CPT christian peacemaker teams Vol. XXVI, No. 1; JAN-MARCH. 2016 TEAM REPORTS colombia borderlands europe palestine As peace talks The rights and Seeking refuge and Israel razes villages continue, work for wrongs of crossing connection in a of Jenbah and justice doesn’t end the wall at center of time of borders and al-Halaweh p U.S. electionsp walls p p 5 From7 the Editor p.2 • 1 Corinthians8 13 p.1112 • Biking for Peace p.16 BUILDING PARTNERSHIPS TO TRANSFORM VIOLENCE AND OPPRESSION WORLD MAP CPT From the Editor JENNIFER YODER [email protected] Very early in my orientation at CPT, Tim words in U.S. politics has exploded to the Nafziger told me about CPTer Tom Fox. I surface as a billionaire candidate turns the had traveled to the Ojai Valley in upcoming presidential election into a California, where Tim lived, to learn more reality show. about the organization and the work I’d be We at CPT turn to our faiths, to our doing. Sometimes we sat at the computer partnerships with peacemakers around or called colleagues, but often we spoke the world, and each other for strength in on long hikes, surrounded by the beauty of this violence-filled world. the mountains and the landscape. In 2005, In this edition, you can read Tim Tom, along with James Loney, Harmeet Nafziger’s tribute to Tom and a piece by Singh Sooden and Norman Kember were Tom Fox, himself. In addition, I would taken hostage at gunpoint in Baghdad, highly encourage you to read Captivity by where a CPT team was operating then, James Loney, telling his story of 118 days in while on a CPT delegation. The other men captivity with Tom, Harmeet, and were rescued after 118 days of captivity. Norman; and the struggle for a world Tom, the lone U.S. citizen of the group, without war. You can get a copy directly was murdered 10 years ago, on March 9, from us, simply mark a $10 portion of your 2006. contribution in the included envelope or I often get asked why I do the work I do online toward Captivity. in a world that can seem to grow more 10 years later, we honor the memory of violent by the day. By the time you receive Tom as we continue our peacemaking this, the last several terrorist attacks in work around the world. Read here about the Ivory Coast, Brussels, and Pakistan our persistent peacemaking at borders in may not be the most recent anymore. the U.S. and Europe; in Colombia, Iraqi Fleeing violence, refugees flood across Kurdistan, Canada, and Palestine. oceans and borders in Europe and the US. In Christ’s Love and Liberation, Racist, xenophobic, and Islamophobic hate Jennifer A. Yoder - CPT Communications often hidden with polite talk and code and Engagement Director Mailbag THE HALDEMAN FAMILY, MIKE, RACHEL, & ANNIKA BUCHER SWANK, DECEMBER 12, 2015 FEBRUARY 1, 2016 “In lieu of buying Christmas gifts for each “Blessings to you as you continue to work other, our family (representing 3 for peace and justice in places often generations) recently began a tradition of overlooked and forgotten.” pooling funds to donate to a charity. This year, we are happy to contribute the ANONYMOUS VOICEMAIL, enclosed funds for the work of CPT, DECEMBER 22, 2015 bringing peace and reconciliation to places “Hi, I just wanted to say a small message of turmoil. God’s blessing on you during the to you guys. I’m a Muslim, and I really coming year. appreciate everything you do, not just for us, for everyone. God bless you guys, thank you very much. Peace, take care, salaam.” 2 CPT.ORG | CHICAGO, IL & TORONTO, ON | [email protected], [email protected] WORLD MAP CPT TIM NAFZIGER [email protected] Tim was a Reservist with Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT) living in London, England at the time of the kidnapping of four CPTers: Harmeet Sing Sooden, Norman Kember, Jim Loney and Tom Fox. For more background on Tom Fox’s story and his work with CPT see Pearl Hoover’s excellent essay “The Sermon on the Mount in the Life and Death of Tom Fox”. Dear Tom, On Christmas Day, 2004, These words we shaped with our teeth weeks after Margaret was kidnapped flaming into the gale, and killed shadows flickering and dancing you wrote about an image that came to you: on Alison on the fourth plinth “It was of a land of shadows and on the corner darkness. But within that land candles of the empty square were burning; not many but enough to where so many have marched, have shed some light on the landscape. Some burned before, beneath Lord Nelson’s candles disappeared and it was my sense sandstone glare that their light was taken away for protection. Other candles burned until 3,243 miles away, nothing was left and a small number of beyond the edge of the continent’s rim candles seemed to have their light you spent your last nights snuffed out by the shadows and the separate from Harmeet, Norman & Jim darkness. What was most striking to me quietly burning alone was that as these candles ceased burn, more candles came into being, seemingly promising release to build on their light.” they lied to you for the 105th time they lied to you for the last time Through that long winter one year later for they know not what they do. we spent fourteen cold wednesdays with candles lit Do they Tom? counting the windows on Trafalgar square In London, the news was a scarlet and orange sunset holding vigil for we knew not too much too take in what else to do, all at once; wondering if all was in vain; risk, wondering whether we were right; death, wondering if it was worth it. sacrifice; words collapsed, concrete as The same risks as soldiers we said bullets into your body Walk into the face of death Ron said in an abandoned lot outside Baghdad. “If I am ever called upon to make the ultimate sacrifice in love of enemy, I trust that God will give me the grace to do so.” you said (and Sheila remembered). You can find this poem online with a quick search for “radical discipleship Tom Fox”. It forms a seasonal triptych with A Good Friday reflection on Texas Hold’Em as Lenten Practice...and A Christian Peacemaker Team’s poem: Advent’s Eve, 2005. CPT.ORG | CHICAGO, IL & TORONTO, ON | [email protected], [email protected] 3 WORLD MAP CPT around the world I am reminded of how Easter they are living testimony to the seven paths noted by Wink. Yet as I marvel at their courage, spiritual depth and humor I feel a Thoughts certain heaviness in my heart. All of these paths are steep and treacherous. All of these paths have many Tom Fox Post to CPTers on what would be pitfalls. All of these paths seem to have no his last Easter, March 25, 2005 end. How do you sustain the conviction to keep going when there seems little chance of getting in the way of the millions of armed adults and children and the thousands of individuals, corporations and governments that use them to further TOM FOX agendas of domination and oppression? I’ve made it a practice for a number of Having the opportunity to spend a month years to read one of the Gospels during in Amman, Jordan taking the first step on the week of Easter. This year I’m reading the long journey to develop some capacity Mark. In that Gospel Jesus makes a one for speaking and reading the Arabic sentence theological summary that seems language is a great gift. It has also given me as radical and amazing now as it must have the time to actually read carefully all the seemed to those who heard it two posts on CPTnet and GITW rather than thousand years ago. read a couple and skim the rest. This being “This is the time of fulfillment. The reign Easter week I found my thoughts going out of God is at hand! Change your hearts and to all my colleagues in the field, as well as minds, and believe this Good News!” Mark those speaking and working back in their 1:15 home communities. My prayer for all is The struggle really is with the hearts and that this time of renewal and minds of all those millions of armed people transformation gives them hope for the and the thousands who make up the future and strength for the present. “powers that be” who send them out to Seven Paths to Jesus’ Third Way (from hold onto worldly power rather than “Engaging the Powers” by Walter Wink, subordinate themselves to the reign of pp. 186-187): God. But how do those thousands upon of 1. Seize the moral initiative by creating thousands of hearts and minds become alternatives to violence. changed? It all seems to come down to 2. Break the cycle of humiliation by asserting “agape” – the love of enemy that speaks to your own humanity and dignity as a person. the divine spark that everyone has within 3. Recognize your own power by standing your them. As long as there are human beings ground. there will be conflict. But the ways that 4. Seek the oppressor’s redemption and CPT and everyone else who has if necessary shame the oppressor into experienced a change of heart and mind repentance. can offer as alternatives to violent conflict 5.