad Nunca Mas" (Impunity Never Again). As representatives of the PC(USA) and the Presbyterian Peace Fellowship, we joined other internationals, including members of a Friends Community in South Florida, representatives of the United Nations, and Peace Brigades International. The Colombian groups included the Presbyterian Church of Colombia, Infancia Feliz (Happy Childhood), MOVICE – Dept. Sucre (local chapter of the Movement of Victims of State Crimes), CPDH (Permanent Committee in Defense of Human Rights), Non-Governmental Program of Protection to Defenders of Human Rights, Kan Kuamos (Indigenas from the Sierra Nevada), Redjuvensor (a youth network), Mushaisha (of Indigenas Wayuú), and CEDERHNOS (Center for the Study of Human Rights) from Barranquilla, all of whom make up Agenda Caribe, working together for peace and an end to the violence here. Following the testimony many of us left for Betulia where we were welcomed, fed and housed overnight. That night we participated in a event around a "fogata," a bonfire at the edge of a lake in Betulia. In this event, led by some of the indigenas who were there, we shared our experiences in relation to the plight of the victims. The ceremony with the smoke of the fire reminded us that the mother earth and all its creatures belong to God and we are here to respect and protect it, including its peoples. Many people spoke and we ended finally about midnight, walking back slowly to our beds feeling tired on the one hand but exhilarated on the other. Betulia is a beautiful little town of maybe 15,000 out in the country surrounded by farms. The rains have come and this time of year everything is a pastoral green. This makes it all the more difficult to imagine how something as horrid as happened could actually have occurred. The contrast was striking and made us contemplate how the peace of God can be so disturbed. Indeed it sometimes seems beyond our contemplation. All the more reason to be here and act as witnesses to the violence on behalf of the victims. ---- You are subscribed to the following list: Colombia Accompaniment Reports using the following email: example@example.com You may automatically unsubscribe from this list at any time by visiting the following URL: <<a href="http://www.presbypeacefellowship.org/cgi-bin/dada/mail.cgi/u/colombia/&gt">http://www.presbypeacefellowship.org/cgi-bin/dada/mail.cgi/u/colombia/&gt</a>; You may also change your subscription options here: <http://www.presbypeacefellowship.org/cgi-bin/dada/mail.cgi> Mailing List Powered by Dada Mail <a href="http://www.presbypeacefellowship.org/cgi-bin/dada/mail.cgi/what_is_dada_mail/">http://www.presbypeacefellowship.org/cgi-bin/dada/mail.cgi/what_is_dada_mail/</a>