' ~Global Ministries BUILDING AT A SLOW PACE United Methodist Ch urch ~ I ®~ he The word "peace" conjures up a sense of easy living, comfort, a calm xterior, and an absence of conflict or difficult dealings with others. We NEW WORLD OUTLOOK think of peaceful settings that please the eye, peaceful music that calms and relaxes, peaceful scents with disarming names like "laven­ -00-13-88 .12 Published bimonU1ly b U1e eneral Board of der renewal." These are society's outward attemp ts to bottle and mar­ Global 1inistries of The Uni ted MeU1odist Churd1. ket a longing that is so deeply felt, we cannot possibly understand its Periodical po tage paid at ew York, Y, and significance-unless we have experienced its exact opposite. additional mailing office . op right © 2006 by Peace is a process-a very difficult and sometimes very long the General Board of Global Mini tri es of TI1e United Method ist Church. No part of New World process. Acts of goodwill are the building blocks of peace. These acts Outlook may b reproduced in any fo rm without stack up, each one forming the foundation for the next row. The written permi sion fro m the Ed itor. Methodist Church in South Africa, for instance, has struggled with Printed in the U.S.A. how to make good on the promises of land reform made by the South PO TM STER: Send address changes directl y to African government to poor South Africans. The government has been ew World 0 11 tlook, P.O. Box 395, angers, ew York 10920-0395. ubsaiptions in U1e United States and slow to make the reforms happen, so the Methodist Church in South Possessions: ne yea r 19.95. ingle copies $5.00. Africa has offered its own land for assessment, hoping to become a ca t­ Two years, $3-1.95. AU foreign cow1hies: one year, alyst for other church, government, and private agencies (story p. 7). 1.95. Churm ubscription Program: 5 or more In one-year subscriptions fo r 15 earn. orthern Ireland, memories of conflicts far outlive the people who fo ught them. The Rev. Gary Mason can name red-letter dates ew World Outlook editorials and unsigned arti­ cles reflect the views of the editors and signed from 400-500 years ago because the stories of these events have been articles U1 e views of authors only. repeated to him so often. But the work of the Methodist Church in

Publisher Ireland centers on forgiveness, economic relief, and spiritual healing, R. Randy Day the building blocks of peace (story p. 30). Methodist missions, such as Editor the East Belfast Mission and the ForthSpring Center, have been working Christie R. House at the grass roots level to settle disputes and ensure a peaceful future. Art Director Desig11 er Peaceful elections in Liberia and Bolivia are causes for celebration Roger Sadler Hal Sad ler in the churches of those countries. In Liberia, The United Methodist Production Ma11ager Church has dug in and held on through 14 years of devastating civil Brenda L. Carr war. The acts of kindness and reconciliation offered by churches and Editorial Assistant/Periodicals Patricia Y. Bradley repeated by congregations throughout the country laid the ground­ work fo r a newly elected president (s tory p. 16). In Bolivia, years of Editorial Office Christie R. House discrimination and humiliation endured by the country's indigenous -1 75 Ri verside Drive, Room 1476 population may now be coming to an end as Bolivia's first elected New Yo rk, NY 1011 5 212/ 870-3765 indigenous president takes office (story p. 24) . Tom Fox, an American member of the Christian Peacemaker Teams E-mail : [email protected] Websi te: http:/ / gbgm-umc.org/ nwo/ that serve in Iraq, gave his life for the cause of peace. His body was fo und in Baghdad on March 8. But his sacrifice may yet become the Advertisi11g/Pro111otio 11 475 Ri verside Dri ve, Room 1472 building block for more actions that will lead the way out of war ew Yo rk, NY 1011 5 toward the long road to peace. He said, "We hope that in loving both 212 / 870-3784 friends and enemies and by intervening nonviolently to aid those who Unsolicited manusc ripts will be acknowledged are systematically oppressed, we can contribute in some small way to only if used . Otherwise, the editors cannot be responsib le fo r returning them. transforming this volatile situation." Tom and three teammates were DIRECT ALL SUBSCRIPTION I QUIRI ES abducted last November (story, p. 10). The other three were rescued A D CHANGE OF ADDRESS TO: New World by the British military on March 22. Outlook, P.O. Box 395, Congers, ew York Christie R. Hou se 10920-0395. Send old address label if possible. Allow at least 30 days' noti ce. Or ca ll 1-877- Cover: Mary Mill er. A woman casts her vote fo r president in Bomi, Liberi a. For the first 881-2385 (toll -free). E-mail: NewWorl dOutlook time in 14 years, Liberians elected their national leader in peaceful elections, President @cambeywest.com Ell en Johnson-Sirleaf, a United Methodist woman from Liberia.

fl To Give lo the Ad vance: For United Methodists: Make out the chec k lo your local church and write the Ad vance name and code number on the check. Give your gift lo your church treasurer so that your local church and annua l confere nce con receive Ad vance credit. Outside UM channels: Make the check payable lo "Advance GCFA" with the project name and code number on the check. Send the check lo Ad vance GCFA, P.O. Box 9068, GPO, NewYork , NY 10087 -9068. To contribute with a credit card, call 1-888-252-617 4. All Advance projects are also eligible for Supplementary Gifts through Un ited Method ist Women 's giving channels. Supplementary Gifts ore given through the UMW treasurer. The Women's Di vision will honor the designation.

2 EW WORLD OUTLOOK MAY/ JUNE 2006

...... ,,.. _.,...-;.. ,_.._,.....:...,;.,\ - '"' ·""-- ~ -~ - ...-· .t.-...... • .-..-_ :.-,, ~·'•!:< ... ~ .. .,,, ... .., ,: ,.'"•• • \' I "' ;;,, ' > l - , ' • • -• •' ' ' ' ' ' New Series Vol. LXVI, No. 5; Whole Series Vol. XCVI, No. 3 ew World Outlook EW WORLD OUTLOOK MAY / JU E 2006

1 cai r .1 c ~ 4 lay~ BUILDING PEACE 'llll· by Kim Lehmann nd 7 !or THE METHODIST CHURCH OF SOUTHERN AFRICA: ear MOVING FORWARD ON REFORM ISSUES "n by Christie R. House 11;· Sou· 10 j bet CHRISTIAN PEACEMAKER TEAMS: u· FOLLOWING CHRIST TO GOLGOTHA ac1 by Christie R. House ). i eop 14 dalt PHILIPPINE,S DECLARES A STATE OF EMERGENCY hl"c by R. Randy Day ·ch alin ' 16 1ch , WHERE THERE IS LIFE, THERE IS HOPE: rkir CHURCHES WORK TO BUILD PEACE IN LIBERIA ue. by Mary Miller ·atir todi: 20 ;m REFLECTIONS ON SEEKING JUSTICE­ 'an SEEKING PEACE TRIP 1unc story by David Wildman • photos by Paul Jeffrey 40 ITT l MOTHER'S DAY: A TALE OF ~ noL 22 PEACEMAKING WOMEN ectt HEBRON KIJES by Mary Beth Gouda/ by Mary Lawrence ean: 24 DEPARTMENTS e th WINDS OF CHANGE IN BOLIVIA story by Christie R. House • photos by Jay Coble 2 bot BUILDING AT A wh 28 SLOW PACE ayl OUR BASIC BELIEFS IN BUILDING PEACE by Christie R. House wer. THE UNITED METHODIST BOOK OF DISCIPLINE, 2004 cue 23 30 MISSION MEMO 35 YEARS OF TROUBLE: THE END OF A PHASE IN NORTHERN IRELAND 35 1efir> by Gary Mason and Angela Miller 95 YEARS AGO sidll New World Outlook 36 Special HOPE LIVES ON DESPITE TRAUMA: REBUILDING LIVES THAT ENDURED TORTURE 43 iUI :Ur compiled from resources of the BULLETIN INSERTS nenlf Center for Victims of Torture ON MISSION

NEW WORLD OUTLOOK MAY / JUNE 2006 3 r J \ _J ~ ~J r

by Kim Lehmann Llamas grazing in the Cochabamba valley, Bolivia . Right: Traditional Aguayo weaving, Bolivia .

I recently spent an afternoon at what marks are we making? A the Museum of the American we strive to follow the call to be Indian in New York. As I slow ly builders of peace in our world walked through the museum, I today, our challenge is to align took in the clothes, pottery, paint­ ourselve with the vision of the ings, and other works of art. I Master Creator for this new heav­ always enjoy getting right up to en and new earth. In I aiah the works and examining each 65:17-25, God de cribes what will piece up close. With such proxim­ make up the new hea en and ity, you can see the brush strokes, new earth. the direction of the threads and beads, the details in the clay. I Building Peace: Protecting Life inspect each intentional move­ "For I am about to create new ment of the artist to place the heaven and an w earth. . . . o paint, the fabric, and the clay more hall there be in it an infant exactly where it needs to go to that Ii e but a few da , or an create the piece, and I am remind­ old per on who doe not liv out ed that the bigger work is made up of many mall a life time; for one who die at a hundred ear \ ill actions by the artist. be considered a youth." (I aiah 65:17, 20) In building Isaiah 65:17 speaks of God, like an arti t, re hap­ new hea en and a new arth, God i working to ing our world, piece by piece, brush stroke by bru h prevent the earl death of God' childr n and troke. "For I am about to create n w heavens and a instead build n ironment and pportuniti f r new earth." God ha a vi ion for thi work, a ision peopl to li e long Ji e in abundan e. of life and beauty. God carefully mo e the bru h La t w ek I recei d a m ag fr m n ur and lowly create this new heaven and new earth. mis i n partn r r lat d to th ational un ii f We are co-builder along ide God. Daily, each on Churche in the Philippin . h d rib d th mur­ of u leaves a mark on God' creation: in our work der of human right rk r , includin cl rg ', laity, live , in our home lives, in our coll ctive liv . But and journali t that have taken pla through ut the

4 WW RLD UTL K / ) E 200 Philippines over the past year. She wrote: "The situ­ places, divisions between people who look different ation here is not getting any better. The economic from one another, among people with different cus­ and political situation even worsens. We're just toms and cultures. By focusing on the "different­ being vigilant with what is happening around us." ness" of "the other," we build boundaries among In too many places around the world, people are not groups. In doing so, it becomes easy to ignore our living the long lives God intended. Civil war, con­ common need for peace, life, dignity, and respect. In flict, killings, hate crimes, and lack of medical care too many places, divisions enable hatred, fighting, all contribute to the early death of God's children. and exploitation. In John 10:10, Jesus says, "The thief comes only to Jesus was constantly breaking down society's steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have barriers: speaking with the woman at the well, lift­ life, and have it abundantly." Jesus lived out those ing up a Samaritan as a model of serving God. Jesus words in his ministry of healing and in speaking out was willing to look beyond society's divisions and against violence. work to build relationships across those boundaries. The day I received the email from my friend in I find it easy to take the same route home every the Philippines, I received many emails I needed to day, to walk with my head down and not interact respond to. Many of the emails had easier respons­ with the people around me. However, to break es. But what would prioritize my action? Ease of down barriers is to risk interaction with the "other." response? Or God's priority for life? As we reexam­ It is to dare to open oneself up to the possibility of a ine what brush strokes we are placing on God's cre­ relationship and to trust one another despite our dif­ ation, we need to examine our priorities for each ferences. If God is working to build community, I day. Will we open ourselves to hear the stories of must examine who is on what side of the dividing brothers and sisters around the world facing daily line and how to bring us together. We can reexamine strife? Will we see those in our community who are what we are helping to build as we walk down the engaged in local conflicts? In order to be daily co­ street, as we define our neighborhoods, and as we builqers with God, we must take steps daily to build interact with other nations. The challenge is to be environments and situations where people can live bold enough to break down boundaries. In order to out their years. be co-builders, we must take steps daily to create a place where lions and lambs live together. We must Building Peace: Developing Community make sure that all are invited to the table. "For I am about to create new heavens and a new earth ....The wolf and the lamb shall feed tog-ether, Building Peace: Creating a Just Economy and the lion shall eat straw like the ox."(Isaiah 65:17, "For I am about to create new heavens and a new 25) In building the new heavens and a new earth, earth ....They shall build houses and inhabit them; God is working to break down barriers and bound­ they shall plant vineyards and eat their fruit. They aries and instead build community among unlikely shall not build and another inhabit; they shall not groups. The former enemies-the wolf and the plant and another eat. ...My chosen ones shall long lamb-will no longer fight but will sit together at enjoy the works of their hands."(Isaiah 65:17, 21-22) the common table. In building new heavens and a new earth, God is I had the opportunity to meet one of our working to build an economic structure that enables Northern Ireland mission partners who spoke of the people and nations to provide for themselves and continued reality of fighting among groups living their families and to have work with dignity. right next to one another. "The other community is As I walked down the aisle of the grocery store, I just a stone's throw away. .. literally," the staff per­ was struck by the number of products tl1at come son described. from outside my home community. I bought a As I walk around my own community, I too can pineapple and realized I was literally holding the see lines of division. One group lives west of this fruit of someone else's labor. Do the laborers also street, another group lives east. Some groups are enjoy the works of their hands? Are they able to invited into our sanctuary walls, while others are experience a full life based on the wages they earn? left out. It seems that we humans are good at build­ In building peace, economic justice plays a crucial ing divisions among people who live in different part in enabling all people to shape their lives, their Left: Every week for t!te past 18 years, Israeli Wom en in Black have staged a protest asking Israel to pull out of the occupied Pales tinian territories. Right: Wom en in an IDP ca mp (Internally Displaced Persons) near Al Daein, Darfur, Sudan, celebrate tlt e co mpletio n of n thatched roof for a family's home. Photos: Paul Jeffrey/ACT Caritas land, their resources, and their future. Our society places too much value on profit and too little value on people. Fighting and conflict are often tools for economic gain. With greed on one side and despera­ tion on the other, exploitation is prevalent. When Jesus was asked what must be done to inherit eternal life, he replied that one must sell all of one's belongings and give to the poor. He repeated­ ly preached good news to the poor and freedom for the oppressed. Daily, I see TV commercials telling me where to shop to get the lowest prices. I receive fliers urging me to invest in order to get the highest returns. But if God is working to create a world where people can enjoy the work of their hands, I need to consider not just my own profits but how my brothers and sisters around the world are affected by my allocation of resources. We can reexamine how our money is being used and whether, in the process, we are help­ ing God's children enjoy the fruits of their labor. We need to be aware of what we are helping build as we shop at our local store, ·nvest money, and establish economic policies in our communities and nations. We are all builders and creators. We're invited to create alongside God, each in our own way, in our homes, communities, and collective decisions and national policies in our countries. The challenge is to ensure that we are helping to bring about God's vision for a new heaven and a new earth with just economic systems. If we think about an artist picking up a brush for the first time and looking at a blank canvas, we are reminded that with new opportunities come excite­ ment and endless possibilities for beauty.

Kim Lehmann is the Program Coordinator for Mission A boy plays with a soccer ball in tlte Zalingei refugee camp Volunteers at the General Board of Global Ministries. in Sudan . Photo: Paul Jeffrey/ACT Caritas

NEW WORLD OUTLOOK MAY / JUNE 2006 THE METHODIST CHURCH OF SOUTHERN AFRICA

I OCCllpied Ian, celebrate Evelyn Mtongnnn (right) of Yizn ni Snkh e Hom e- Bnsed Henlt/i Care Cooperative visits with Ma vis Mha111bi (left) outside li er '10111 e near Port Eliza beth, South Africa. Th e cooperative is nn outreach off. C. Mvusi Methodist Church that supports people living with AIDS nnd th eir fa111ili es. Mike DuBose/UMNews

Bishop Ivnn Abrahams, Methodist Church of So uthern Africa MOVING FOR'l' ''ARD~ 1 ON REFORM ISSUES byCl1ristHHouse

IF YOU WANT TO WALK FAST , WALK ALONE. IF YOU WANT TO WALK FAR , WALK WITH OTHERS Afri can Proverb

"We have rl'lany global challenges, Bishop Abrahams, Anthony record, and, where warrant d, and we have to agree to work on Tibbit, the church's chief financial grant amne ~; ty to th perpetrators them together," said the Rev. Ivan officer, and th Rev. Gcobani Vika, of violent crimes and human right Abrahams, the presiding bishop of director of mi ion, came to the violations. Aparth id was the the Methodist Church of Southern Gen ral Board of Global Ministrie ' name given to the offi ial policy of Africa. "Global terror, global offices in ew York to affirm con­ th South African government that warming, scarce global resources, nections with United Methodists in legalized racial segregation and and dwindling fossil fuels are the United States. They brought di crimination against people who problems we can only fail at by news of som innovative ministri s were not white. After the hard­ working alone. The day of work­ that Methodists in Southern Africa won end of apartheid, an yon who ing in isolation is over. The world have undertaken for their own peo­ felt he or she was a victim of must unite for all the people. With ple and for the good of other coun­ apartheid violence could be h ard globalization must come just trade, tries on the African continent. in a court of law. Th h aring fair trade. At one time, it was wer televised nationally. The TRC ace ptable for one part of the globe The Road to Peace was se n a a crucial piece in South to benefit greatly from the sweat of I asked Bishop Abrahams about Africa's transition from apartheid other , but that time is over.. .. The the success of the Truth and to a full and free democracy. sooner we realize that we're in it Reconciliation Commission (TRC) But Bi hop Abraham ay that together, that we can do nothing at in South Africa. Th commission the TRC's success i now cont t d the expense of others or on the wa set up by the gov rnment of in South Africa. "Som ay the backs of other people, the better South Africa after th end of group did nothing to bring about w will be." apartheid to bear witness to, ju tice, just papered over th

EW WORLD UTLOOK MAY / JUN 2006 7 The Methodist Church ti of Southern Africa 71 Africa," said Bishop Abrahams. a Part of the agreements that ended sk apartheid insisted on land reform and the return of land to black South Africans. However, the gov­ ti ernment process has been slow. "The pressure will mount if the le process is not sped up," warned 0\ Uitenlznge Township looks 11 111 c/1 tlie snme ns it did during npnrtlieid, which ended 10 the bishop. u yenrs ngo. Mike D118ose/UMNews Rev. Vika noted that the agree­ u ment indicated a transfer of 30 per­ a cracks. The reparation process is yields and a severe food shortage. cent of agricultural land by 2004. e not moving forward as we had Mugabe then began a "clean-up" That date has since been revised to e hoped. Still, some say had it not campaign to remove street ven­ 2014. But the agreements were 1 been for the TRC, anarchy would dors and make-shift housing in based on a policy of "willing seller, 0 have reigned." Zimbabwean cities. willing buyer" rather than a forced 01 The Methodist Church of change of hands. "Today, only 4.3 rg Land Reform and Stability Southern Africa (MCSA) was the percent of the land has been trans­ c Bishop Abrahams' family has first­ first African denomination to ferred," said Rev. Vika. u hand experience w ith the break the silence on Zimbabwe "At this rate," Bishop Abra­ 01 apartheid system. When he was a with its "Statement on Zimbabwe hams added, "we won't be at 30 child, his family was forced to and Zimbabwean Refugees" percent until 2054! " To speed up move from a comfortable home in drawn up and delivered in August the process, the South African gov­ ty a section designated as "white 2005 at a meeting of MCSA church ernment has begun to buy land d only" into one of the black town­ leaders. South Africa's president frnm white owners and lease it to le ships. "We can see now that those Tabo Mbeki had encouraged a pol­ groups of black farmers, with the 1 who were historically advantaged icy of silence on the subject, prefer­ idea that they will earn enough 0 are the ones still in power," the ring a strategic and quiet diploma­ over time to buy the land from the rr bishop said. "The black economic cy with Zimbabwe's president to government. But many in South c improvement process and the bring about chan ge. Africa's black communities won­ e redistribution of land has not hap­ Church leaders declared they der why they have to pay for land 0 pened, or has happened in a limit­ could no longer remain silent and that they used to own but were ed way. The process is too slow." denounced President Mugabe's forcibly removed from during However, the bishop and his "clean-up" campaign, which pro­ apartheid. The white owners paid cabinet members were aware of duced 1.5 million refugees who fled next to nothing for land at the time what happens when land reform from home demolitions and lost that they acqul.red it. About 13 mil­ moves too quickly. Bishop street businesses. The Southern lion of South Africa's population w Abrahams referred to the deepen­ African Methodist leaders stated have no permanent homes, living w ing crisis across South Africa's that the world was witnessing "a on the streets and in shantytowns, northern border in Zimbabwe. In a tragedy of unprecedented enormi­ overcrowded buildings, and tents. swift and stunning m ove, ty. We have on our hands a com­ Zimbabwe's President Mugabe plete recipe for genocide." The Church's Offering removed land from white farm The MCSA has met with United The MCSA has become directly owners and gave it to black Methodist leaders in Zimbabwe involved in the issue of land Zimbabweans. Unfortunately, the and launched "Operation Hope for reform by offering its own land new owners were more likely to be Zimbabwe" in support of the holdings for assessment. "The political allies rather than actual Zimbabwe refugees and the work church decided to do the right farmers with experience in agricul­ of the churches there. thing with our land," said the bish­ ture and animal raising. Drought op. "We did an inventory of all the s. compounded the agricultural The Next Step church-owned land to give secure m problems, which produced low "There is real land hunger in South tenure and a sustained livelihood y,

8 NEW WORLD OUTLOOK MAY / JUNE 2006 to tho e living on our property. "From our experience m the 1970 , knowing the brutality of ms. apartheid, we feel there is no other jed task God is calling the church to do irm but to work for the poor and dis­ ack enfranchised. The land issue i a national issue and the church ow. needs to take a much more central the role. We need to do more advocacy around the issue. In addition, the church is a major land owner in :ee- South Africa. We must demon­ ier· strate good stewardship and use lQ.l. the land to benefit the poorest of l to the poor." ere The MCSA has partnered with Jer, two organizations, the Church Land :ed Programme and the Community Top: Floria Huma ni (right) cares for child ren nt the Sekunjalo Pre-Primary School, 4.3 Organization Resource Centre a ministn; supported by St. John 's Methodist Church in New Brighton Town ship. ns· (CORC) to perform an audit. The Below: Children at the Sekunjalo Pre-Primary School in New Brighton . church seeks to uplift the social and Mike DuBose/UMNews economic conditions of the poor 30 through effective use of underuti­ tion members. People's Dialogue up lized church land, offering its prop­ provides social, administrative, OV· erty as a resource to improve lives and technical support, and helps md and living conditions in a sustain­ memb€rs to grow and protect their : to able way. own social assets. the The church wanted to get the As the land is audited, the local 1gh people involved in the landless church boards that own the land the communities at a grassroots level. will be approached to cede the MCSA signeq an agreement with development rights for vacant on· the South African Homeless land to an MCSA Land Trust. The md People's Federation and its GO land will then be used for three ere allies-Community Organization purposes: ing Resource Centre, Utshani Fund, and 1. Urban land for housing; aid the People's Dialogue on Land and 2. Rural land for agriculture; me Shelter. The federation is the largest 3. Other land for ale on the open nil· people's housing project in the market, with the proceeds going ion country. It seeks to mobilize com­ into a revolving fund for poverty­ ing munities to work at social and eradication projects. ns, housing development. The MCSA operates in six coun­ 1!. Membership in the federation- tries in Southern Africa: South 85 percent women-is drawn from Africa, Mozambique, Botswana, informal settlements, shack and Lesotho, Namibia, and Swaziland. :tly hostel dwellers, and renters. The nd Community Organization Resource Christie R. House is the editor of New 11d • Centre provides much of the admin­ World Outlook. Bishop Ivan M. ·he istrative a sistance to conduct the Abrahams of the Methodist Church of audit and support active participa­ Southern Africa (MCSA), the Rev. tion of the concerned communi­ Gcobani Vika , Director of Mission for the ties. Utshani Fund, the financial the MCSA, and Anthony Tibbit, the arm of the federation, can deliver church 's chief financial officer, were government subsidies to federa- interviewed for this article.

NEW WORLD OUTLOOK MAY / JU E 2006 in peace. not hesr courageo1 Christian Peacemaker Teams: Again an bright fut that one would br Following Christ to Golgotha and they the millio byC hristieR. . House Sider'! toge ther On o ember 26, 2005, fo ur mem­ Immediately Palestinians in the occupation. CPT is committed to Commi tt< ber of the Christian Peacemaker West Bank stood up for the team . challenging the injustices of the Church c Team in Iraq were abducted by a Muslim and Christian leaders occupation and telling the stories Peace anc group that calls it elf the Swords of there were well acquainted with of those who live in occupied Iraq. to put p Truth . The abductors set several Christian Peacemaker volunteers than pass deadlines in December for the and vouched for them as legiti­ Peacemaking Mission for peac United States to release its Iraqi mate human-rights advocates. The motto of CPT is "Getting in the Christian prisoners or ri k the captives' exe­ A second video was aired in Way." The organization was (CPT) WC cutions, but the deadlines passed February showing only three of the founded in 1984 by Mennonites people o without further word . A video men. Tom Fox was missing. His motivated by Ron Sider, who chal­ mechanif released by Al-Jazeera on January lifeless body was fo und in lenged the 1984 Mennonite World commun 28 showed that the fo ur men were Baghdad on March 8. The other Conference meeting in Strasbourg, develope till alive, looking thin and hag­ three captives were rescued by the France, to take up the cross and to work gard, but alive. British military on March 23. It follow Jesus to Golgotha. Ron skills of The missing Christian Peace­ may surprise readers to know that Sider, a Canadian-born American tion, non J;:vangelical, is professor of theolo­ makers were Tom Fox, 54, from the abductions did not cause the ally stani Clearbrook, Virginia, a fa ther of Christian Peacem aker Teams gy at Palmer Theological Seminary and tarik and president of Evangelicals fo r two, musician, and faithful Quaker; (CPT) to withdraw its volunteers of prese orm an Kember, 74, from London, from their assignments in Iraq. Social Action. "If we are ready to wi th loca Overt develope whole cl tion str teams in tarized a local pe workers CPT has the Me x lraq, an ci the West 1995 . w Canada Chris tian Peacemakers released in Iraq: Norman Kember, James Loney, and Harm eet Singh Sooden. , I 15 ponsc England, a retired teacher and CPT volunteers have continued to embrace the cross," he said, denornm peace activist; James Loney, 41, a travel to Baghdad, despite the dan­ "God's reconciling people will hips \\ community worker from Toronto, gers of abduction, roadside bombs, profoundly impact the course of deno rnin Canad a; and H armeet Singh and other incidents of violence. world history. ...N ow is the time to Brethren Sooden, 32, a Canadian electrical Their mission there is to document risk everything for our belief that fQuaker; 1 en gineer from Montreal. Their the abuse, human rights violations, Jesus is the way to peace. Canada "We must be prepared to die by abductors accused them of being and general living conditions of Baptist F Iraqis under US and international the thousands. Those who believe American spies. 1 America,

10 NEW WORLD OUTLOOK MAY / TUNE 2006 in peace through the sword have not hesitated to die. Proudly, Why Are We Here? courageou ly, they gave their lives. Again and again, they sacrificed The late Tom Fox, one of the abducted CPT members serving in Iraq, filed this diary entry the day before he was kidnapped. Excerpts follow courtesy of CPT. You bright futures to the tragic illusion can read his full blog on http://waitinginthelight. blogspot.com! that one more righteous crusade would bring peace in their time, If I understand the message of God , his response and they laid down their lives by to that question ["Why are we here? "] is that we the million . " are to take part in the creation of the Peaceable Sider's call for action brought Realm of God. Again , if I understand the mes­ together the Mennonite Central sage of God , how we take part in the creation of Committee Peace Section and the this realm is to love God with all our heart, our Church of the Brethren Office of mind , and our strength and to love our neighbors Peace and Justice to work on a plan and enemies as we love God and ourselves. In its to put peace into action. Rather essential form , different aspects of love bring than passively hoping and praying about the creation of the realm . for peace, the founders of the I have read that the word in the Greek Bible Christian Peacemaker Teams Tom Fox at a demonstration that is translated as "love" is the word "agape. " (CPT) worked to develop ways for in Pnles tine. Again , I have read that this word is best people of faith to actively build expressed as a profound respect for all human mechanisms for peace in local beings simply for the fact that they are all God 's children . I would state that idea communities. The model they in a somewhat different way, as "never thinking or doing anything that would developed trains four to six people dehumanize one of my fellow human beings." to work in teams. They learn the As I survey the landscape here in Iraq , dehumanization seems to be the oper­ skills of documentation, observa­ ative means of relating to each other. US forces in their quest to hunt down and tion, nonviolent intervention (liter­ kill "terrorists " are not only killing "terrorists ," but also killing innocent Iraqis: men , ally standing in the way of guns women, and children in various towns and villages. and tanks), and various ministries It seems as if the first step down the road to violence is taken when I dehu­ of presence, building solidarity manize a person . That violence might stay within my thoughts or find its way into with local people. the outer world and become expressed verbally, psychologically, structu rally, or Over the past 20 years, CPT has physically. As soon as I rob a fellow human being of his or her humanity by stick­ developed a rhodel that enlists the ing a dehumanizing label on them , I begin the process that can have, as an end whole church in violence-reduc­ result, torture , injury, and death . tion strategies, placing peace "Why are we here?" We are here to root out all aspects of dehumanization that teams in crisis situations and mili­ exists within us. We are here to stand with those being dehumanized by oppres­ tarized areas at the invitation of sors and stand firm against that dehumanization . We are here to stop people, local peace and human rights including ourselves. from dehumanizing God 's children , no matter how much they workers in the area. Currently, dehumanize their own souls. CPT has teams in Arizona along Tom Fox the Mexican border, Colombia, Christian Peace rnaker Team member to Iraq . Iraq, and an ongoing presence in the West Bank of Palestine since Christian Peacemaker Teams extends our deep and heartfelt condolences to the 1995. With offices in Toronto, family and community of Tom Fox, with whom we have traveled so closely in these Canada, and Chicago, Illinois, CPT days of crisis. We mourn the loss of Tom Fox who combined a lightness of spirit, is sponsored by traditional pacifist a firm opposition to all oppression, and the recognition of God in everyone. denominations and pacifist fellow­ Even as we grieve the loss of our beloved colleague, we stand in the light of his ships within other Protestant strong witness to the power of love and the courage of nonviolence. That light denominations: Church of the reveals the way out of fear and grief and war: Brethren, Friends United Meeting (Quaker), Mennonite Church of Dr: Doug Pritchard, CPT Co -Director Canada Mennonite Church USA, and the Rev. Carol Rose, CPT Co-Director Baptist Peace Fellowship of orth America, Congregation of St. Basil,

NEW WORLD OUTLOOK MAY /JUNE 2006 11 E\ ry Church a Peace Church, On and the ci il rights movement in th Israeli prison authorities put us Earth P ace . ssembly, and the United States. women in a big room at the prison Pr byterian Peace Fellowship. When our annual conference while they decided what to do with met at the end of May 1992, a fel­ us. By then it was suppertime at the United Methodists and CPT low ojourner from our earlier trip prison, but they were not prepared United Methodi m, with hi torical introduced a resolution supporting to feed so many. A worker at the ti to both th Mennonite Church my participation in the Walk for a prison entered the room with just a and the Church of the Brethren, Peaceful Future (a walk across plate of bread and a bowl of jelly. al o ha a strong pacifist tradition Israel and Palestine marking 25 There were no eating utensils, so I that flows through congregation years of Israel's occupation of the broke off a piece of bread and in ome confer nces. A number of We t Bank and Gaza). One week dipped it in the jelly. At that United Methodist individuals have later, on the first Sunday of June moment, I remembered that back erved on Chri tian Peacemaker 1992, I was walking toward the home my fellow United Methodists Teams around the world. "green line" and the West Bank were also dipping bread as they Dianne Roe and the Rev. Mary town of Yanun. Israeli police on shared in Communion. Lawrence are two United Meth­ horses came toward us as more I did not know at the time that odi ts who have served on than one hundred internationals some of my fellow participants in Christian Peacemaker Teams in knelt on the ground, singing "We the "walk" in Israel-Palestine and CPTmeml Hebron, a West Bank Palestinian Shall Not Be Moved." prison mates were connected with to hear the, territory. As Israeli police led me to the an organization. called Christian MARYL paddy wagon, my fellow detainees Peacemaker Teams. Three years BER HE were singing spirituals. It was 5:00 later, when I applied to join CPT, One even Christie R. House is the editor of ew Sunday evening in Israel, or 10:00 my home church, my annual con­ room to World Outlook. For more infonna­ in the morning back home. I knew ference, and our connectional min­ Ratisboru tion about Christian Peacemaker that the church services at home istries were part of the process. I astery /sc Teams, please visit the CPT website at were under way or about to begin. could not continue my work with another ! http://cpt.org. I felt that I was part of my home CPT without the wonderful sup­ staying t( faith community as I took a seat in port of people around me. the paddy wagon that was taking Dianne Roe rooms th< is such a us off to prison. West New York Conference DIANNE ROE, CPT MEMBER As Ice HEBRON, PALESTINE the hugE Although I grew Villagers in At-Tuwani, Palestine, at a rally calling for the release of the CPT team man, gre up in a church members kidnapped in Iraq. gatepost i , where there was a l~~~C3~~~~~~:?-?~~~ for a frie: histor r of social had been activism, I was replied th already in my late in Hebro1 forties before I felt a call to greater Um.mar a participation in the nonviolence two of movement. In 1989 the pastor of my )eru alem church, First United Methodist in to NabltJE Corning, asked if I wanted to go on a trip to the Holy Land with our bishop, Forrest Stith, and 40 others from our West New York Confer­ "Yes," ence. We arrived in Jerusalem on come ba, Martin Luther King's birthday. more roa Bishop Stith led our worship and more la shared MLK's "I have a dream" desperati1 speech. Thus, my first introduction to the sufferings of the Palestinian people was simultaneously set in the context of my faith community

12 CPT members in Iraq meet with villagers vith to hear their stories. ti an MARY LAWRENCE, CPT MEM­ ~ars BER HEBRON, PALESTINE :rT, :on­ One evening, I came down from my room to the front entrance of lin­ Ratisbonne (the now closed mon­

NEW WORLD OUTLOOK MAY / JUNE 2006 13 Philippines Declares AState of Emeruencv

STATEMENT BY GENERAL SECRETARY, THE REV. R. RANDY DAY

he United Methodist General The statement on the State of Board of Global Ministries is Emergency quotes biblical injunc­ T deeply concerned about the tions that link justice and peace. declaration of a "State of Emer­ Day said: "We join our sisters and gency" in the Philippines, where brothers in the Philippines in all rallies and demonstrations are prayer that justice and peace will banned and people can be arrested embrace in their society. We call without warrant. upon the government of the The Rev. R. Randy Day, chief Philippines to protect the people, mission executive, said that his their lives, and their rights." agency had been monitoring The full text of · the statement developments in the Philippines, follows. especially with regard to the assas­ sinations of critics of the govern­ ment and other human rights violations during the past year. Bishop Elmer Bolocon of the President Gloria Macapagal­ United Church of Christ in the Arroyo of the Philippines declared Philippines (UCCP) warned that a State of Emergency on February the emergency decree raises the 27, 2006, making it easier to crack specter of "martial rule" on the down on critics of her government. 20th anniversary of the victory Many Protestant and Roman over dictatorship. The UCCP is a Catholic church leaders in the mission partner of the General Philippines have been sharply crit­ Board of Global Ministries. ical of the government, notably its In January, Day was part of a policies concerning the attempts delegation of United Methodist of poor farmers to organize. leaders who visited church leaders Supporters of those efforts, includ­ in the Philippines to show solidar­ ing pastors, are among the assassi­ ity with its beleaguered churches nation targets. and people.

14 NEW WORLD OUTLOOK M Y/ JUNE 2006 STATEMENT ON THE PHILIPPINES "STATE OF NATIONAL EMERGENCY" I I The General Board of Global Ministries of The United Methodist Church is deeply concerned about the declaration of a "State of Emergency" in the Philippines. We have closely watched the deterioration of the situation in the Southeast Asian nation during the past year. We have consulted on numerous occasions with United Methodist and other ecumenical partners there with regard to the assassinations of critics of the government and the restric­ tions of political opposition. We have joined them in calling upon the government to respect human life and human rights. We are not convinced that President Gloria Macapagal­ Arroyo is justified in declaring a state of emergency, which bans rallies and permits arrests without warrant. We have heard the assessment of Bishop Elmer Bolocon of the United Church of Christ in the Philippines, one of our mission partners. He said : "Today, as the nation marks the 20th year of the people's victo­ ry against dictatorship, our president declared the Philippines to be in a "State of National Emergency" -a declaration that awak­ Members 'of a United Methodist support team, ens the specter of martial rule. " This action increases the uneasi­ including the Rev. R. Randy Day, General Secretary of the General Board of Global Ministries (left) , held ness among the people of the Philippines and threatens further a press conference in Manila to bring attention to to destabilize the situation. th e church and human rights workers who have been kidnapped, hara s~ed , and murdered in recent months There is clearly in the Philippines today a longing for peace, in the Philippines. Top: Bishop Hopkins and justice, and tranquility that is not being met. As United Kristina Gonzalez talk to a reporter. Methodists, we believe in the effective participation of the peo­ ple in decision making, in strengthening democracy, in the right to dissent, in protecting human rights, and in always recogniz­ ing and affirming the sanctity of life. Psalm 85 talks about justice and. peace kissing each other. The salvation and well-being of people entails a harmonious, intimate relationship fostered by mercy, truth, justice, and peace. We join our sisters and brothers in the Philippines in prayer that justice and peace will embrace in their society. We stand in support of all those working for justice and peace. We call upon the government of the Philippines to protect the people, their lives, and their rights.

The Rev. R. Randy Day General Secretary General Board of Global Ministries The United Methodist Church

W WORLD OUTLOOK MAY /JUNE 2006 15 W_ ~H ~E _R _f_ _ T_.._____.H._._____.E___.R...... ______E_---'--___.S ____L______F_E When Liberia' he was fighter ar those dis Yet Taylo tially sue CHURCHES WORK TO J990, his Patriotic BUILD PEACE IN LIBERIA had bro! J990 to 1 tied for c1 BY MARY MILLER ing Liber By A1 had risen ~igeria "We thank God for the elections! We prayed that God would give us smooth elec­ tates ste tions and God did! Now the people will begin to come together!" The Rev. Erlene fire. Whil Thompson's reaction to the outcome of the Liberian elections echoed the senti­ had faile ment of millions of Liberians around the country and throughout the world. upport After 14 years of civil war and two prior election disasters, many belie e and the this small West African country now has its first chance at a lasting peace. a chani Not only were the elections virtually violence-free, but on and oth( November 23, 2005, when the National Elections Commission of allowed Liberia announced the election results, Liberians made history enough I by electing the first woman president on the African continent. held in Mrs. Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf squarely defeated her opponent, Taylor h the popular international soccer star George Weah, to claim army co1 victory in a presidential race originally contested by 22 try. Man candidates. On the Sunday after the election, the people Taylor d of First United Methodist Church in Monrovia, where the war· Johnson-Sirleaf has been a lifelong member, belted out ln thi cc the Hallelujah Chorus and danced in the aisle a fear, Tay their president-elect beamed with gratitude from the 75 perce1 front row. Many in the church believe that with Ins tea Johnson-Sirleaf at the helm, the country is finally on peace, h the road to peace. lus missi Yet even with hope on the horizon, Liberian are unlikely to forget how long the road to peace ha been . The country, rich in natural resource , endured one of the most brutal civil war in We t Africa' history. In 1980, Samuel Doe seized power in a coup in which he publicly murdered Pre ident William Tolbert and all of his senior officials. Doe' hold on power, however, was tenuous, and by 19 5 public pressure prompted him to att mpt to legitimate himself through presidential elections. In an embar­ rassing turn of events, Doe lo t the election but refused to concede defeat. Backed b the gov rnment, which relied on him a a Id ar ally, Doe's authoritati e regim became ev n more r pre iv .

A wo 111n11 cnsts lier vote for pre ident 111 80111 i, Liberin . When Charle Taylor invad d Liberia' Nimba County in 1989, he wa heralded as a freedom fighter and given wide upport by those disenfranchised under Doe. Yet Ta ylor's inva ion was only par­ tially successful, and as early as 1990, hi rebel group, the National Patriotic Front of Liberia ( PFL), had broken into factions. From 1990 to 1996, multiple groups bat­ tled for control of the country, leav­ ing Liberia in ruins. Bishop John Innis gives a sermon at First UMC in Monrovia, Liberia . By April of 1996, the violence Joseph Zeognr/UMNews had risen to crisis proportions, and igeria and other West African at the expense of the Liberian peo­ In March, President John on­ states stepped in to broker a cease­ ple. At the time of hi election, Sirleaf asked for Taylor's return o fire. While nuI)l.erous intervention Taylor had an estimated US 450 that he could be tried for war had failed, this time long-awaited million in earnings from illegal crimes in Sierra Leone. support from the United State trade in diamonds, rubber, and tim­ and the European Union, as well ber. But his wealth did not ultimate­ The Churches Work for Peace as changing politics in Nigeria ly secure his hold on power. Just Even as the war raged around and other neighboring countrie , two years later, new rebel groups them through 14 years of violence allowed the cease-fire to hold long began moving against Taylor, and and bloodshed, churches continu­ enough for special elections to be by 2003, he was forced to flee to ally worked for peace. They held held in 1997. By then, however, Nigeria. strong to what they knew was true: Taylor had grown rich, and his With Taylor out of power, the that death would not have the last army controlled mo t of the coun­ United Nations set up a transition­ word in Liberia. It was the courage try. Many Liberians feared that if al government made up of the of faith put to the test in the most Taylor did not win the elections, leaders of the three warring fac­ difficult of situations that led both the war would continue endlessly. tions that controlled the country at ministers and lay people alike to In this context of intimidation and the time. From 2003 to 2005, these put their liYe on the line to stop fear, Taylor won the election with former warlords became corrupt the destruction. 75 percent of the vote. politician while 15,000 UN peace­ Instead of ushering in a time of keepers-the largest peacekeeping The Politics of Peace peace, however, Taylor continued force in the world-kept Liberia From the very beginning, church his mission of self-aggrandizement from again descending in to chaos. leaders-Lutheran, United Meth­ odist, Catholic, and Evangelical­ were some of the principal motiva­ tors and p articipants in the multi­ ple rounds of peace talks and inter­ ventions to stop the war. One of the religious community's first antiwar efforts was to ensure that the early conflict between Doe and Ta ylor did not become a religious I war. Taylor's rebels had begun targeting not only Krahns, Pres­ ident Doe's ethnic group, but also Mandingos, m ost of whom are Muslim and were rumored to be Un ited Methodist Bishop Peter Weaver presents n Bible to Ellen John so ~1 - Si r l eaf during n worship service at First UMC in Monrovin, where the new president is a member. Doe supporters. To avoid the Joseph Zoegar(UMNews perception that the war was

EW WORLD OUTLOOK MAY I JU 2006 17 Members of the Human Rights and Peace with Justice Program of the Liberia Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church thrown ir traveled throughout the country from the recording human rights violations the Unit1 and urging the rebels to disarm. master 's Liberia's United Methodist Bishop tration fn John Innis traveled to remote parts to hold k1 of the country regularly to meet with rebel leaders, many of whom were teenage boys. When asked if Bishop Peter Weaver, President of the Council of Bishops, with Bishop Joseph he is E he ever feared for his life, Bishop Humper (cen ter) from Sierra Leone. improver Children at First UMC in Monrovia pres­ Innis replied: "I don't work with Kathy Gilbert/UMNews tr\,I' whicl en t their new president with flo wers. fear. I approach the rebels in a spir­ Joseph Zoegar/UMNews ~·, runru it of love." especially in rural areas-to vote. infrastruc It was this same spirit of love Pastors preached sermons that Since becoming a Christian-Muslim con­ that motivated churches all around emphasized the importance of the January flict, a small body of Christian and the country to become places of political process over violence and johnson­ Muslim leaders established the refuge for thousands of people dis­ urged members to vote not along make na Inter-Faith Mediation Committee placed by fighting. Even now that ethnic or regional lines, but for primary · (IFMC), whose members agreed to the fighting has ended, churches the country as a whole. Rudolph reconcilia lead negotiations between Taylor continue to promote a culture of Merab, lay leader for the Liberia ing to thE and Doe. IFMC leaders met regular­ peace by organizing skills-training Annual Conference said of the and exco ly with the government and the programs for ex-combatants, set­ churches' role in the electoral opportwi rebels and by June of 1990, chaired ting up counseling centers for girls process: "The church has to tay at training. peace talks between the two in and women raped during the war, the vanguard of the community. We neighboring Sierra Leone. As the and providing food and clothing must adopt a posture that allow talks began, IFMC members in to the thousands of internally the country to grow, and that means Liberia held a peace march through displaced persons in the region. encouraging the people to choo e Monrovia, and every day that talks "Peace will be made possible the most capable candidate." continued, lay people and clergy of through the work of the churches," both faiths converged on the United said Bishop Innis in an interview The Candidate of Choice Methodist compound in Monrovia shortly after the October elections. For the majority of Liberians, the to pray for peace. "From the beginning, the church most capable candidate i Mr . As talk after talk failed and the has provided relief to places where Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf. She came fighting dragged on, the churches others could not reach, and the from behind to beat her opponent, worked tirelessly to alleviate as church will continue to be a loving George Weah, with 59.4 percent of much suffering as possible, protect­ and caring community even after the vote in a runoff election. he ing and caring for the people in any the elections." received broad support from the way possible. Eventually, even the Indeed, members of First churche and in particular from her peace marchers came under attack. United Methodist Church in home congregation, Fir t United In July 1990, more than 600 people Monrovia had little doubt their Methodist in Monro ia. Rev. sought refuge in a Lutheran church church would be involved in the Thompson explained, "We know in Monrovia only to be trapped rebuilding of the country after the how she wa rai ed. We grew up inside and then slaughtered by 2005 elections-six of the even with her. She i our daughter." government soldiers. Survivors ran United Methodist candidates who Married at 17 and ha ing rai d to the United Methodist church ran in the elections were member . four children, Ell n John on­ across the street, but most were Churches around the country Sirleaf i no tranger to th po er­ hunted down and killed. were actively involved in prepara­ ty that o man Liberian fac Despite these challenges, the tions for the elections, educating today. She worked in re taurant bu ing table to put h r If churches continued their work members about th importance of P,es1de11 t l for peace throughout the war. voting, encouraging women- through chool and be am a poli t- "

18 NEW W RLD OUTLOOK MAY / JU E 2006 ical ac tivi t early on. Criticized for her arly upport of both Doe and The Fruits of War Taylor, h later spoke out again t them . h was consequently In 2005 , the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees estimated that there thrown into prison and later exiled were still 190,000 Liberian refugees in neighboring countries and more than from th country. While living in 50,000 who are internally displaced . In a war largely fought by child soldiers, the United State , she earned a more than 100,000 excombatants have been disarmed , but the unemployment ma t r' degree in public admini - rate hovers at 80 percent. Perhaps most sadly, Liberia may be one of the few tra tion from Harvard and went on countries in the world where the old have more education than the young- an to hold k y positions in the United entire generation of Liberian c:1ildren has never gone to school , and an estimated Nations, the World Bank, and 85 percent of the country is illiterate. Citibank orporation. ow at 67, she i eager to work for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees: www.unhcr.org . improvement of her native coun­ Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre : www.internal-displacement.org. try, which currently lacks electrici­ US State Department: www.state.gov. ty, runnin g water, and a viable infrastructure. Sine her inauguration on ation of a Truth and Reconciliation trustworthy in government." Rev. January 16, 2006, President Commission for Liberia. She has Thompson also said the church p ledged a "zero tolerance" policy John on- irleaf has pledged to would closely monitor the new to attack corruption and vowed to make national reconciliation her president' administration and u e her international and corporate pledged to send the bishop to primary priority in office. For her, connections to encourage foreign advise her, "especially if anything reconciliation begins by re pond­ investment in the country. (Africa ing to the needs of children, you th, is going wrong." Echoing thi sen­ Today , December 2005) timent, the Re v. Weh Weah Betieh and excombatants by giving them The "Iron Lady" as she is known of Fir t United Methodi t Church opportunities for education and job to many, has also promi ed a gov­ in Buchanan, Grand Bassa County, training. he is al o behind the ere- ernment of inclusion: "Thi govern­ stressed that the church mu t ment will be inclusive of all the " tand trong, preaching the mes­ political partie , warring factions, as sage of the gospel, especially if the well as all ethnic groups. We will leader goes wrong." have a standard becau e we are At the same time, the churches going to make sure we have people have promised to upport of competence and honesty." Pre ident J mson-Sirleaf a she Improving gender relation and face the long road ahead. When increasing the politi al participation asked if the expectations of the of women is al o high on her list. Liberian people for the new presi­ (Africa Week, December 2005) dent were too high, Bishop Inni Fulfilling these and other cam­ responded: "That depends on our paign promises, however, will be an cooperation. We, as members of enormous challenge in a country the church and the country, have to with $3.5 billion in foreign debt and make our contribution. We must U sanctions on the profitable all come together to rebuild the industrie of timber and diamonds. country." Liberians hope that with But the e obstacle have not John on-Sirleaf in charge, their dampened the expectations of her contribution will lead to a future compatriot or their upport for of pro perity and hope. her goals. Ruldoph Merab noted: "[the church will] hold [the presi­ Mary Miller is an assistan t program dent] to her promi es. We know coordinator for the Democracy that the job ahead of her is over­ Program at th e Carter Cen ter in whelming. The country i at rock Atlanta, Georgia , an d a clergy ca ndi­ bottom. But as a church we will date in th e New York Annual help the people to learn how to be Conference.

EW W RLD OUTL OK MAY /JU E 2006 19 Reflections on Seeking ]ustice­ Seeking Peace Trip

by David Wildman photos by Paul Jeffrey

Late in January 2006, missionary Sandra Olewine and Global Ministries executive David Wildman led a delega­ tion to Israel to visit Palestine. The delegation comprised 51 United Methodists from six annual confer­ ences: California-Pacific, California­ Nevada, Northern Illinois, North Central New York, Virginia, and the Oklahoma Indian MissionanJ Confer­ li\'e / < ence. This group of modern-day lent re peacemakers, as diverse as the denom­ We ination, included United Methodists been with ancestry from Africa, India, indudi Korea, Chile, Northern Europe, and rurmin the first peoples of North America and Faces of Pales tinians from Nab/us, Rumanna, and Aboud. An oli Hawaii. Rev. Sandra Olewine, who checkp planned the mission trip, has served as chains< a United Methodist missionary zn tion and bring peace to the Holy schools, communitie from their tum p ~ Bethlehem for 10 years. Land. water, all in the name of Israeli traffic Taybeh is called Efraim in the security. I had visited ome of on theI One of our most powerful experi­ Bible (John 11 :54), the place where these places in 2004 and the change dreds ( ences was staying with Palestinian Jesus went for retreat before finally is amazing. It's horrific to ee the plan tee families in West Bank villages. We heading to Jerusalem. wall zigzagging like a snake aero s appear broke bread together and heard the hillsides through den ely pop­ ~ong, stories of Muslim and Christian The Dividing Wall ulated areas. \\nose families' daily lives under occupa­ We toured the "security wall" in In East Jerusalem, I raeli ettler destroy tion. In Taybeh, a Christian village, several places around East are moving into Palestinian area we met with Abuna (Father) Raed, Jerusalem with members of the one hou eat a time. The I raeli mil­ Acti on who is the priest there. The com­ Israeli Committee Against Haus itary ha bulldozed thou and of In Wes munity runs schools, an olive oil Demolitions (ICAHD). This 30-ft Palestinian home in the name of \\'omer press, and has started a peace lamp high wall was erected, according ecurity. In reality, the demolition mce t project. Their goal is to make and to the Israeli government, to sepa­ are blatant iolation of internati n­ intifad, distribute 100,000 ceramic peace rate Palestinian and Israeli com­ al law that de troy the Pale tinian lilo1·em lamps that burn olive oil and have munities, but in many case it cut economy and community. held \'i, a peace prayer with them. They right through Palestinian commu­ tone location a mo que tand lunch said that if they distribute all of nities, separating farmers from right ne t to th wall. E r ne n i the occ them, God will have to pay atten- their land, students from their the other side of the all can n 1 I la e I

20 EW WORLD OUTLO K M Y / JU E 2006 God chooses those who eem incredibly weak (unarmed Pale - tinian, Israeli, and international peace advocates) to turn us all toward another way. The simple stories of daily nonviolen t resist­ ance, insistence on dignity, Palestin­ ians and Israelis working creative­ ly together, and internationals who A Wo111an in Black member talks with people passing on a Jeru salem Street corner. share this journey are what will Wom en in Black are Israelis who hold a weekly vigil to oppose Israel's. occu pation of the make the difference for Palestine Pales tinian territories. and Israel. longer wor hip there. We also saw internationals gather each Friday David Wildman is the exec utive for places w here new Israeli settle­ to p rotest nonviolently. Human Rights and Racial Justice in ments are being constructed (all ille­ The New Te tament was writ­ Mission Contexts and Relationships, gal under international law). ten by people like the Palestinians General Board of Global Ministries . We saw a m an twist an d today, op pressed under military squeeze through part of the fence occupation, with violence all where there were no Israeli sol­ around them. We heard the biblical diers and no concrete, emerging stories in a different way, held cap­ with scraped knuckles and muddy tive by a 30-ft concr te wall sur­ pants. The w all cannot stop rounding Bethlehem , the birth­ Palestinians from continuing their place of the Prince of Peace who lives, a lesson in creative nonvio­ cam e to ch allenge empire and lent re istance for the rest of us. occupation . We saw several homes that had Luke 18:1-8 describes a ministry been demolished by the wall, of erosion, in which a wid ow including one that now has a road wears down an unjust judge by running through its leveled walls. contin ually d eman d ing justice. An olive orchard across from the The judge never converts or checkpoint area had been leveled by changes his mind about the injus­ chainsaws, not bulldozers, so only tice he perpetuates; he simply gets stumps remained. Meanwhile, at the tired of her resistance. Jesus offers traffic circles in the settlements up this grieving woman living under on the hill, olive and palm trees hun­ occupation as a model of prayer, dreds of years old had been trans­ faithfulness, doing justice, resisting planted to make the settlements injustice, and a nonviolent means of appear as if they'd been there all social transformation and h ope! along and would continue fo rever. Jesus reverses our notion of prayer Whose security is p rotected by and justice. Instead of praying for destroying thousands of olive trees? justice and waiting for God, the w idow stands up, gets in the face of Actions for Just Peace unjust authoritie , and insists on In West Jerusalem, we joined the justice-an example of livin g Women in Black vigil. For 18 years, prayer in the streets, outside the since the beginning of the fir t sanctuary walls. intifada (Palestinian resistance Throughout the trip, we met movement), Israeli women have "widows of hope," Palestinian and held vigil every Friday during the Israeli, who live justice prayerfully Tammi Mott, a United Methodist Ch urch throu gh their daily actions and World Service volunteer, spends her sum ­ lunch hour, calling for an end to mer vaca tion helping to rebuild a the occupation. In West Bank vil­ nonviolently resist occupation Palestinian house that has bee n de1110/­ lages, Pale tinians, Israeli , and even when it seems hopeless. islted by the Israeli 111ilitanJ four times.

NEW WORLD OUTLOOK MAY / JUNE 2006 21 H bron Kites ______--.) by lary Lawren

Tl1 e late aftem oo 11 breeze begins to blow. I go out ide and lea11 out over the balcony and feel tl1 e wind cool my neck and ruffle my hair.

Looki11g so uth, over the Old City, 1 see the kites begi 1111i11g to climb into the sky high above the white houses on the hills.

Two rooftops away, a boy sends up his kite. It is made, like most, of scavenged, synthetic stuff: a sc rap of plastic fabr ic fro m the old awnings of the market stalls. The Ret. Mary Lm.urence i a United Metl10di t pa - Others are mostly black, tor in the eu England Conference who volunteers but his is colorless, tran sparen t, H ith Christian Peacemaker Tea111 in Pales tine. hardly visible at all except for its long frayed edges, which flutter and catch the sun, shimmering like a hexagonal halo around this magical toy, as it dips and dances on its string, moving in graceful curves high above the houses. iwano rganizat The boy tugs tlie string, and tugs again. Jew anc His kite dips and swirls and soars, 1ethodis and dips and soars again. f the G1 Land. Tr And I rejoice to see that here, ollege ii everal o in his curfew-cramped world, helped pr this child has found a way to play, of variou: high above the imposed constraints and fear s: Chaco the checkpoints and the jeeps, the peace the walkie-talkies and the guns. raeli Ar etter fut From the roof he can let his child-spirit fly and dance on the string of a kite, Churche! borne on the wind, fine Ecur reported which blows wherever it will . in Porto , ,tiati ves t Dear God, just for one instant, please, ms and let it touch- peace. Gr let it brush rm fron An Afghan refugee in the Shamshatoo refugee camp in tos ave li Pakista n flys a kite, a pleasure prohibited by the Taliban . the ga tes of heaven. Photo: Paul fe!frei;/ACT International

22 JEW WORLD OUTLOOK MAY / JU E 2006

.. ~,.,.·...-~¥- ...... : .. ~ ,, _,...,.:;_ .. ~ • . - ... ..- .J! -.. .. , ...... ,..~ ••'r;, .,-•• "'"' .. .,, , '"••~,.' I to~.- • ~ - , ~ '•' ' •'' ' • •

NCC Supports Closing of Guantanamo Facility ays small arms and light weapons claim 500,000 The National Council of Churche of Christ ( CCC­ lives each year. Church-sponsored programs in USA) ha upporte~ the United ations report Sierra Leone and Brazil were cited a successful pro­ "Situation of Detainees at Guantanamo Bay," which grams. Staving the flow of arms, public education calls upon the United States to close the Guantanamo campaigns in schools, churches, and the media, and Bay detention facility "without further delay." The government lobbying for better arms-control policies report al o called for American per onnel to be promote a "culture of peace." trained in international standards of treatment for detainees. Bishop Bolleter Receives Award The 54-page investigative report recommends the Bishop Heinrich Bolleter of Austria was honored by cessation of "torture, or cruel, inhuman, or degrading the Austrian government with the Great Silver Medal treatment or punishment, discrimination on the basis of Honor with The Star for his work in building con­ of religion, and violations of the rights to health and nection between Western and Eastern European . freedom of religion." Bolleter oversaw the United Methodist Church in 15 In a letter to US Secretary of State Condoleezza countries as episcopal leader of the Central Rice, NCCC General Secretary, the Rev. Dr. Bob Conference for Central and Southern Europe. After Edgar stated: "Denials of rights and freedoms that the Soviet Union dissolved, United Methodist inhere in man's worth before God are not simply a churches in Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, crime against humanity; they are a sin against God." Hungary, and the Balkan States reestablished con­ nections with the church through Bishop Bolleter's Archbishop of Greek Catholic Melkite Church office. Elias Chacour, an Arab-Israeli cleric, recipient of the Niwano Peace Prize (Japan-based Buddhist peace Mudslide in the Philippines organization) for his reconciliation efforts between A mudslid February 17 in the Philippines buried the Jews and Palestinians in Israel, and the World entire village of Guinsaugon on Leyte Island. The vil­ Methodist Peace Award, was in tailed as archbishop lage had about 1800 residents, and 240 children were of the Greek Catholic Melkite Church in the Holy trapped and buried when the mudslide hit their Land. The ceremony took place at the Mar Elias school. The Rev. Niel Toyhacao, pastor of the United College in the Galilee region. The college, along with Church of Christ in the Philippines, and most of his several other institutions founded by Chacour, has congregation of 70 members were lost. UMCOR will helped promote mutual under tanding among youth be working with the Manila, Davao, and Baguio epis­ of various religious and ethnic backgrounds. copal areas to provide immediate relief and long­ Chacour urged the Israeli government to advance term recovery to the survivors. the peace process and to grant equality and justice to Israeli Arabs. He made a commitment to work for a DEATHS Donald Macinnis, retired missionary with better future for all Israeli citizens. 15 years of service in Taiwan and China, died December 11, 2005 ... Flora B. Stott, retired missionary Churches Can Help Reduce Small Arms with 12 years of service in Japan, died January 2, The Ecumenical etwork on Small Arms (ENSA) 2006 ... Earlene Bell, retired missionary with 19 year reported at the World Council of Churches meeting of ervice in Japan, died January 10, 2006 ... James in Porto Alegre in February that church-backed ini­ Hodges, retired missionary with 13 years of service tiatives to control violence stemming from small in Korea, died January 10, 2006 .. .Florence Riggs, arms and light weapons can and do help the cause of with 15 years of service in Korea, died January 20, peace. Groups that focus particularly on preventing 2006 ... Esta Howard, with 33 years of service in India, arm from getting to children and teenagers do much died January 21 , 2006 ... Fred Gillette Sturm, with 3+ to ave lives. The Federation of American Scientists years of service in Brazil, died January 21, 2006. I .

EW WORLD OUTLOOK MAY / JUNE 2006 23 WINDS OF CHANGE I 0 TORY BY HRI TIE R. HOU • p T BY j Y BLE that en1 olivians made a decision in Methodists in Bolivia see this move a parallel to The in1 December that may reverberate happ ned within th ir own church. Once gov med b dured n through out the world. Evo Morales aries and mestizo leaders (people of mi ed ance tr , u uall a combina­ but de was inaugurated as Bolivia' fir t­ tion of ative Am rican and European), the autonomou chur h, which couroe ever indigenous president. Since the is made up primarily of Quechuan and ymaran m mber , app inted it BoJiYia' country became independent of fir t indigenou bi hop in 1979, the Re . Zacaria Mamani. Bi h p make L Spanish rule in 1825, it has been Mamani predict d that th r t of the countr would on f II w th hon, th ruled by men of Europ an and church's lead. Cauca j mixed de cent. President Morales i ome indig nou Bolivians mauour Aymaran, the on of a pea ant of prophecy. Eugenio Poma, f rmer bi hop of th llish It farmer, and one-time leader of the Bolivia and current coordinator of th World md1 en1 coca grower ' a ociation. He was Latin Am rican w1cil of hurch ( L I), of re i 1 born in an adobe hut and h rd d of Evo Morale brought t ~OCi; llamas as a boy. He wa cho n Pachacutic, a great Inca kin pared c peacefully in a democratic election world." H rul do a'a1n t with 53 percent of the vote, a cl ar The Spani h arri )Uth } majority. when imon Bolivar, wh m th c untr i nam d aft r, 1 d u r \ luti n Uem1

24 WW RLD TL K 11 '\ / ) 1111ages of the healthcare cli11ic staffed by US volunteers to Coclzabn111ba , Bolivia: Su11glasses protect children 's eyes from the harsh UV rays of Bolivia; n 111ot/1 er leaves the clinic with her child wrapped i11 the traditio11a/ wove11 Aqua yo of Bolivia; a US volun ­ teer tests children's eyes.n11d checked their teeth; indigenous girls n11d wo 111 e11 of nil nges cnme to the church-sponsored clinics.

Welcomed by Church Leaders Methodist leaders from South America responded to the election with words of support for the Methodist Church in Bolivia. Bishop Paulo Lockmann of Brazil, President of the Council of Evangelical Methodist Churches of Latin America and the Caribbean (CIEMAL), and the Re v. Aldo Etchegoyen, General Secretary of CIEMAL, sent the following message: "We know the deep commitment of the Evangelical Methodist Church in Bolivia to a total and complete recognition of the human dignity of all members of the indigenous community, so many times marginalized and exploited by powerful financial and economic interests both inside and out ide the country. We stand with your church at this time, which represents the end of one period and the beginning of a new one, filled with responsibility and challenge." The Rev. Carlos Poma, current bishop of the Methodist Church in Bolivia, said: "For the first time in ~OLIVIA the history of Bolivia, with more than 50 percent of the vote, an ·Aymara-Quechua son of Wiphala, Evo Morales, has been elected pre ident of the nation. This is an extraordinary achievement for those of us, the indige­ that ended Spain's colonial rule. nous, the poor, and the excluded. And through the The indigenou population en­ church we realize even more our commitment to help dured much during colonial times, build a new Bolivia with ju tice, equality, and harmony, but despite forced labor and the where the lion and the lamb can feed together. The scourge of European diseases, Bolivian people have voted for a ' ew Heaven and a Bolivia's indigenous people still ew Earth,' for it is with this understanding that we will makes up 65 percent of the popula­ need not only the people of Bolivia, but also the tion, the other 35 percent being Methodist Church, to provide moral, material, and spir­ Caucasian and mestizo. At his ih1al support. Today, more than ever, we must have a inauguration, Morales stated: "I greater commitment to the people." wish to tell you ... the 500-year Dakin Cook, a United Methodist missionary in indigenou and popular campaign Bolivia, stated: "There is great optimism in Bolivia-now of resistance has not been in vain. " for the first time Bolivia has a president that represents (Associated Press) Morales com­ the majority indigenous and original population, and pared decade of discrimination there is a real chance for change. We are all betting on it, again t indigenous peoples in because the alternatives given to Bolivia in the past have South America to South Africa' led only to impoverishment and violence for the indige­ system of apartheid. nous peoples."

EW WORLD OUTLOOK MAY / JU E 2006 Clockwise from top Left: A crowded hillside in La Paz, Bolivia; Homes near Cota111 Alto, Bo/1 pia; an elderly couplt' makeshift clinic in Cochabamba .

Methodist Woman Appointed I\ d th ~ t h dt!:>t P a ' Pre ident Morales began his we p­ un ti ing chang in th g v mm nt by appointing a imira Rodrfgu z Rom r to hi cabin t a th n w M rale-. a.., a "'reJt '1 - Boli ia. \,\! . Bu h ·allt=d . 1 rJI ..., man, Rod- to mm ndmg h1~ mrnanu l chabamba ral f the nf d-

e

in fr m w rk lln.;t1c R. House i.; tile cdito1 1> · d a rd orkin lctlwd1~t 1111ss1(111t1ry to Boli 1111 , 11/-.11 u1/lfnl111fcd t 11 t 1 ' '

'.6 I\\'\\ ORL L Tl I\. I\"\ 1 I -

·-·· - ... . ~ ,.. ,~ - ~ ...... ~ - - ...... ··' •• \ . ·- • • : • • ~ •• • • ... ,, 'l t • • • • WIN DS O F HOPE AMONG THE BO LI VIAN PEOPLE In the context of this historic moment in the history of Bolivia and Latin America, Pastor Gustavo Loza of the Evangelical Methodist Church in Bolivia shared this reflection (translated from the Spanish), addressed particularly to North American mission/mission volunteer colleagues who work with the church in Bolivia. Translation by Nilda Ferrari.

"See, I am making all t~ings new." (Revelation 21 :5) We feel the winds of hope blowing among this multicultural and multiethnic people, winds that envelop east and west, the altiplano, the valleys, and the plains. How many times has [the government] spoken to us about having hope while it con­ tinued to fill its coffers with the suffering and pain of this people? They sold our natural resources , a blessing of God, changing hope into desperation . Today we feel differently, because this wind of hope blows with vigor, surging through our bodies, spirits, and communities. We want to share this good feeling with all of you . May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit (Romans 15:13). This hope is being manifested in our lives in a passion for achieving what we now believe is possible, because we believe in God 's promises that our lives can be renewed with living hope. [God] will wipe away every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; mourning and crying and pain will be no more, and the first things have passed away. (Revelation 21 :4) God promises to make all things new, but requires the participation of those who believe in this hope, to transform reality into a new earth and a new heaven. Here is the challenge: to transform our hope into something that is possible. We are challenged to transform our hope into reality. We cannot leave to chance that others may take advantage of this time, little by little leading us back into desperation. This moment requires our faith , our com­ mitment, our struggle on behalf of justice. We must follow the path of truth and honesty; more than ever, the values of our people must guide our lives: "Do not steal, do not lie, do not be lazy. " The land is prepared , watered by the rains, ready to be plowed for planting. The time for planting has come, to open the furrow and deposit the seeds of our hope. The planting must be done in community, with no one excluded; no one should be a spectator, waiting to see what will happen . It is a time requiring our spirits, our hearts and hands, in order to build a new earth and a new heaven. Only thus will we be able to make our hope a reality and experience a new day: "The renovation of life lies only in a hope that is persistent and certain ..." (Jurgen Moltmann) Just as the multicolored Aguayo tapestry, our people are carefully woven with different colors and figures. How much expectation, how many dreams are brought together when we gather the threads of wool. There are many ideas about how to combine the colors. Much giving and taking , creativity and patience and hard work must occur before the design gradually emerges. Just as in the colorful Aguayo tapestry, fruit of strong , skillful hands marked by suffering and calloused from work; such is the way of life and feeling of our people. Our lives are bound together with the destiny of our people and we will weave our own dreams. In this time , we need the solidarity of the spirits and hands of brothers and sisters of other lands who we know love us and want to walk with our people in this journey. Whoever plows should plow in hope and whoever threshes should thresh in hope of a share in the crop. (I Corinthians 9:1Ob) !1: Casimira Rod rfguez, tl1e nl?w 111i11 is­ of justice in Bolivia. Above: The Gustavo Loza rist sta tue overlooks Cochaba mba . Evangelical Methodist Church in Bolivia

NEW WORLD OUTL K MAY / JU E 2006 27 OUR BASIC BELIEFS IN BUILDING PEACE

TH E UNITED METHODIST BOOK O F DISCIPLINE, 2004

he Social Principles of right to vote guaranteed to all to unchecked aggression, tyranny, The United Methodist adult citizens. We also strongly and genocide. We honor the wit­ Book of Discipline con­ reject domestic surveillance and ness of pacifists who will not allow tain the basic beliefs of intimidation of political opponents us to become complacent about T United Methodists as by governments in power and all war and violence. We also respect proposed and confirmed by the dele­ other misuses of p olitical or those who support the use of force, gates of General Conference, the one appointive offices. The use of but only in extreme situations and institutional body that speaks for the detention and imprisonment for only when the need is clear whole denomination . "The Social the harassment and elimination of beyond reasonable doubt, and Principles are a call to faithfulness and political opponents or other dissi­ through appropriate international are intended to be instructive and per­ dents violates fundamental human organizations. We urge the estab­ suasive in the best of the prophetic rights. Furthermore, the mistreat­ lishment of the rule of law in inter­ spirit; however, they are not church ment or torture of persons by gov­ national affairs as a means of elim­ Members o law," says the Discipline. "The Social ernments for any purpose violates ination of war, violence, and coer­ in South A Principles are a call to all members of Christian teaching and must be cion in these affairs. (p. 122) Mike D11 B1 The United Methodist Church to a condemned and/ or opposed by prayerful, studied dialogue of faith Christians and churches wherever <]1165 (B) National Power and practice." (p. 95) A number of and whenever it occurs. and Responsibility passages follow that deal with war, The Church regards the institu­ •We beli( peace, the tools of war (torture and tion of slavery as an infamous evil. Some nations possess more mili­ with the detention), reconciliation, and rebuild­ All forms of enslavement are total­ tary and economic power than do Christ. V ing. They relate directly to various ly prohibited and shall in no way others. Upon the powerful rest an instn articles throughout this edition of be tolerated by the Church. (pp. responsibility to ·exercise their po licy, t! New World Outlook. They are 118-119) wealth and influence with re­ last reso1 identified by their paragraph number straint. We affirm the right and evils a and page number in The Book of <]1164 (I) Military Service duty of people of all nations to ion oft Discipline, 2004. determine their own destiny. We l'O ked i We deplore war and urge the urge the major political powers to We insis peaceful settlement of all disputes use their nonviolent power to max­ ofa llnat <]1164 (A) Basic Freedoms among nations. From the begin­ imize the political, social, and eco­ ful mean and Human Rights ning, the Christian conscience has nomic self-determination of other between struggled with the harsh realities nations rather than to further their human\ We hold governments responsible of violence and war, for these evils own special interests. We applaud itary clai for the protection of rights of the clearly frustrate God's loving pur­ international efforts to de elop a mine thE people to free and fair elections poses for humankind. We yearn more just international economic tarizatio1 and to the freedoms of speech, reli­ for the day when there will be no order in which the limited lenged a gion, assembly, communications more war and people will live resources of the earth will be used ufacture, media, and petition for redress of together in peace and justice. Some to the maximum benefit of all arrname1 grievances without fear of reprisal; of us believe that war and other nations and peoples. We urge contro llE to the right to privacy; and to the acts of violence are never accept­ Christians in every society to tion, po ~ guarantee of the rights to adequate able to Christians. We also encourage the go ernment under weapon! food, clothing, shelter, education, acknowledge that many Christians which they live and the economic uently, , and health care. The form and the believe that, when peaceful alter­ entities within their societies to aid co rnplet leaders of all governments should natives have failed, the force of and work for the de elopment of trict ar be determined by exercise of the arms may regretfully be preferable more just economic order . (p. 123) control.

28 NEW WORLD OUTLOOK MAY / JU E 2006 Members of Kabah Methodist Church, Grahamstown District of the Methodist Church in South Africa, are using the church land in Ibhayi, South Africa, to grow food. Mike DuBose/UMNews

We be.lieve war is incompatible We believe in God, Creator of the with the teachings and example of world; and in Jesus Christ, the Christ. We therefore reject war as Redeemer of creation. We believe an instrument of national foreign in the Holy Spirit, through whom policy, to be employed only as a we acknowledge God's gifts, and last resort in the prevention of such we repent of our sin in misusing Ba rbed wire forms part of the wall being evils as genocide, brutal suppres­ these gifts -to idolatrous ends. bu ilt by Israel i11 Pa lestinian lands to divide Palestine from Israeli lands. Pau l sion of human rights, and unpro­ We affirm the natural world as Jeffrey/ACT International voked international aggression. God's handiwork and dedicate We insist that the first moral duty ourselves to its preservation, of all nations is to resolve by peace­ enhancement, and faithful use by their welfare in so doing; in the ful means every dispute that arises humankind. right of property as a trust from between or among them; that We joyfully receive for our­ God, collective bargaining, and human values must outweigh mil­ selves and others the blessings of responsible consumption; and in itary claims as governments deter­ community, exuality, marriage, the elimination of economic and mine their priorities; that the mili­ and the family. social distress. tarization of society must be chal­ We commit ourselves to the We dedicate ourselves to peace lenged and stopped; that the man­ rights of men, women, children, throughout the world, to the rule ufacture, sale, and deployment of youth, young adults, the aging, of justice and law among nations, armaments must be reduced and and people with disabilities; to and to individual freedom for all controlled; and that the produc­ improvement of the quality of life; people of the world. tion, possession, or use of nuclear and to the rights and dignity of all We believe in the present and weapons be condemned. Conseq­ persons. final triumph of God's Word in uently, we endorse general and We believe in the right and duty human affairs and gladly accept complete disarmament under of persons to work for the glory of our commission to manifest the life strict and effective international God and the good of themselves of the gospel in the world. Amen. control. (p. 124) and others and in the protection of (pp. 124-135)

NEW WORLD OUTLOOK MAY / JUNE 2006 29 recruitment, unemployment, homeless­ permane1 ness, and poverty. The Rev. Gary 400 to SC Ma son, a Methodist pastor, serves the constant East Belfast Mission, and Angela This pha~ Miller, a General Boa rd of Global longest. Ministries' mission intern, serves and Cath Forthspring Community Center. paramili! achieve t East Belfast Mission­ by violen The Rev. Gary Mason Metho Ireland is a very small place. The in the 191 whole of the island has 5 to 6 mil­ respon e lion people. The northeastern part van taged of the island is Northern Ireland, Mission, with a total of 1.7 million people: ing cong 700,000 Catholics and 1 million Road Me Protestants. It is now part of the that is im United Kingdom w ith England, gregation Scotland, and Wales. Catholics see we're do themselves as distinctly Irish and Wesley 11 want the island to be one nation. sonal hol Protestants want to maintain the within an link with Great Britain. Sometimes East 81 people from afar see our conflict as ed in 1 98~ a religious war between Protes­ developm tants and Catholics. There is a reli­ staff at E gious component to it (as well as church b[ cultural and economic compo­ $2.7 milli nents), but primarily the conflict is bulk of o over a political difference of politi­ into ocia: cal or nationalistic a.spirations. $2.1 milli The conflict is called "the trou­ ment sou bles," a typical Irish understate­ ently than Roses bloom amid barbed wire along the "Peace Line" at Springfield Road, which ment, because over the past 35 because w divides Catholic and Protestant commun ities in Belfast, Northern Ireland. years, 3,700 have died and 40,000 many gc Kathleen LaCanzera/UMNews work han1 There pre ence THE END OF A PHASE. IN Nazi born the Belfas War Il, th NORTHERN IRELAND prematurE to tally dei by Gary Mason and Angela Miller have been injured. Out of 1.7 mil­ rebuilt in · lion people, those number indi­ Two , The Methodist Church of Ireland is one church body that serves both the Republic cate a serious conflic t. It has Belfast k of Ireland and Northern Ireland (a territon; of the United Kingdom ). In Belfast, touched most families, directly or • son and C Northern Ireland, the Methodist Church sponsors two projects that receive some indirectly. the Belfas support from the General Board of Global Ministries. Forthspring is a community The current phase has lasted 35 Was built center in West Belfast that grew out of the work of Springfield Road Methodist years, and most sociologi ts and that it wa: Church. The center sits right on the "Peace Line," a 30-foot wall that physically sep­ political commentators would berg thats arates the Protestant and Catholic communities of the city. East Belfast Mission, on uggest we are at the end of it. We lo do Wit! the other side of the city, works with Protes tants trying to overcome paramilitary hope the conflict is coming to a 30,ooo pea

30 NEW WORLD O UTLOOK MAY/ JUNE 2006 permanent end, but over the last literally on the church' doorstep. 400 to 500 years, there have b en Today the shipyard employ 100. constant upri ings and conflicts. In a 35-year period, 30,000 employ­ This phase of 35 years has been the ees dropped to a mere 100, on top longest. Within both Protestant of a sectarian conflict that econom­ and Catholic groups, terrorists or ically ripped the heart out of the paramilitary groupings want to community. All employment sta­ achieve their political aspiration tistics in our area are bleak. It i the by violent means. . fifth worst place to live out of 566 Methodist missions were set up electoral precincts. It is the 10th in the 19th century, primarily a a worst place to live ill the whole of response to social needs in disad­ the United Kingdom. vantaged areas. At East Belfast The city is marked by inter­ Mission, we also have a worship­ faces-the politically correct name. ing congregation, Newtownards We call them "Peace Lines," Berlin­ Road Methodist Church. We feel typ e walls that separate the that is important because the con­ Protestant and Catholic areas of gregation is the heartbeat of all Belfast, literally keeping the two we're doing. We are building a communities apart. Wesley twin-track model of per­ sonal holiness and social holiness Current and Future Plans within an urban context. The East Belfast Mission engages East Belfast Mission was found­ in the following ministries within ed in 1985 to engage in community the community: development and service. With 50 • Hosford House staff at East Belfast Mission, our In partnership with Oaklee Hous­ church budget is $100,000 out of a ing Association, Hosford House is a $2.7 million annual budget. The 22-bed hostel for homeless people. bulk of our money is all spilling In addition to accommodations, into social action programs. About Hosford provides training in inde­ $2. l million comes from govern­ pendent living skills and referral to A woman wheels n stroller with a child employment services. past British soldiers near the Holy Cross ment sources• This works differ­ Catholic Primary School in North Belfast. ently than US government funding • Stepping Stone Catholics must p ss Protestant residen tial because we have partnerships with Stepping Stone provides informa­ areas to get to school . many government bodies that tion and advice on employment Kathleen LaCamera/UMNews work hand-in-hand with us. There has been a worshiping presence here since 1826. But as Nazi bombers were going toward the Belfast shipyard during World War II, they dropped their bombs prematurely and the church was totally demolished in 1941 . It was rebuilt in 1952. Two crane dominate the Belfast skyline. Nicknamed Sam­ son and Golia th, they are part of the Belfast shipyard. The Titanic was built here, and I remind you that it was a North American ice­ berg that sunk it. That had nothing Brendan Bradley, who has lost five fami ly members to "the troubles," tutors a student to do with u . In the early 1960 , at an afterschool progra111 at th e Survivors Trauma Center in Belfas t. 30,000 people were working there, Kathleen LaCamera/UMNews

NEW WORLD OUTLOOK MAY / JUNE 2006 31 opportunitie , training, and educa­ tion. One-on-one upport h Ip with letter writing, application forms, in terview technique , job search , and confidence building. Literacy, math, and information technology skills are also taught. • Day Center The Day Center provides 17,500 meals a year and is open for com­ munity events, fellowsh ip , and community contact. • Meals-on-Wheels On average, 40 meals a day are delivered in the area aero s a 20- mile radius. • Youth and Children's Service Safe play areas for children and a safe space for youth activities are top priorities of the mis ion and the ewtownards Road community. • LUK4 Center LUK4 i the East Belfas t Mission youth facility in a fo rmer pub on ewtownards Road. It house a sm all computer network w ith broadband internet access. The center p rovides basic life-skills training, a music and dance venue, and a safe space for young people to hang out. The pub is, of course, nonalcoholic. • Inner East Forum The mission hosts a fo rum of Murnls that honor parn111ilitary groups, such as this 011e, line tire streets of Belfast. Protestant Unioni t and loyalist Recently, with negotiation , some of these !rave been replaced by 111e111orials that honor famo us Belfast residents, such as C. 5. Lewis. Kathleen LaCanrnrn/UM ews orthsp11 groups in the inner east area. The group was e tabli hed after treet ommu11 gelaN violence broke out in 2 01, has an It is a challenging time for an e t nded famil . It remind u extensive membership, and contin­ orthern Ireland, a time of political orthspring w, that od's pr ence i incarnati nal oll'ork within ues to develop . uncertain ty. But the government ha and that r al bodi lik our do f \\ ' t Belfast • Community Project been dev loping a n ighborho d od ' incarnational w rk. ation of u East Belfast Mission networks with renewal proj ct in Ea t Belfast. Ea t Ea t Bel fa t Mi ion will e kt tholic comrr a wide range of local community Belia t Mi ion ha plan for an w rai 6 milli n throu h th chur h uence of th group to develop services for fami­ regeneration project on it it along and 20 million fr m gm· mm nt ion intern wit lies. RoadSpeak, a community art the lower ewtownard Road. The ee it a a kind f ,·ii- project developed by East B lfast kaino Project will become a cent r t Global MU Mi ion, involves five other local for ocial, economic, and en ir n­ wk With You group to encourage arti tic expr - men tal regenera ti on in th area. !er CotAAiun: sion in youth and young adult . Skaino i a Gre k word me ning There i a 1 • Ea t B lfast Mi ion Shop "ten t," a term r oted in hri tian brin \'Our cro th;ir Charity shop provide n arly n w tradition and hi tor . W enga e th rnori c ne __ Each c clothing and furniture at low co t to community b pitching a t nt in it gr w into m an- r idents in th area. mid t nd fferin h pitalit a to nd Prate tan~ he other F ' · or 1

.2 EW W R D TL K 1 '\ I I 1 r 2006 one from the other community is out, fas t. I wa being knocked about new and exciting, but for other it from both side and couldn't get is scary. Th youth team at control of the situation. Forth pring is continually trying I saw a young person run ou of to get young p ople to engage in the club with blood running down cross-community work. Some hi face. I tried to help but his methods have worked well, but fri nds pushed me away. Everyone others have failed. moved out of the club and down to One of the program offered by the Peace Line gates. Three or four the youth team is a vyeekly drop-in other youth workers and I blocked club. Young people come to play the gates so the young people occer, pool, or work on the com­ couldn't get to each other. I saw puter . Initially, these drop-in nights fear, hatred, and anger on their were plit into Catholic nights and faces. Thankfully, we got them to Protestant nights, but we decided to move without further incident. make these clubs cros -community We called the police to come events. We began in February 2006. down and shut all the gates. With We plit the clubs by age. Yomtg the gates shut, the young people people 15 to 18 year old were couldn't have anymore interac­ allowed in on Thursday and those tion with "the other side" for the 11 to 14 on Friday. evening. I ended up going to the On the first Thursday, we were hospital with another youth work­ ready with extra staff: six youth er for x-rays, but thankfully, nei­ workers were inside, and I wa ther one of us had broken any outside with another staff person. bones. We just had some good­ To keep the numbers manageable sized brui es. The young person and fairly even, we would let the who was bleeding had gotten hit first 20 youth from 'each side in and on the head with a billiard ball and then shut the doors. needed three stitches. Thank God The night started off slowly. The no one was seriously injured. young people in the club were get­ eedles to say, we are not ting along well, and I was talking to doing the open club anymore. We the young- people outside who have opted tc do more small cross­ couldn't get in becau e of their age. community group work sessions Forthspring Inter However, once the maximum num­ with young people. The ones we Community Group­ ber of young people were in the have so far are working well. In a Angela Miller club, more and more young people small session, there is more time to Forthspring was established in 1996 showed up outsid . Those outside get to know people closely. In the to work within the local community were upset that they couldn't get in big group, it was us against them. of We t Belfast to address the polar­ and suspiciou that there were more I have two small groups that I ization of the Protestant and of "the other side" in the club than work with in cross-community set­ Catholic communitie and the con- their own. They became more agi­ tings. Both groups came to us and equences of the conflict. I am a mis­ tated and began charging the door. asked to work with "the other ion intern with the General Board Meanwhile, a fight broke out inside. side." In the first group, we are of Global Ministrie assigned to Billiard balls were being thrown, doing team-building games and work with youth at the Forthspring football posts were pulled apart and identity work. We look at what it Inter Community Group. used as weapons, and someone means to be a Protestant or a There is a continuous struggle even put his hand through a win­ Catholic and how each group per­ to bring young people together dow. When the doors opened, ceives the other. After several across their community bound­ young people outside were tram­ months, they are still quite shy and aries. Each community, Catholic pling me to get in; if there wa a awkward around one another but and Protestant, lives eparate from fight they wanted to be part of it. do hare more and more each time the other. For ome, meeting some- But inside, people wanted to g t we meet.

NEW WORLD OUTLOOK MAY /JUNE 2006 33 The econd group is new, two ets of girls, one Prote tant and The RoadSpeak Project: East Belfast Mission one Catholic. Initially, they were One of the projects undertaken by the youth at the Luk4 center was a chalk art both very excited about meeting event that used the whole neighborhood as the canvas . one another. When it came time to meet, they became instantly hy The Mexic The streets of Belfast are full of images and slogans: and hesitant. At their request, we In tlii editi ads trying to hook our cash , are hosting hip-hop dancing. The probably graffiti about who people love and hate, shops with s~les , tribal logos. first ession started off with the ue) gives on the night before the longest day in 2004, a tension of teenagers from Luk4 65 Catholic girls on one side and the u border youth group took to the pavements of the L~wer ~ewtown_ards Road ,. Belfast. Protestant girls on the other, with , naries an They had been granted permission from police, city council , community leaders. 10 the youth workers in between. ;I: carried They had chalk in hand , slogans in their heads. When we started dancing, the The group had spent a month of Sundays working up ideas. :,urce or na instructor started moving us all The Me. Their aim : around, trying to get the best for­ To make their mark in chalk on the streets. .\lexico 's pr mation. By the end of the session, To name things normally observed but un-named : public supp all the girls were dancing together, Broken bottles, ripped-up trees , derelict shops. u'lltch. Fran mixing, standing by new faces. I Their aim : Dia: sent po have high hopes for this group. To write slogans that weren't trying to sell anything . Mo ·i, wile It is hard to say what will make To re-color the road . election in · for peace in Belfast. My hope is To make themselves and others think, and perhaps th ink twice . lute·, dee/a that I will have an impact on a few The group worked from evening light into darkness. A mall of the young people I work with. tivitiesdid In turn, perhaps they will have an The next morning ·aroused impact on others. Many people Feet, heads, and hearts met the slogans and scribbles on the pavements along the struggle daily to bring a bit of Lower Newtownards Road . peace here. Their efforts are mak­ .~mctime ·g ing a difference. Sometime~ we 48 hours later the chalk messages were gone, le a. ·ure 01 take big steps and sometimes removed by tutting church caretakers Et'entual small steps; sometimes they are vigilant shopkeepers and the impartial rain . Zipata led going forward and sometimes The team would never forget Mudero1m backward. We hope in the end, we The night they made their mark. will have made more steps for­ The road has changed for them . ward than back. We have to keep People had been stopped in their tracks by a scribble. learning from our failures and find hope in our successes. Though Devised and facilitated by Paul Hutchinson . Images by St ev~ n Wilson . that night in the club is one I never Luk4 Participants: Ryan Flannigan, Melissa Kirkwood, Stephanie Wilson , want to relive, it affirmed that our Elizabeth Harriet, Paul Hutchinson , and Glenn Jordan. work is needed and it guides our future work.

The Rev. Gary Ma son has served churche in Northern Ireland sin ce 1987. He is presently the pastor of Newtownards Methodist Church and director of East Belfa st Mission _as i~e ll as the form er pastor of Spnngfield Road Methodist Church. A ngela Miller is a mission intern (2 005-2008) assigned to Fo rthspring as n co rn 111 u­ Pnrticipn11ts i11 the LUK4 Rond pcnk pro1cct. nity youth worker. teve Wilso 11 /Ron d peak

34 TL K M YI J 2006

' • ,, ,. "" ... , ,;.,:,. , ·, ..... t . ). • -4• • .., .- ~ '"'• •" • ••." :,. .,. ,,\ • 0 ) 0 .. _, • ".' , ~ " ; , I I f' !> ( \ ' ' 1 ° t • . . . I 95YEAR~ AGO

Th e M exican Situation The rushing of troops to Texas by In this edition of "95 Years Ago," one of the editors of The Missionary Voice the President, whatever may have (probably Mrs. A. L. Marshall, since George B. Winton started work on the June been the intention, doubtless had a issue) gives a quick snapshot of the Mexican Revolution simmering south of the sobering effect on the situation. US border (May, 1911, p. 13). The Missionary Voice generally credited mis­ This, together with the widespread sionaries and mission executives for articles and letters they contributed, but it and unconcealed dissatisfaction of also carried long editorials and explana tions of mission activities withou t any the Mexican people and the grow­ source or name attached. ing strength of the insurrection has The Mexican Revolution began in 1910 over a general dissatisfaction with led to negotiations which promise a Mexico's president, Porfirio Diaz. He remained in office for 35 years despite his settlement without further blood­ public support for democra tic elections, which never seemed to happen under his shed. Let us hope this promise may watch. Francisco I. Madero created a reform party tha t gained public support. be fulfilled, and that the outcome Diaz sent police to arrest Madero in Monterrey and imprisoned him in San Luis may mean peace and progress fo r Potosi, where the Methodis t school Colegio Wesleyano operated. Diaz held the the Mexican people. elections in 1910 and pronounced himself the win ner. Madero fled to the United Our work has suffered no seri­ States, declared himself president, and called for new elections. ous interruption except in the A small group of Madera supporters took up arms in Chihuahua, but their imprisonment of the Gutierrez activities didn 't seem to affect the Methodist missions. "In Mexico the revolution brothers, teachers in Colegio has aroused grave fears for the safety of our workers, yet the work has gone on as Wesleyano at San Luis Potosi. if there were no disturban ce in the country," says an editorial line in the Jun e Nothing was found to implicate 1911 edition. "At Chihuahua, where the tension has been grea tes t-fighting them, and they were released and sometimes going on within the city-the school has been uninterrupted. The peo­ are back at their post. Also there ple assure our workers of their love and desire to protect them." was some damage to our Colegio Eventually, revolution spread. Pascual Orozco, Pan cho Villa, and Emiliano Ingles at Guadalajara at the hands Zapata led uprisings throughout the countn;. The Diaz regime collapsed and of a mob, but it was not great. Madero was elected president b-tj popular vote. Our missionaries have behaved • with admirable judgment, main­ There appears now to be a strong prospect of _a settlement of the trou- taining, as was their duty, com­ bles in Mexico. The insurrection grew to be much more formidable than plete neutrality and so keeping was at first indicated, and has not been easy to handle. free from political entanglement. Their attitude is well expressed by one of their number in the follow­ ing words: "Our duty is plain: Preserve a neutral attitude and try to do all within our power to assist in the upbuilding of a greater Mexico. Regardless of the results from a political standpoint, the Emiliano Zapata (left) souls of men need God just the Francisco Madero (right) same, and to this great task we Postcard images from the must bend ourselves with all the collection of John Hardman energy of our souls. History teach­ es us that it is at times like this when the kingdom of God may Refugees fled to Brownsville, Texas , from Matamoros, advance by leaps and bounds." Mexico, where Lucio Blanco fought the federal garrison for the city. The Robert Runyon ~lzotograph Collection, courtesy The Center for American The MissionaryVoice, History, The University of Texas at Austin. May 1911

NEW WORLD OUTLOOK MAY /JUNE 2006 35 Building a The Center HOPE LIVES ON C\1) celeb san· in 200: ~' ope DESPITE TRAUMA: Internation< RaJn5e)' Mei tiperate tw< --0ne on REBUILDING LIVES Lmrer ity 11th new q1 THAT ENDURED TORTURE ond heali ~l )-and \\. :t Africa: COMPILED FROM RESOURCES uosed), ier OF THE CENTER FOR VICTIMS OF TORTURE Lilieria ( ~005 C\1 ll'a torture ricti Lruted tate~ ~" ~finne ol Perpich, and Rudy Jr., an A olunteer t La11 ool. ~~~MUl\l1 MEI I WELCllMES ; \\ ~\\\\l\16 l8£ V"'RLD Diil RGRllST Ttlff f~ :JUNE 26, 2CJCl5 ~Uti\)E.\:> \3Y 13 J:> ll M

Staff of the Center for Vic tims of Torture in Liberia 111arclted in the United

Jame is 13. When oldier beat him to d ath with tic march d into hi villag in Lib ria, in fr nt of Jame . Th h rrifi they beat some p ople, hot oth r , till haunt him. and burn d oth r to d ath with "I till dr am ab ut it," Jame tir hung around their n k . ldi r Jam and all of th oth r illag r were forced to wat h . Th oldier int rr gated hi father, who kn w nothing ab ut rebel mov m nt . nra d, th

!-.. I \'\ I Building a Center for Healing The Center for Victims of Torture (CVT) celebrated its 20th anniver­ sary in 2005. From humble begin­ nings opera ting out of the International Clinic of St. Paul Ramsey Medical Center, CVT now operates two centers in Minnesota -one on the grounds of the University of Minnesota (1987, with new quarters in 1991) and a second healing center in St. Paul (2004)-and a series of centers in West Africa: Guinea (2000, now do ed), Sierra Leone (2002), and Liberia (2005). Parap rofessional psychosocial agen ts, or peer counselors, trained at th e CVT facility in CVT was the first center for Sierra Leone. torture victims to open in the United States, a project sponsored by Minnesota's governor, Rudy In Minnesota 30,000 victims of develop more effective trategies Perpich, and inspired by his son, torture can be found-500,000 among international human rights Rudy Jr., an Amne ty International across the United States. CVT organizations, providing research, volun teer studying at Stanford works with 200-300 clients each information, and an open forum for Law School. The center's mission year in its US center using a mul­ creative tactics that are being remains the same today: Heal the tidisciplinary method. CVT also applied around the world. wounds of torture for individuals, provides training for healthcare, Most recently, CVT joined other their families, and their communi­ social service, and education pro­ advocacy groups to build support fe sionals who work with torture for the McCain Amendment. ties, an~ stop torture worldwide. survivors. Senator John McCain of Arizona, a Beyond Minnesota, CVT works former Vietnam prisoner of war Lorn/ CVT staff training and orientatio n to build connections with refugee and torture survivor, proposed in Liberia . populations, training refugee lead­ Amendment #1977 to the 2006 ers and outreach workers to provide Department of Defense Approp­ access to care and information to riations Bill. The Amendment called their communities. Thirty other for two provisions: that the Army treatment centers operating in the Field Manual on Interrogations be United States have received techni­ the minimum standard of conduct cal assistance and training from for all Department of Defense per­ CVT, and 16 mor centers on five sonnel and facilities, and that all different continents have benefited US per onnel be prohibited from from CVT's assistance. A new engaging in cruel, inhuman, or project called New Tactics seeks to degrading treatment of detainees.

Who Endures Torture? • More than half of CVT clients were students or professionals in their native countries. • Twenty-six percent of CVT clients were first tortured as ch ildren, often as a weapon against their parents. • The overwhelming majority of CVT clients are separated from a spouse or at least one of their children . • More than a third of clients are under the age of 30. I ' I NEW WORLD OUTLOOK MAY / JUNE 2006 37 De pite the Bush Admini tra­ tion' attempts to ex mpt CIA operations from the amendment's Excerpn intent, McCain refus d to back down and insisted that CIA actions Torture J should not be exempt. Last The December, the Bush Administra­ are diffe tion dropped its opposition, and the Department of Defense bill emotion pas ed both the House and Senate are not with enough votes to override a problem presidential veto. CVT celebrated term or the results. On December 30, 2005, Pre ident Bush issued a signing We havi statement that said: "The executive branch shall construe sections 8106 1. Tortu1 and 8119 of the Act, which purport 2.Tortu1 to prohibit the President from 3. Tortu1 altering command and control relationships within the Armed 4. Tortu1 Forces, as advisory, as any other construction would be inconsistent The cos Training CVT peer co un selors in Sierra Leo ne. with the constitutional grant to the of indivi President of the authority of Som Commander in Chief." This indi­ seling and community activities. Guinea in March 2005 shortly after simply< cates that the Bush Administration The American Psychological it opened offices in Monrovia and theoretil does not accept the amendment as Association recognized the Center a field office in Gbarnga, Liberia. Tortl law but "as advisory." for Victims of Torture Guinea team The population is returning to all our.1 with the American Psychological repatriate Liberia now that fair suppliec The West Africa Project Association 2006 International elections have been held ( ee arti­ said an1 The Center for Victims of Torture's Humanitarian Award for its work cle on p . 16). West Africa project began serving with refugees from Sierra Leone The Liberia project will operate Sierra Leonean refugees in Guinea and Liberia. on the same model as the project in 1999 and expanded its work to As Liberian refugees return to in Guinea and Sierra Leone: expa­ triate clinicians will lead the local Sierra Leone in 2001, as the conflict their home country after decades acadre o there began to subside. By 2002, of conflict and oppression, they staff through an inten ive training There Liberians had replaced most of the will face the challenge of rebuild­ regime, preparing them to lead Liberian 1 ing their lives and healing from group therapy session and do Sierra Leoneans in the refugee another camps. CVT's West Africa work is their trauma in a country with community-outreach work. Thi faplaced now focused on helping these peo­ almost no mental health resources. model not only serve a larg r CoinJnis ple rebuild their lives through coun- CVT closed operations m affected population, it al o create that as r ll'il! retur shown th United Methodist Women Against Torture abductior On April 11 , 2005, Women's Division directors called on United Methodist Women to : nearly un • Study and reflect on the issue of torture and our biblical mandate to "love our neighbors." What does th is mean amidst a these refu "war on terror? " Depo1 • Call on the Council of Bishops and other United Methodist agencies to make a public witness against torture. Charle · trial i1 • Write letters to the editor of your local paper and government leaders about this concern . in creating • Take time in your UMW units, circles , and meetings to reflect, pray, and act. dtild- ok • Visit the UMW website at http://gbgm -umc.org/umw for updated resources on the issu e. drugged, military

38 EW WORLD OUTL K M Y / J E 2006 Torture Has a Human Cost Excerpts from Douglas A. Johnson 's testimony at the confirmation hearings for US Attorney General Alberto Gonzalez.

Torture has a human cost. The Center for Victims of Torture has provided care for more than 7,500 people from 80 different countries. Although there are different physical symptoms associated with the form of torture endured , there is a remarkably common pattern of profound emotional reactions and psychological symptoms that transcends cultural and national differences. The effects can include but are not limited to emotional numbing , depression , dissociation/depersonalization; atypical behaviors such as impulse-control problems and high-risk behavior; psychosis; substance abuse; and .neuropsychological impairment, such as the loss of short­ term or long-term memory; perceptual difficulties; loss of ability to sustain attention ; and the loss of ability to learn.

We have learned eight broad lessons from working with torture survivors:

1. Torture does not yield reliable information. 5. Torture has never been confined to narrow conditions. 2. Torture does not yield information quickly. 6. Psychological torture results in long-term damage . 3. Torture will not be used only against the guilty. 7. Stress and duress techniques are forms of torture. 4. Torture has a corrupting effect on the perpetrator. 8. We cannot use torture and still retain the moral high ground .

The costs to America of abandoning strict opposition to all forms of torture are far-reaching , from the disillusionment and fear of individuals, on the one hand, to complications in our ability to cond uct foreign policy, on the other. Some in the administration argue that harsher tactics are needed . Indeed , popular culture promotes the idea that it is simply a matter of applying a little pressure to get information that will save lives. We know that to be false . Torture is not a theoretical discussion at the Center for Victims of Torture. We know what torture is and we know its impact. Torture does not work. We know from working with victims that torture is an ineffective way to gather information. Nearly all our. clients, when subjected to torture, confessed to a crime they did not commit, gave up extraneous information, or supplied names of innocent friends or colleagues . This is a great source of shame for our clients, who tell us they would have said anything to get the pain to stop . Douglas A. Johnson, Executive Director, Center for Victims of Torture a cadre of mental health workers. There are an estimated 340,000 The Center for Victims of Liberian refugees in the region and Torture can be supported by another half-million internally displaced people. The UN High United Methodists through the Commissioner for Refugees expects Advance, Center for Victims of that as many as 150,000 refugees will return to Liberia. Studies have Torture, #171142. Peter Dross, shown that violence, rape, killings, abductions, and other trauma are Angela Colaiuta, and Holly nearly universal experiences among Ziemer at CVT contributed these refugees. Deposed Liberian president, information for this article. For Charles Taylor, who now stands more information about the trial in Sierra Leone, was known for creating the "Small Boys Units," Center for Victims of Torture, child-soldier units that enslaved, drugged, and forced children into visit http://www.cvt.org. military service. The CVT training facility in Kono, Sierra Leone.

NEW WORLD OUTLOOK MAY / JUNE 2006 39 .\rise t/tcll .. .\rise, all w1 \\11ctlter yor or of tears! Snit firmly: l\e will not answered by Our /111sba11t recki11g witlt For caresses Our sons sir~ us to 1111/ea111 411 tlrat we /, by Mary Beth Coudal tltem of c/11111 patience. Four year ago on Mother's Day, I for her grandma who died several of and advocate for a US mother's We, tire wom arrived at church late with my years ago. Catherine prays for her day never intended the day to be Will be too ti then four-year-old son, Hayden, cousin David, who is in Iraq as a an easy one for mothers. The com­ anotlter cow1 and twin two-year-old daughters, medic. She prays that David come memorative day was not originally To allow our Catherine and Charlotte. I at in home soon. Hayden prays for flowers, long-distance calls, or the back of the Sunday school class his own recently diagnosed heart breakfast in bed. (Although many to injure tlzeit and listened in. condition. of us, myself included, may treas­ From tlze l'Oic The children were discussing Other children chime in. One ure these beloved traditions.) Eart/1 nvoice the theme, "What Is God Like?" prays for ixzmary Brown, a The day was intended to ques­ Our own. It s, "God is strong like a superhero. seven-year-old Brooklyn girl who tion the legitimacy of war, advo­ Disan11!" He can do anything, and he can died at the hands of her parents. cate for healthcare, and take to the Another prays for the children in streets demanding justice. The fl y," said one child. Having liv Iraq. And another child prays for a day's Victorian framers, Julia Ward Joyce, the teacher from Zambia, War, Howe friend of their mother's who was Howe, Juliet Calhqun Blakely, and smiled. "Yes, God is strong like a Franco-Prussi. superhero." She looked at me and hit by a car while walking her dog. Anna Jarvis, were strong church­ tionalist, Ho~ added: "But God is also strong like I noticed the silent tear falling going women who assumed that a Women's a mother. God is strong and soft and down Pastor Laura's cheek as she women were especially good at London in j warm and nurturing and loving." gathers these children's prayers changing the world for the better Boston, Ho I began to cry. Just getting my like flowers to offer to God. and should be rallied for this task. Mother's Peac kids to church evPry Sunday And I think, "God, you better onthe second morning requires Herculean effort. have strong mothering shoulders Julia Ward Howe Throughou That Mother 's Day Sunday was no not to sag under the weight of The writer of "The Battle Hymn of to the pulpit tc different: the fortitude to find and these children's prayers." the Republic," Julia Ward Howe and Universe put on matching, favorite socks; So, while thinking about the was an abolitionist, a suffragist, a poke at the \ the kis es and cajoling to get the prayers of children and the strength writer, a mother of six, and a world Religions on , coats buttoned; the effort simply to of mothers, I began researching the traveler. According to her niece, When she die get out the door. For a moment, I origins of Mother's Day. What I Howe wore her bonnets askew, 4000 people ca felt affirmed. found fortifies my own quest for spoke beautifully, and had a mis­ Now, fa t-forward several years. peace as a mother, both literally chievous twinkle in her eye. Juliet Calhou11 A few weeks ago, I and figuratively in my own In 1870, Howe wrote a procla­ found myself weeping at world and in our larger -mation calling Another founl the back of the children's world. all women to Mother 's Da' Sunday school class once lead their Blakeley, Va ult; ou t of nece .t again. This time, I cry in Our Foremothers' Intent E . St response to the children's By all accounts, the first p1scopal Ct the petitions. Charlotte prays three women to conceive ~hchig an ,

40 l.tise then ... wo111e11 of tit is day! unhinged over hi on's public The clubs inspected food and bot­ '\rise, all women w/10 have hearts! drunkenne a few day earlier tled milk, bought medicine, and Wltether your baptism be of water that he was unable to fini h worked with families suffering pr aching. Blakeley, who sat in a or of tears! from tuberculosis. The club front pew on her birthday (May 13, declared themselves neutral in the ay firmly: 1877), finished the service right War and treated, fed, and clothed We will not ltave questions wh re the pastor left off. wounded soldiers from both the answered by i11·elevt111t agencies, Blakeley called on other moth­ orth and South. Our /111sbm1ds will not come to us, er to peak up and join the tem­ The West Virginia Archives and reeking with caruage, · perance movement. (Churchgoers, Hi tory says: "Jarvis also managed take note, if you sit in a front pew, For cnresses and applause. to pre erve an element of peace in attend church on your birthday, Our sons sir all not be taken from and step in for a distraught pastor, 11s to zmlenrn you ju t may end up founding a All tltat we lurve been able to tench holiday!) them of c/111rity, mercy and Blakeley's two sons, Charles patience. and Moses Blakeley, both traveling alesmen, were so impressed by We, the women of one co1111tnJ, their mother's preaching, that, Will be too tender of tlzose of wherever they traveled, they another country advised their customers and To allow our sons to be trnined and friends to honor and re pect the to injure theirs. word of their mother. From the voice of n devnstated Every year, the sons returned home to celebrate their mother's Earth a voice goes up with birthday with her at the Albion Our own. It says, "Disarm! Methodist Church, now known as Disann!" First United Methodist Church in Albion, Michigan. She lived to be Having lived through the Civil 102 years old. As the olde t li ing War, Howe rallied against the church member, she became "the Franco-Pru sian War. s an interna­ mother of Albion Methodism," and, tionalist, Ho e tried to organize in effect, one of the three founding a Women' P ace Congress in mothers of Mother's Day. London in 1872. That year in Boston, How organized a Anna Jarvis Ann Marie Reeves Jarvis/Libran; of Mother' Peac Day to be observed Another strong churchgoing Congress; Anna Jarvis/ West Virginia on the econd Sunday of June. woman, Anna Mari Reeves Jarvis, Pictures; Julia Ward Ho we, Throughout her life, Howe took taught Sunday chool at St. circa 1908/Libran; of Congress . to the pulpit to preach in Unitarian Andrews Methodist Church in and Univer ali t churche . She Grafton, West Virginia. Her daugh­ a community being torn a?art by spoke at the World Parliament of ter remembered her mother's political differences. During the Religion on "What I Religion?" word : "I hope and pray that war, she worked tirelessly, despite When he died at 93, more than omeone, sometime, will found a the personal tragedy of losing four 4000 peopl came to her funeral. memorial mother's day. There are of her children to disea e. In all, many days for men, but none for eight of her twelve children died Juliet Calhoun Blakeley mothers." before reaching adulthood. Another found r of the modern Anna, the wife of a Methodist Most likely, both Blakeley and Mother' Day, Juliet Calhoun pa tor, organized Mothers' Day Howe were aware of Jarvis's work Blakeley, a ult d her church pulpit Work Clubs to educate women of calling for a Mother's Friendship out of nece ity. At the Methodi t the orth and South on improving Day to mend the rifts between Epi copal Church in Albion, the health and sanitary conditions mothers in the orth and outh Michigan, the pa tor became o of Civil War-torn West Virginia. after the Civil War ended.

WW RLDOUTLOOK MAY / JUNE2006 41 You may use freely, pri11t111 ...... mother's goal of commemorating Mother's Day. She would always

"Every act of motherhood con­ the holiday, her happiness was say, "Good children and peace in j tains a dual intent, as the moth­ short-lived. About ten years later, the world." A mother's request for " er holds the child close and Anna became angry over the com­ peace must be inherent, universal, prepares it to move away from mercialization of her mother's and timeless. her, as she supports the child beloved day and tried to recall the So this year, when my three and stands it firmly on its own national holiday. She filed a law­ children bring me breakfast in bed, feet, and as she guards it suit in 1923 to put an end to the I will ask from them the same against danger and sends it out profiteering taking place over things. I will tell them the story of across the yard, down by the Mother's Day. That same year, she how Julia Ward Howe, Juliet stream, and across the traffic­ was arrested for disturbing the Blakeley, and Anna Jarvis brought crowded highway. Unless a peace at a war mothers convention about Mother's Day. I will ask mother can do both-gather over the selling of carnations. them to help me continue in these her child close and tum her "This is not what I intended," women's footsteps to make the child out toward the world­ said Jarvis. I wanted it to be a day world a peaceful place. I will ask she will fail in her purpose." of sentiment, not profit." In 1948, them to please bring their moth­ she died at 84 in a nursing home, er's prayer for peace to Sunday From Families by her room full of Mother's Day school, because I know God hears Margaret Mead and Ken Heyman cards (although she never became them there. a mother).

When Anna died in 1905, Anna, On a Personal Note Mary Beth Caudal Jr., one of Anna's remaining four I remember as a little girl asking for the General children, swore to bring her moth­ my mother what she wanted for Ministries . er's dream of a day for mothers to fruition. In 1908, young Anna gave away 500 white carnations, one for each mother in the congregation at her mother's church, St. Andrew's. (St. Andrew's is currently a memorial church run by volunteers. Every year on Mother's Day, the doors swing wide open to all the mothers in the community for a service Mother's Day "To Do'' List honoring their work, according to You may want to: Amelia Anderson, West Virginia • be like Julia Ward Howe, writing and publishing your own proclamation on non-violence, Annual Conference historian. The calling for mothers to disarm the world 's armies; church is a historic site open to the • hold discussions and reach out to mothers and the motherless around the world by par­ public from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m . ticipating in United Methodist Volunteers in Mission programs, United Methodist Women , 0 each weekday between April 15 0 UMCOR, or Advance programs; P.. and October 15. The home where • share stories about and celebrate the women in your own family and church family who Anna was born in Webster, West have sought to make peace amidst conflicts, whether they be personal , communal , or Virginia, is also a historic museum, political; open Tuesday through Sunday, • be like Juliet Calhoun Blakeley and preach in churches on addiction or alcoholism as a from March through December.) disease; Because of Anna's advocacy, by • be like Anna Jarvis and advocate on health and sanitation issues, such as the importance 1911 most states celebrated of handwashing in preventing infectious disease; Mother's Day as the second • stand with mothers who have lost children in wars, whether they be mothers of Iraq War Sunday in May. In 1914, with soldiers or Women in Black in Israel-Palestine; President Woodrow Wilson, the • listen to the prayers and concerns of children and, as Pastor Laura did, help children lift US House, and the US Senate their prayers to God; or celebrate the day with sentiment, not profit, as Anna Jarvis intended. approved the holiday. Although Anna achieved her

NEW WORLD OUTLOOK MAY / JUNE 2006

...... •"-" " "'--"·' - '"· - 4' - ~...... ~ ...... ~ ...... "'" ...... ~····• · l ,. ~··.:. 'l . ' . ' . ~

~ %_ Church Camps Help Vietnamese T/ie General Bon rd of Global Ministries ':5"' . . . Global M1n1stnes 475 Riverside Drive, New York, NY 10115 .;:: Children Learn Heritage (bTh e United Methodist Church 212-870-3600 Website: http://gbgnH1111c.org • .§ "E._ ;:::;: "3 vi John Go rdon is n f reelance television producer and writer based in "3 .s s:: ..... Marshall, Texas, writing for United Methodist News Service. ""~ V) ::: s::- -..c .9 ~ Sudan: Hope for Survival, ..... "" In an area better known fo r its Cajun and French influence, a very differ­ ::,.., "3s:: .t; ;:::;: ent language can be heard at Broadmoor United Methodist Church in Harvest for the Future ~ {./) . ;:::: ::..... Baton Rouge, Louisiana . (/)"' ;:::;:0 Twice a year, after Christmas and during the summer, the church hosts Linda Beher is the Communica tions Director for the ~ ~ ~o day camps for children of Vietnamese immigrants. They learn Vietnamese United Methodist Committee on Relief ~ .-s as a second language and more about the culture their families left behind. \D ~ ~ 0 "They need to keep their culture," said the Rev. Tuyet Tran, who leads 0 <..> · s::i...- Jane Ohuma points to a large map of Sudan in the Khartoum office N ., 0 µ.J "' <..> the Baton Rouge camps. of the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR). Her arm Co"' ~~ Tran, who escaped from Vietnam by boat in 1979, is a licensed United sweeps from west to east as she explains the plight of displaced peo­ 2, · ~ . s::i...... -!:: ...:::: Methodist local pastor in Michigan, where she heads a Vietnamese out­ ple in Darfur, 700 miles away. Ohuma is Head of Mission for ..... (/) ~ reach program. UMCOR's agricultural program in Sudan. ~ "'f5 "3s:: ~ <::: s::: . ' More than 25 children attended the fourth annual holiday camp pro­ Funded by a gift from Ginghamsburg UMC in Tipp City, Ohio, C<::"' :§"' gram held in December 2005. the program is based in the Al Daein region of South Darfur. Approx­ 8 .....J s::~ 0 <..> "I've never been to Vietnam," said Diana Nguyen, 11, a sixth-grade stu­ imately 5,200 displaced families work the farms with an average of ·(/)- - <:::: 5 · ~ ..c dent attending the holiday camp. "And so it's a joy to learn about my cul­ five members per family. More than 25,000 benefit from the program. 0 ;::: "' Cl ...... - -!::: ture and where I came from. Here, I learn a lot of Vietnamese words I Ohuma emphasizes that solutions to hunger and livelihoods .....J :::; Co r::.:: 0 s::: never knew." 0 ..c 0 "must address people's needs and be people driven. " For example, <::: - 3: (/) Learning to speak the language helps the children communicate with to strengthen the local economy, UMCOR contracted with local ~ ""~... 3: <» ­ µ.J (/) "3 their parents, grandparents, and other relatives. They also learn songs in blacksmiths to make handheld farming tools. Area landowners .t: ~ Vietnamese. donated parcels of land to displaced fa rmers in exchange fo r a por­ s::: ~ ·.:: ~ According to the Rev. Amy Mercer, minister of missions and disciple­ tion of the crops. ::::::"' -!:::...... c .;:: ship at Broadmoor, the program began as the area surrounding the church An agronomist on UMCOR's field team showed the families how (/) "3 <:::: - became more diverse in the last few years. In addition, she said that the to intercrop, or mingle their plantings, in order to reduce the risk of (/) -2., city's Asian population increased after Hurricane Katrina wiped out an crop loss to disease or predators. ~il' s::i... <::: area near New Orleans wbere many Vietnamese families had lived . Ohuma points out that a suc­ 0-C ::::. "3 "[The cultural interaction is] good cessful harvest reaches into the .t: !::: ...... <::: K .._. fo r our congregation members. It future, providing enough seed "'s:: 0s:: gives them an understanding of who for a new season, cash or barter "''1:::., :E 0() lives down the street and how we can capability, and sufficient food "'. ~ ~ ~ help." until next harvest. ~·;::: <::: s::i... E: ~ The Rev. Tu yet Tran helps Heather Dang In El Ferdous, school girls welcome ~ ~ (left ) and Kimberly Bui (right) visitors to reception center built by ~-t J .. . . : . . .- l l: - .t . ~,..· ~~ ...... 1,,...... 1 r AA r nv t

Stress of Hurricane Recovery Christians Worldwide Plant Olive Causing Increase in Domestic Trees for Holy Land Peace

Violence Michele Green is a writer for Ecumenical News International Daily News Service. John Gordon is a free lan ce television produ cer and writer based in Marshall, Texas, writing for United Methodist News Service. Church congregations across the globe gathered together to plant olive trees and hold vigils in solidarity with Christians in the Holy Much of the damage of Hurricane Katrina is obvious. Homes, busi­ Land the week of March 12 as part of the International Church Action nesses, and churches were devastated by winds and rising waters. for Peace (ICAP) in Palestine and Israel solidarity week. Members of But the storm also took an emotional toll. International Pax Christi and the Young Men's Christian Association Counselors at the Capital Area Family Violence Intervention (YMCA) also took part in the planting events. Center in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, are dealing with an increasing "From Oslo to Cape Town, and from Toronto to Jerusalem, con­ number of crises calls. They believe the stress of dealing with the cerned groups will lobby parliamentarians, hold public meetings, d amage ca used by Katrina will lead to more calls from domestic observe vigils, and plant olive trees," said Hermina Damons, local ~ violence victims. ~ coordinator of the Ecumenical Accompaniment Programme in "Stress of this magnitude, and lasting this long a period of time, :;v Palestine and Israel. Damons told Ecumenical News International r is incredibly hard to deal with," said the center's program director, 0 that the initiative follows a call from church leaders in Jerusalem . Vikki Peay. "And people don' t have healthy ways to cope with it." "Now as the situation continues to deteriorate and opportw1ities The problem is made worse because the storm wiped out the for peace are forsaken, it is crucial for Christians to make their voices New Orleans infrastructure that offered help to domestic violence heard vigorously in the public arena," the message from the church victims. Although the Capital Area intervention center's shelter in leaders said. $: Baton Rouge is open, two of New Orleans' largest shelters for bat­ Fifty Christians from eight countries including Korea, Japan, the tered women remain cl osed . ::::: Philippines, the United States, and Great Britain visited the Holy Peay noted similarities between the increase in domestic violence Land to attend candlelight vigils along Israel's West Bank barrier and m in ci dents in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina and in Miami after plant olive trees in Bethlehem. 0'"' Hurricane Andrew. She said th at Hurricane Andrew had resulted in a 0 The church leaders noted, "Together with the strong and deeply °' 0-percent increase in domestic-violence crises calls. treasured actions of prayer and Christi an solidarity, the churches in "Unfo rtunately, traged y ca uses a tremendous amount of stress. Jerusalem and the Holy Land need you to speak with the moral And the first area that stress surfaces is in the home," said Peay. authority of the Church from the ethical persp ective of the Christian faith ."

A Pnlestinin11 collects the re111 ni11 s o; Lnzn strip olive trees bulldozed by the lsrne/i Dnyla Waller of the Capital Area Fn 11 1ily 111 ilitnry. T/1 e trn11 ks of the trees were often Violence /11t ervention Cent er plays with replant ed on illegal Israeli settle111 e11 ts i11 Nies /i n Moore nl the agennt's shelter in Pnlesti11 e. Bal on Rouge, Lo11isin11n .

. ~ . .... 0 5- ~ ~ ;::::::. _, ., C ~ =- 5 U> "' u ;:..,;;. _, C C::" a_ en - m - .Q_ ~ szr--a r U> c=;~ o ~ ~a 3 Cl.. =:;- filCl..~-:r-,~a::T 0 3c~ a? w ~ '<:: m rn C/) ~o~~ w m~~ = a ~ ~mw= ~ m=2 - ~~ ffim~n · m . m~ o -o c:n~=:J""" [ti ;; ~ ~ _3 {g Cl.. ~ _::::J ~ Q? ~ x · ~ - ~ ~ -- £ - · c er c.5 ~ -0 =­ a a, m ,...._ 2 3 ~ 0 Q . g:> = -·...... = c-:.c-:. $!...... 5 · ~ ~ en c_ CD ;::;: =:T ~ 0 2 . £ § < 0 $l_ en !J> --. ::J- ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 3 S: ~ ~ = "' ~ ;;:T E Cl. CD CD -o n ("") . o_ Q ::::J =- · SR ~ a... ,..... -- - '":rl tn -0 ~~~~ a <"n =- ::::!. • m Local Church Uses NCC-produced Peace Curriculum to Grapple With Tough Contemp­ orary Issues ~ ~ by Shanta Bryant Gyan ~ Each Sunday the adult Sunday school class at the Des Moines, Washington, United Methodist Church meets to tackle some of the most controversial issues in a post 9/11 world: Has the United States allowed fear to manipulate us? Is the United States abusing its superpower status? How should Christians address the issue? Using For the Peace of the World: A Christian Curriculum on International Relations, a resource pro­ duced by the National Council of Churches of Christ in the USA, the group explores the role of the United States in the global arena and provides additional Rhoda Stockwell, who organized the study group, resources for further reflection and action. said the curriculum has elicited spirited discussions For the Peace of the World features in-depth on the topics addressed in the curriculum. "We have essays and Bible studies, including prayers, litanies, a very vocal group who found [the resource] very and other worship resources for use in congregation­ interesting and useful," Stockwell said of the group, al settings. which includes former missionaries and pastors. In six sessions, the 87-page resource offers study James Winkler, General Secretary of the General ,, and reflection on the following topics: Is America Board for Church and Society encourages local G Number One? ; Fear, Security, and Love; Is America churches to make use of "tr. is solidly biblicall y­ God 's Favorite Nation?; Poverty in a Rich World; Self­ based material." Interest and World Citizenship; and Preventing War "This curriculum will help Christians as we seek to with Peace. live holy lives in a confusing and troubled world," Dr. Janice Love, chief executive of the Women's said Winkler. Division contributed an essay on multilateralism, After the curriculum is completed, Mrs. Stockwell which with issues such as religion and poli­ g~apples will form a Peace with Justice committee in her church tics and the churches' witness. to continue the dialogue and take action on many of "Despite the vivid and horrific displays of violence the critical issues in the curriculum. perpetrated in recent months and years by followers of Islam, Judaism, Hinduism, and other religions, we The NCC's Friendship Press, Cincinnati, Ohio, Christians have a notorious track record , too," Love distributes the curriculum, crafted for wrote . "We often fail to acknowledge, much less con­ religious education classes, discussion groups, fess or seek forgiveness for, creating or perpetrating book groups and individuals. violence in the name of our faith ." To order call, 800-889-5733.

~ National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA

EW WORLD OUTLOOK MAY / JUNE 2006 45 T One Delivery Bulk Subscription

INTERPRETER is the official ministry magazine of The United Methodist Church. It enriches the lives of individual Christians and church leaders alike with insightful features on living as disciples of Jesus Christ and helpful articles focusing on local church ministries and missions. l With a bulk subscription . your church saves more than 50°/o off the regular price. T. New World 1 #) Each subscription is $ 6 fo r thret tsunami rec ~ per year when a minimum and Ind ~ of 10 subscriptions are for these t fo " ordered to be delivered Neww to one address. htt

Order O nline: www.interpretermagazine.org https://www.1

or call 1-888-346-3862

46 NEW WORLD OUTLOOK MAY / JUNE 2006 Photo/Art Credits: 4-Courte y Wilson Boots • 5-Jay Coble • 6-Paul Jeffrey, ACT / Caritas • 7-(Bi shop) Courtesy the Methodist Church of Southern Africa • 7- 9-Mike DuBo e 10-13-Courte y the Christian Peacemaker Team • 12 (Dianne Roe)-Paul Jeffrey I ACT International • 14- 15-Larry Hollen / UMCom • 16-Mary Miller • 17-19-Joseph Zeogar/ UMNews • 18 (top ri ght)-Kath y Gilbert/ UMNews • 20-22-Paul Jeffrey I ACT Inter-national • 24-27-Jay Coble • 29-30-Paul Jeffrey I ACT • 30-33-KathJ een LaCamera / UMNews • 34-Steve Wi lson • 35-The Robert Runyon Photograph Collection, courtesy of The Center for American Hi tory, The University of Texas at Austin, and the John Hardman Mexican Revolution Postcard col­ lec ti on • 36-39-Courtesy the Center for Victims of Torture • 40-42-Illustrations by Hannah Reasoner and Catherine Jones • 43-(left) John Gordon, (ri ght) Linda Beher • 44-(left) John Gordon, (right) Paul Jeffrey I ACT Caritas.

Hunger is one problem we can actually UR\:!VING solve + In Africa. severe drought and fumin e threaten the lives of millions of people. In the United States, one out of ten fumilie lives in povert)' and struggles to put food on the table. + Fortunate!)', there are time-tested, cost-effective wars to provide fo od and nutrition, as weU as training and tools. that enable hungry people to feed themselves and their fumilies. + B)' taking just a few minutes of )'Our time, you can help persuade TEMPESTS our nation's decision-makers to take steps to end hunger. New World Outlook's July-Aug ust 2006 wi ll look at the recovery efforts To receive our FREE 12-page booklet, with practical for three m ajor disasters: hurricane recovery in the Gulf Coa t, tips, What You Can Do To End Hunger- tsunami recovery in South Asia, and ea rthquake recovery in Pakistan Call toll-free 1-800-82-BREAD (800·822·73231 and India. In 2005, UMCOR received more than $100 mi lli on D YES, please send me - free ::>f charge­ for these three disasters ($41.5 million for the tsunami, $62 mill ion Wbat You Can Do To End Hunger. for hurrica nes 2005, $300,000 for the ea rthquake) .

New World Outlook will look at UMCOR's long-term plan PLEA S E PR I NT fo r recovery.

For single copies, e-store orders: CITI' ______STATE ZIP ___ http://gbgm-umc.o rg/e-store or call 1-800-305-9857 Visit our Web site at www.bread.org. For subscriptions: https://www.cambeywes t.com/ nwo/ nwopaid s.asp or call 1-877-881 -2385 ~ Bread for the World 1 ~ Seekmg j11st1ce. Endmg Hunger. 50 F Stree t NW, Suite 500 ~Global Ministries Washi ngton. DC 20001 ~ I ®~ he United Methodist Ch urc h A006NWO

NEW WORLD OUTLOOK MAY / JUNE 2006 47 I B OUT. ••