(the above caption is Peggy involved in the training Muslim Peacemaking Teams)

Christian Peacemaker Teams are to be remembered during this season. Many people are doing the work of peace around the globe even now. We remember Art and Peggy Gish

The following is an email I received last week. Peggy is in Iraq and her husband art is serving in Hebron.

23 December 2007
IRAQ REFLECTION: The Light shines in the darkness

by Peggy Gish

"--The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light." (Matt. 4:16A)
"The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it."
(John 1:3)

As we celebrate God's light and hope breaking into the world, I write from a
place so tangled in violence that people talk about it as if there were no
good solution to or way out of the violence. Each year in Iraq, the
hopelessness and darkness seem to increase.

People we talk to from south and central Iraq tell us stories of Iraqis
living with continual violence in the form of explosions, fighting between
militias, coalition force operations, killings by police death squads,
kidnappings. To these hardships, they add the stories of human suffering
from structural violence, such as a broken health care system and oppressive
or corrupt economic practices. Iraqis fear that the recent decrease in
violence is temporary and not indicative of a substantial strengthening of
society and governmental unity.

People in the Kurdistan Regional Government are thankful for more security
on the streets, but realize that for them this security has come at the
price of restricted freedom and human rights. Just as in the rest of Iraq,
life is hard. People have little access to electricity or water, health
care or government services. Kurdish Iraqis live in fear that terrorism
will move into their region. They realize that the U.S. is here primarily
for its own interests, not theirs, but also believe that presence might
protect them from Turkey and Iran.

So, what is the good news of Advent for the Iraqi people? How does the
light break into the darkness here? Has God forgotten them, or is God
entering into their world?

These are questions we ask as we live among the people and walk with them in
their struggles. We do not see corrupt and violent institutions or
international powers dramatically turning around. What we see are some
people willing to speak out when it is risky to do so, people giving
themselves to help others in need or to rebuild their society.

Sometimes we see light breaking through in institutions and people who have
a vision of another way of getting out of Iraq's chaos. These ways include
revealing the truth, working for reconciliation, and using the power of love
and nonviolent confrontation to stop the cycles of violence.

We hold on to the faith that the power of God's light is stronger than the
darkness. Wherever people are open to God's Spirit of love and truth, God
will enter their midst and work among and through them to break down the
walls of hostility. We pray that we can be witnesses to the light breaking
in and will find ways to be part of God's work of healing and establishing
justice.

riley's 3rd christmas

This is my delight, thus to wait and watch at the wayside
where shadow chases light and the rain comes in the wake of the summer.
Messengers, with tidings from unknown skies, greet me and speed along the road.
My heart is glad within, and the breath of the passing breeze is sweet.
From dawn till dusk I sit before my door,
and I know that of a sudden the happy moment will arrive when I shall see.

In the meanwhile I smile and I sing all alone.
In the meanwhile the air is filling
with the perfume of promise.

Rabindranth Tagore

* * *

looking, watching, waiting...

The past few months have been quite a ride...
As many know I finished my prerequisites at Columbus State for Nursing School. I applied to Mount Carmel College of Nursing and did not get in. It was very discouraging to me, but Kerri and I resolved to keep our head up and find "plan G". So I decided to heavily seek full time employment and found some good leads and apply to other programs. I had to choose between two very good jobs and chose to work with Franklin County MRDD. After a months worth of tests, interviews, and waiting, I got a call letting me know that they would not be able to hire me after all. My driving record was uninsurable. 8 points. I felt like a felon. Pretty devastated about the time that I wasted, I tried to make the best of what I had: a small income doing some painting on the side. That business is growing slowly and I really enjoy the work... but that's not the whole story.

If your still reading, I will continue with something that Kerri and I decided to move forward with. It was a crazy notion that God may be prompting us to adopt internationally. wow... I thought we were doing our part by raising three wonderful children already, I thought we were already in WAY over our head. Yet with no idea of how we will ever be able to navigate this (financially, yes, but more so Mentally!) we move forward in what we feel like is obedience.

Well we are finding out that adopting children from another country requires a lot of our available everything. We have begun some new things... such as new spending habits and financial disciplines... we have been developing new systems and daily rhythms in our home to help make this transition healthier and smoother for everyone involved (all 8 of us!)... we have been selling posessions we thought we could never do without... we were required to buy a life insurance policy, something I never thought I would own... we have been rolling coins, writing thank you letters, and filling out loads of paperwork.

Whatever spare time I have left, I have been looking for a job with benefits. The insurance we carry now is Christian Care Medishare. It is good for our ethics, but it is going to make our adoption much more complicated. The coverage they offer for adopted children with health complications is limited, and all children adopted from Liberia have at least minor health complications of some kind.

I you are STILL reading, think for a moment about what contacts you might have in your workplace. A referral could really speed up this job search and get us health coverage sooner! (oh, but don't forget, I am fairly restricted because of my driving record...AHHHHH!)

It's Buy Nothing Day!

I'm proud of her

House Visit

Greg Rosser is scheduled for a house visit this Monday, November 12th, from 7:30-9pm. Greg is a mentor of mine. I would not be where I am today (wherever that is) without his influence. Although Greg is a student of Spiritual Formation, I consider him to be a teacher. So come and meet my friend Greg on Monday night.

Stetler Painting

the bruderhof are coming, the bruderhof are coming!

Old friends from the Spring Valley Community are coming tomorrow afternoon to visit. Feel free to stop by and visit with us.

luxus consumption

We must remember that there is nothing in life that is not dangerous, and the greatest danger of all is not firearms, is not edged tools, is not wild beasts, is not tornadoes or earthquakes, avalanches or floods, but it is Luxury; expressed in boy language, it is ice cream, soda water, candy, servants and automobiles; it is everything which tends to make a boy dependent upon others and soft in mind and muscle and to make him a sissy. But hardship, in the sense of undergoing privation and doing hard work like chopping trees and sawing logs, makes a rugged body, a clean, healthy mind, and gives long life. So, boys, don't be afraid to build your own little shack, shanty, or shelter, to chop the kindling wood for your mother, to split up logs for the fun of doing it, or just to show that you know how. Don't be afraid to be a real pioneer so that you may grow up to be a real Abe Lincoln!

If I am talking to men, they need no detailed definition of luxury; they know all about it, its cause and its effect; they also know that luxury kills a race and hardship preserves a race. The American boy should be taught to love hardship for hardship's sake, and then the Americans as a race will be a success, and a lasting one.

-Daniel Beard from The American Boys Book of Camp

Wharton at 70

Against the wind
Originally uploaded by * Michail *

For some time now, Kerri and I have been eager to bring our friends under one roof and hear from some people we respect, admire, know, wish we knew, etc. We are wanting space in our lives to learn from some people who have "gone before".

So we invite you to our home at 197 Dakota for coffee and conversation.

Art Gish is scheduled for a house visit this Thursday, Oct 25th, from 7:30-9pm. Art and his wife Peggy have been active in peace and social Justice work for over 40 years, having participated in the Civil Rights Movement and the Anti-Vietnam protests. He has been part of Christian Peacemaker Teams in Hebron since 1995 and currently Iraq.

Art is a graduate of Manchester College and Bethany Theological Seminary.
He is the author of
The New Left and Christian Radicalism (Eerdmans, 1970),
Beyond the Rat Race (Herald Press. 1972),
Living in Christian Community (Herald Press, 1979), and
Hebron Journal: Stories of Nonviolent Peacemaking (Herald Press, 2001).

Gish is a member of New Covenant Fellowship, a Christian communal farm near Athens, Ohio.

Greg Rosser (sorry no picture of Greg... besides, he doesn't do tanks...) is scheduled for a house visit on Monday, November 12th, from 7:30-9pm. Greg is a mentor of mine. I would not be where I am today (wherever that is) without his influence. Although Greg is a student of Spiritual Formation, I consider him to be a teacher. So come and meet my friend Greg next month.

a good day spent with strong men on the small farm just over the railroad tracks from here. not a hawk in sight and the chickens were quiet.
a stiff fall breeze filled my lungs while we spread compost and shared good memories of last years garlic harvest.
a rain is coming in
so we work fast

another good day spent with a longtime friend. working side by side we share all there is to know of our hearts. I wear thick pants and flannel sleves. He wears torn britches and a threadbare shirt worn by days of honest labor. for a moment, for a thin moment, the communication is clearer than ever. so much so that we almost laugh and cry at the same time. voices joyful as each is understood.

who's in for capture the flag, downtown Columbus?
http://www.newmindspace.com/capturetheflag2007.php

not sure what to pray about?


Pray that next week's Ontario provincial election will bring greater justice
for indigenous peoples including the Algonquins who are seeking to protect
their traditional lands from uranium exploration without their consent.

random thoughts

trey,
the smile on your face... shere joy.... the gap in your teeth. your rosy cheeks. you cuddle up next to us in bed to fall asleep on my chest.


old men... smile at the young men around you
show them all of your teeth... teach them with your peace that life adds up to more that being a hard ass.


making dinner and enjoying one another. I think this is what our family does best. cooking is spiritual in our home. Riey Trey Kerri and I have all participated in the preparation of meals. It is something we all enjoy doing. Riley makes us the best eggs in franklinton, Trey always wants a chair near the kitchen counter so that he can "chip in". Kerri has been coming up with very creative meals and I just like to prepare foods.

"When we make food an intregal part of our lives and our homes, it becomes part of our theology - we are nuturers instead of consumers - co-creaters with God and stewards of God's garden" more with less

Diego Irarrazaval C., speaking of the Chilean liberation struggle, said,

... I want to clarify the basis of our reflection. We are coming to realize that the fundamental root of Christian thought is the question: What is to be done? This is not a doctrinal question like: What do we believe? Nor is it a moral question we raise: How are we to do good?
Given our commitment to those who suffer most and who have the greatest right to head the liberation process, the question, What is to be done? reads more like and ultimatum! We Christians invented neither the question nor the answer. The concrete and actual protagonists of the revolutionary process are those who pose the question. It is the oppressed who demand of us a response, who challenge all Christians who are neither "hot nor cold."

We are finally home here in franklinton. Residential guests is what I like to think of ourselves. That will be our status for years here I believe. It's truly a different world here ... 2miles from where we used to lay our heads at night.

Two nights after we moved in we got our "welcome" to the neighborhood. It was after dark and I was getting ready for bed. As I looked over the back yard I saw a man and thought to myself, "Wow, he sure is pushing that stroller really fast through our yard!" "Or is that my lawnmower?" And it was, along with my grill, fire-pit, and numerous things from the glove compartment of my truck. The next day the neighbors were already on it. One by one, the items started showing up. Each item was handed back to us with a "welcome to the neighborhood...and lock your shit up."

There are more stories, but my favorite happened just this morning. I met Dion in the gardens. He wanted to mow for money. I thought to myself, "why not, he seems industrious. Most other teenagers are off doing other things and Dion wants to make some money." So I gave him a few bucks to mow an entire lot that was severely overgrown creating a wonderful little habitat for city rats. He did a wonderful job and worked quite hard.

This past week, he came to my front door and asked if I had any more work. I gave him a broom and he swept my front porch and walkway for 3 bucks.

He came back again, this time with a friend. We didn't have much for him to do and we were leaving so I told them to come back the next day same time.

They did...
Heather had just gotten home and she set her purse down on the front porch by the door because Riley greeted her with a football... so they played for some time then ran inside to get a drink...

Heather said, "someones at the front door" We only saw a couple shadows through the glass turn around to leave. "My purse is out there!"

I confronted the two boys as they were leaving... They claimed that they didn't think we were home and they were leaving... Heather asked them if they had seen a wallet that was sitting inside of her purse. They immediately said no. I pushed them on it and asked Dion's friend what was in his pocket... "a book for school." A couple more requests to see the book and out came Heather's wallet. "We wouldn't steal from you man" and they left.

Sitting in the pew this Sunday morning and the priest invites the congregation to greet one another in peace... so I turned around and there say Dion with his mother. I smiled at him and went straight for his hand... "peace to you Dion."

We were sitting down for lunch after the service and Dion came to our front door to apologize.

____________________________
currently playing:: go fish : kerri jen riley trey : on the front porch

Quick blog here to ease the pain of studies:
in alphabetical order slightly adapted from a really great blog


1. baseball: I went to a ballgame. beers and peanuts. It was the most american I have felt in years.
2. beards: they just keep growing, if you let them, and lord knows I like to! perfect winter cover, and somehow in my head is my link to monasticism, Anabaptists, Appalachian culture and real good friends. the first time i trimmed my beard i nearly cried, they are that heavy.
3. boating: my boys love it. flying across the water at high speeds. I'm sure they will enjoy sailing all the more!
4. boys
5. camera obscura: underachievers please try harder: great album... helps me study. wish i has the lyricism i needed to produce good music like this.
6. cycling: endurance, the body machine mixture. its all about climbing hills and panting and pushing as hard as you can. it gets to the point where you dont even notice what's around you while riding, just whats in you.
7. guitar: still learning, strumming a bit here and there.. a fumbling picker
8. learning: Learning how to learn... that is something i need to figure out. constant reading and holding your eyes open to the world around you. (most of my learning this year has happend outside of the classroom)
9. listening: a key to learning. i hope to speak much less in the coming days

things growing in my backyard

berries for the birds and the bees
lettuces and cukes (let me know if you want some chinese yellow cukes for your garden)
grapes for everyone
raspberries
potatoes... and the beautiful potato flower
a princess (not in my yard, but it was good to see the smiths this wknd)
and a sweet old cruiser

QUOTE OF THE WEEK:
WHEN THE ENTIRE PLANET SHOPS AT WAL-MART
"Worldwide, so many people shop at Wal-Mart that this year 7.2 billion visits will be made to Wal-Mart stores. Earth's population is only 6.5 billion, so this year the equivalent of every person on the plant will visit a Wal-Mart, with more than half a billion visits left over." Charles Fishman, "The Wal-Mart Effect," 2006
via OCA

david rawlings is absolutely the finest acoustic
david rawlings is nothing short of a masterpiece
david rawlings is always saying things like 'if we ever make it we'll buy real guitars
david rawlings is still around
david rawlings is one of my favorite parts of the album
david rawlings is a special treat
david rawlings is a gift from god
david rawlings is at her flank; together they recorded time
david rawlings is no slouch
david rawlings is my favorite guitar player
david rawlings is heading off
david rawlings is a picking wizard and his close harmonies are spine
david rawlings is a powerful
david rawlings is that good
david rawlings is working and how easy he
david rawlings is
david rawlings is also quite a guitarist
david rawlings is not the
david rawlings is actually my cousin

I wrote this a few years back... a conversation with some friends about taxes/tax resistance brought it to mind. I hope it is still true in my life.

Dear Money,
Some are at ease with you,
others feel guilty about having you as their own,
others... ambivalent.
some dread the thought of life without you claiming that you will make life easier than it might otherwise be.
personally I wish I wasn't taking the time to write you at this moment. You don't seem worth the time, but everything around me tells me you are worth something.
yes, Christ spoke of you often. but he did not address you as I do now. I've been trained to have a relationship with you... He never went there.
Christ spoke of the kingdom of God
Christ's currency was people...
I belong to that kingdom
I don't belong to you and you don't belong to me
I don't like your new twenty's and I don't collect your silver state quarters.
I don't NEED you anymore. My focus in liberation not accumulation.
I don't SEEK you anymore. My focus is the kingdom not wealth and comfort.
I don't TRUST you anymore. As one who is economically regenerated, I don't seek financial freedom, I have freedom from finances.
bank accounts and statement balances no longer wag my convictions.. faith wags my wallet.
call me an idiot, call me foolish and naive... I will no longer white nuckle your false security.

open hands, kingdom vision, jubilee.

eric

this just in from just this farm

Hi friends of Just This Farm:



If you are interested in getting excellent quality grass fed beef this year, raised at Just This Farm, I have a proposal for you.



For the last several years I have been purchasing heifers in early May from another farm, and then keeping them here at Just This Farm for six months. While they are here, I use a rotational grazing system, so that they are eating high quality organic pasture during their stay. I do not use any growth hormones or antibiotics (I don't even know how to). The animals typically gain about 300 lbs over the six months. I then take them to a local, inspected butcher shop at the end of November, and distribute meat in December to those who have placed orders.



This year I am short on cash, but would still like to purchase 4 One year old beef cows in a few weeks, and keep them here as I have in previous years. So I am looking for interested folks who want to buy a cow now - in advance. I have arranged to buy 4 animals from another Organic farmer. These animals will initially weigh about 700 lbs, and the going price this year is $1.50 per lb. (Beef prices are high because corn prices have gone up- and feedlots use lots of corn to produce "corn-fed beef".) Cows are designed to eat grass, however.



So here is the proposal

You buy one whole, or 1/2 , 1/4, or 1/8 share of the cow, and then pay your share of the other costs involved, including transportation and butchering fees, and pay me the farmer, $500 per animal for the work I will be doing throughout the season in watering the cows, moving them using rotational grazing methods so they have high quality pasture, and mowing the fields when necessary.

The total cost for each animal will be approximately $1,800-$2,000 and you would end up with approximately 400 lbs of grass- fed meat for your freezer in December. This equals about $5.00 per lb when all is said and done, (which what I charged last year).

The price for 1/2 would be approximately $1000, 1/4 would be $500, and 1/8 would be $250.



I will have each cow weighed at the beginning and would ask you to pay your share of the initial cost up-front, the remaining costs would be paid at the end.

So, to take me up on the proposal and to become an owner or partial owner of a live cow, (which you can come out and visit if you want this summer) you would need to pay approximately this amount up-front:

Whole cow @ 700 lbs x $1.50 lb = $1,120 (approximate value)

1/2 share = $560

1/4 share = $280

1/8 share = $140



These cows are a Shorthorn/Piedmont cross and were raised at Twin Parks Organic Farm in West Salem, Ohio



Please let me know if you are interested, by either sending an email or calling me at 614-805-5776.



Other news: I will again be at the North Market Farmer's Market this summer in the same spot as I have had for the last 5 years.

I am also helping to organize and will participate in the 2nd Annual Garlic Festival to be held this year at the North Market on Sunday, August 19th.



Thank You.

Kevin Eigel

www.justthisfarm.net

Our "Justice" System. Apathy Is Death

Our "Justice" System. Apathy Is Death

Our justice system isn't any where close to rehabilitative. In fact, it is more destructive than anything else. Have you ever hung out with educated people who have been in and out of jail before? They exist. They have MA's and BA's. They have wives and kids and families, and they want to be a part of the Church. They want to have a good job and help support their families. But they slipped up. Most of these guys just did drugs at one time or another. So they get put in jail, got everything taken away from them and rot for a few years without learning any useful skills. Then they get released on probation. The world shuns them, the workforce shuns them, and they are expected to have it all together in a matter of two weeks: stay clean, have a job, a place to live, and go to their _'s anonymous meetings. Oh, but any drug distributor will befriend them, any gang banger or drug lord. Any pimp will offer opportunity. Sometimes, if their lucky they get a referral to a place like Urbane Knights. They get accountability and learn to manage their lives and get jobs. And we wonder why there are so many relapses, so much returning to the jails. It's because we reject them and don't believe in them. It's because of the "bad person" gene perception that we have and the prejudging. It's because of apathy, because we refuse to trust, to take the risk. And then they choose the easy thing. The dog goes back to its vomite. Have you ever had lunch with and relaxed on a Sunday afternoon with "bad people?" It's really quite nice. But oh, the struggle. If we were under the amount of stress they are in. Surely we who have it all together might be crushed.

adam wilhelm

Audubon Ohio : Columbus Audubon Center

birder's delight

Audubon Ohio is developing the state’s first urban Audubon Nature Center at the Whittier Peninsula site, which has been designated an Important Bird Area of critical habitat. The most exciting element in the Audubon Center project is the opportunity to build within the downtown community. We will empower urban youth to enjoy and protect the nature in their own backyard instead of busing children to nature somewhere in the suburbs or country. Rather than reinforcing the destructive message that everything worthwhile is located outside their own community, we will instead ensure an experience that will return a long-lasting positive impact for the urban community. We will exploit the power of nature to engage area residents in revitalizing their community.

Audubon Ohio, the City of Columbus Recreation and Parks Department, and the Columbus and Franklin County Metropolitan Park District are collaborating on this major “green” project to develop the Whittier Peninsula of the Scioto River into an urban greenspace anchored by an Audubon Center.

Audubon Ohio : Columbus Audubon Center

lent 4 c

today is a good day.

lent 4 c
Jesus' story of the lost son (Luke 15:11b-32) is clearly shaped by the experience of the ‘lost’ children of Israel - the lost and reclaimed children of the forgiving God. (Joshua 5:9-12).

So today we will sow seeds for a garden. It will hopefully produce food. I'm sure the children of Israel were hopeful as they planted those first crops in the land of Canaan.

See the winter is past
and the cooing of the doves is heard

"On the day after the passover, on that very day, they ate the produce of the land, unleavened cakes and parched grain. The manna ceased on the day they ate the produce of the land, and the Israelites no longer had manna; they ate the crops of the land of Canaan that year"

I love this time of year.

When I tell the homeless man at the shelter that he has a great beard his face lights up...

well, here...

see for yourself and fall in love with humanity



http://www.flickr.com/photos/all_the_names_are_already_taken_pfff/sets/1705874/show/

well, this is exciting...
























__________________________________
currently playing:: akron family

I handed in my application for school this week. Here's how my 300 word essay came out:

Why do you want to become a Nurse?

The first thought that comes to my mind when I think of nursing is servanthood. I see it as a position in society that requires selflessness. This level of engagement with suffering leads me to believe that only those with a deep commitment to human need will be able to endure. It is no surprise that the individualism that marks our society has left a hole in this field.

My mother is an RN. I remember the “horror stories” she would tell at the dinner table from working third shift in the ER. I remember playing “one-bounce” volleyball with the cardiac rehabilitation patients. I remember the cards and flowers that would come to our house from grateful patients. Although she has given a great deal of herself, she has also greatly received from the people she serves. Her example motivates me to pursue nursing as a vocation.

Another important factor in my decision is the medical profession’s history of unbiased social service to all people in need. Social status, class, and race are equalized when people find themselves in need of medical attention. Displaced from their daily environment, the patient becomes powerless and vulnerable, placing themselves willingly in the care of others. I want to be one whose presence brings to each patient the full dignity and respect that they deserve as humans.

After school my hope is to work at Mount Carmel West. My wife and I are moving, along with our three children, to the neighborhood of Franklinton to be good neighbors. We are committed to serving the near west side of Columbus. Mount Carmel West has remained in this forgotten neighborhood, despite all of its challenges, as a symbol to its people that the ill will not be abandoned simply because of their poverty.

__________________________________
currently playing::azure ray, november ep

February 20, 2007

WINNIPEG, Man. - Over 8,000 olive tree saplings will be planted this spring in the Occupied Palestinian Territories to replace olive
groves that have been uprooted.

The campaign, Keep Hope Alive, makes it possible for individuals,
churches and organizations from other countries to help Palestinian
farmers maintain their land and source of income, said Mennonite
Central Committee peace development worker Timothy Seidel.

The campaign, initiated by East Jerusalem YMCA and the YWCA of
Palestine in 2002, is well on its way to meeting its campaign goal of
replanting 50,000 trees, said Seidel. Each year bus loads of visitors
participate in two international tree planting days. This year tree
plantings take place Feb. 3 and March 3.

Although MCC is not directly involved at an organizational level in
this campaign, Seidel said he personally supports this campaign
because it helps create international awareness of the challenges
facing Palestinian farmers and the deteriorating economic situation
in the Occupied Territories.

"The whole idea is to use this as a form of non-violent action to
protest the violence perpetrated against the Palestinian people,"

said Seidel, explaining construction of the wall and ongoing tension
and violent clashes with militant settlers restricts access to land,
traditional water sources, markets and cities.

Olive trees, the universal symbol of peace, have been part of the
Palestinian landscape for thousands of years. In addition to being a
valuable source of food, olives provide jobs and income from the
production and sale of olive oil, olive wood and olive based soaps.
The olive tree typically has a life span of 800 to 1,000 years.

Since 2000, nearly half a million olive trees and thousands of
hectares of farmland have been destroyed by the Israeli army to clear
land for the expansion of illegal Israeli settlements and for the
construction of the controversial separation wall in the West Bank.
As well, thousands of ancient trees have been destroyed by militant
Israeli settlers in an attempt to drive Palestinian farmers from
their land.

"The olive tree is more than a source of living for Palestinians,"
said Seidel. "These ancient tree have been inherited from one
generation to another over hundreds of years. These trees represent
their deeply rooted history in the region, a history that Israel is
trying to uproot by uprooting ancient olive trees and replanting them
in their own settlements."

"Hope for Palestinians is a tenuous thing," he added, noting militant
settlers have already uprooted 14 newly planted trees planted on
privately owned Palestinian land as part of the Feb. 3 International
Planting. "Yet the efforts of Palestinian farmers to replant those 14
uprooted trees bear witness to the steadfastness (sumud in Arabic) of
their hope and resistance."

Sponsoring the trees and participating in actual tree plantings
"helps get people involved in what is happening here," said Seidel.
Greater awareness of the issues, he explained, usually leads to
support for other non-violent actions that promote sustainable peace.

Trees planted in the Keep Hope Alive campaign are three year-old
young plants provided by the tree nursery of the YMCA Women's
Training Program, a program supported by MCC, and other local
nurseries. Plantings take place in agreement and cooperation with
landowners and farmers.

MCC has had a presence in Palestine for almost 60 years, first coming
to the region in 1949 in response to the refugee crisis that followed
the 1948 War in which over 800,000 Palestinian refugees were expelled
from their homes and over 500 of their villages were destroyed.

MCC's partnership with the East Jerusalem YMCA (http://www.ej-
ymca.org/) in both their women's training program as well as their
rehabilitation program is just one example of how MCC works with
local organizations to support victims of dispossession and occupation.

The YMCA's women's training program organizes comprehensive training
and provides resources in agriculture, farming, bee keeping, soap
making, food processing, management and other topics that meet the
needs of women, particularly in rural areas.

The YMCA's rehabilitation program supports individuals with injuries
and disabilities resulting from Israeli military violence against
Palestinians. It also provides medical aids and accessibility
facilities to help physically disabled people integrate into their
own community.


Gladys Terichow is a writer for MCC.

the ever sustainable pb&j

A PB&J will slow global warming. Next time you have one you'll reduce your carbon footprint by saving the equivalent of 2.5 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions over an average animal-based lunch like a hamburger, a tuna sandwich, grilled cheese, or chicken nuggets. That's about forty percent of what you'd save driving around for the day in a hybrid instead of a standard sedan. If you were going to have a ham sandwich or a hamburger, you save the equivalent almost three and a half pounds of greenhouse gas emissions.

A PB&J also saves about 962 gallons of water over the hamburger. To put this in perspective, two PB&Js a month instead of hamburgers will save about as much water as switching to a low-flow showerhead.

Have a PB&J and save 12 to 50 square feet of land from deforestation, over-grazing, and pesticide and fertilizer pollution.
sustainablog: PB&J: The Climate-Friendly Lunch

I have some friends that might be eligible for something like this...

http://mcc.org/salt/

it's 4:30 am

I got called in to the shelter tonight. It's been a slow night (if you don't count the heart attack and the sudden seizure in the office doorway). I'm hanging with "brother dave" tonight. He's older with arthritis and can't lay down for very long, so He and I have been chillin at the front desk. He has family in dayton, but got hung up in cbus for a stint. He is a rather impressive man with great knowledge ranging from help with my math homework to community development. We were discussing our move to franklinton and he gave me this piece of advice:

"Eric, a neighborhood is only as bad as the people in it. And if your in it, and you're a light, then the neighborhood just got a little bit brighter."

__________________________________
currently playing::psalters

Democratic Republic of Congo

Readings:
Joel 2:1-2, 12-17 or Isaiah 58:1-12;
Psalm 51:1-17;
2 Corinthians
5:20b-6:10;
Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21.

Fasting and Repentance

by Claire Evans

Ash Wednesday is a day set aside by Christians for fasting and repentance, a
time to examine our lives and return to God's path. Fasting can be a
spiritual discipline that undergirds prayer. In a small way, it can put
those of us who are well fed in solidarity with the poor.

I have often wondered how people who are hungry not by choice but as a way
of life view these calls biblical calls to fasting. When over lunch
conversation I asked a recently returned member of CPT's Congo delegation,
"What do the Congolese people eat?" she said simply, "They don't."
Presumably, she was exaggerating a little - but not much. Over the past ten
years, some four million people have died during the conflict in the
Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)--mostly due to malnutrition and
preventable diseases exacerbated by hunger.

Everywhere they visited, the CPT delegation observed dire poverty. They
also heard the stories of women, health care professionals, and human rights
advocates who clearly connected the violence with the hunger.

Militias and the DRC military alike use systematic and brutal rape of women
and girls as an "inexpensive" weapon of war. Estimates of the number of
rapes range from 50,000 to the hundreds of thousands, and ages of the
victims from two months to over seventy years. Because armed groups attack
women as they work in their fields or collect water, they are afraid to
carry on these normal tasks essential to feeding their families. Once
attacked, survivors are often stigmatized and unwelcome back into their
communities, further shredding the social structure necessary for healthy
survival.

"Before the war," Jeanette, a rape survivor and member of the Church of the
Brethren in Bukavu, told the delegation, "I used to be just like the rest of
you. We were peaceful and were able to live in our homes." Many women
emphasized that if the violence ended, they would not need material aid from
outsiders. If the Congolese could control their own natural resources, they
might even prosper.

Since the nineteenth century, multinational corporations have been
exploiting the natural resources of the Congo--first rubber and ivory, now
gold, diamonds, and coltan. Even if you have not bought gold or diamonds
recently, there is a good chance you have used a laptop computer or a cell
phone. Coltan is an essential component of these items, and 85% of the
world's reserves are located in the Congo. Even if we want to distance
ourselves from the Congo's tragic colonial past, our use of laptops, cell
phones and digital cameras implicates in the current conflict.

What does this mean for our Ash Wednesday themes of fasting and repentance?
Confession - acknowledging our complicity in the exploitation of Congolese
resources by benefiting from it as consumers--is the first step. The next
is taking action to move forward on a path toward justice. We need to
educate ourselves and seek out groups that advocate for a more just economic
system.

Work for and pray for a world no one will need to fast involuntarily.

"Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of injustice, to
undo the thongs of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break
every yoke." - Isaiah 58:6.

+++Prayer:

Loving God, We know it is your will that none of your children should
hunger. May we help bring in your reign of justice
and peace, as we look forward to a day when all your children partake
together from your abundant table.

Amen.

*See: www.friendsofthecongo.org/action,
www.amnestyusa.org/diamonds,
www.oxfamamerica.org/whatwedo/campaigns/no_dirty_gold.

what do you think of this?

http://abcnews.go.com/Video/playerIndex?id=2846568

A brief update...

I'm half way through my first qtr of "back to school". If you read my wife's blog (kerristetler.blogspot.com) then you might already know that I'm going back to school to become a nurse. Reason: we are moving to franklinton (largest white ghetto in the nation only 2miles from where we live currently) and Kerri and I decided to fully involve ourselves in that neighborhood however we can. That involved finding work there. Mount Carmel West is a huge employer in the neighborhood, and they also have a school of nursing that offers a second degree accellerated program. If all goes well, I will start there in January of 08 be an RN by January of 09. Until then, I am aquiring a few science courses that are prerequisites for the program at Columbus State.

I work rather close to school at a homeless shelter called Faith Mission. I work front desk/do perimiter checks/wake men up/make sure they have bedding/etc. At first, the job seemed overwhelming, but now I am liking this job more each day. It is pretty amazing to listen to the stories of each one of these men. I realize that most of the time they are just that, "stories," but seeking to connect with the men there has taught me so much about pain, struggle, humiliation, and the will to live. This is definatly the closest I've ever been to hearing the deep groans and the "crying out" of my city. I feel like this job is a training ground for what lies ahead of me and my family. I feel like such a "beginner" when it comes to serving the poor, those in need, the forgotten, the unheard voices of society. I don't have any answers... I don't know how to prevent homelessness... I have no idea what these people need. But I'm committing to listening for a season.

PRAYERS FOR PEACEMAKERS, Thurs., Feb. 01, 2007

Pray for the small Christian Peacemaker Team in northern Iraq. They are under considerable stress right now as they deal with difficult situations in new and uncertain conditions. Pray for wisdom and safety.
--------------------------
Doug Pritchard
Christian Peacemaker Teams
Toronto ON, Canada

Restorative justice pioneer to speak during Bluffton University Forum

Dr. Howard Zehr, professor and co-director of the Center for
Justice and Peacebuilding at Eastern Mennonite University (EMU), will
present "Doing Justice on the Healing Edge" at 11 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 13,
in Founders Hall, as a part of Bluffton University's weekly Forum
series. This event is free and open to the public.

Zehr is widely known as a major restorative justice pioneer. His
work with the first victim offender encounter program in the United
States helped his insights on the topic grow and his book, Changing
Lenses: A New Focus for Crime and Justice, is considered foundational in
the restorative justice movement.

Prior to his time at EMU, Zehr served as an associate professor and
co-director of the Social Science and the Law Project at Talladega
College in Talladega, Ala. Zehr also served as the director of the
Mennonite Central Committee U.S. Office on Crime and Justice, as well as
founded and directed the Elkhart County PACT, the first U.S. victim
offender reconciliation program, now known as the Center for Community
Justice. On top of his restorative justice work, Zehr has also worked as
a professional photographer and photojournalist throughout the world.

Zehr continues to give frequent lectures and serve as a trainer and
consultant to community groups, justice practitioners, criminal justice
officials and universities throughout the world. Zehr was also appointed
by the federal court to assist the defense and to work with victims
during the Oklahoma City bombing trail of Timothy McVeigh in 1997, which
continues to this day.

Anna Yoder, public relations office

Christian Peacemaker Teams

Don't forget to pray for these folks EVERY DAY

What would happen if Christians devoted the same discipline and self-sacrifice to nonviolent peacemaking that armies devote to war?

Read about how this army reduces violence by getting in the way

when I own a home again, I think I'll install a urinal if there is space for it

1. saves water
2. no more missing
3. easy to clean

Carbs don’t make you fat. Sugar does.

Low carb diet? I won't make fun if you've tried one. But, just so you know why you felt like crap, or in case you were thinking about trying a diet that would send your cholesterol through the roof, drain your brain power, gain twice as much weight back when you finally snap and cause you to be fatigued, cranky, generally miserable and constantly hungry... I give you the following:

Carbohydrates are not the problem. Sugar is the problem. White sugar, brown sugar, raw sugar- any kind of refined sugar, refined flour, refined, processed and de-mineralized packaged foods. White foods are danger bay.

This is how it works. The body needs carbohydrates. Carbohydrates are what is broken down to fuel the brain, to give you energy and is also what the body needs to power all the many of millions of things going on in the body at any one time. Depriving your body of this energy is detrimental to its total functioning.

It is not about the quantity of the carbohydrates you eat, it is about the quality.

This is what happens with the refined carbohydrates after they leave your mouth and head for the depths of the digestive system. Well… Not much actually. Because they are so refined, they do not require much digestion time and so the sugar that comprises these simple carbs (glucose, fructose and galactose) zip through your digestive system and enter your blood stream very quickly. This causes your blood-sugar levels to surge. In an attempt to balance your blood-sugar levels, the pancreas will excrete insulin to stabilize the levels, causing your blood sugar levels to drop. Fast. This sudden drop forces your adrenal glands to secrete adrenalin in an attempt to boost the blood sugar levels back up.

When this fails- you feel irritable, cranky, sleepy, depressed, anxious, stressed, impatient and/or dizzy. This will lend to another sugar craving, or the desire to eat more and the cycle begins. When you get these cravings- you are not searching for some whole grain bread with almond butter are you? No. You want more quick sugar. You reach for the white bread and sugary peanut butter. You go for the afternoon chocolate bar. A couple of my favorite pattycake vegan cookies. You drink another cup of coffee. You reach for a cold Coke or Gatorade. You might even think that a bowl of white rice would be a smart choice. You end up feeding this craving with more simple carbs when in fact your body needs real solid long lasting energy it can use. Ever notice yourself getting hungry an hour after you finish a large meal? Or when you have Chinese food? This is because it is comprised of white rice and food doused in sugary sauces. What was the filler in your meal? Pasta? Potatoes? Bread?

In addition to the roller coaster you are taking your nervous system, pancreas, and adrenal glands on (which get fried enough with the external stresses) we find that we can’t lose weight. But the package of licorice says “Fat Free” right there on the front? But it’s white rice? What could be wrong with that? These refined foods- in their processed forms do not have the minerals and vitamins the cells of the body needs to actually burn them. Whole foods carry with them the keys needed to unlock the cells. With these keys having been stripped away in refining and processing methods, the sugar has no place to go but to our belly’s, bums, arm wings, thighs, chins… in other words- these refined, simple cards get stored as fat.

Our diets these days are so refined that they completely lack the vitamins and minerals we need in order to use the food we’re eating as fuel. These refined foods also lack the fiber needed to keep it moving and so it starts to build up… and up and up.

Have trouble falling asleep at night? Or do you ever notice yourself waking up in the middle of the night with a bad case of spinny brain? This can and often is the result of refined carbs. If you are stuck in the rise and fall cycle of blood sugar, the adrenalin coursing through your veins at bed time will make it hard to fall asleep. As well, if you maintain this pattern for long enough, you won’t even need the refined carbs to kick in the adrenalin ejection, it will do it all on it’s own, thus waking you in the middle of the night in an anxious frenzy. And if you find yourself heading to the kitchen cupboards for a midnight snack… well- I think you now know what that means.

Allow me to introduce you to the good carbs. These are often called complex carbohydrates as they are more complex for your body to break them down. These include such things as whole grains (whole oats, brown rice, quinoa, whole wheat), starchy vegetables (sweet potatoes, squashes), and beans and legumes (soy, lentils, chickpeas). These carbohydrates help your body to maintain a steady level of energy through the day. Due to their complex nature, it takes your body more time to break them down, more time for them to move through your digestive system, more time to enter your blood stream and more time to get into your cells to be burned for energy. These carbs will be used by the cells for energy and therefore not stored as fat as happens with the naughty processed versions. This slow process means that your body is absorbing the vitamins and minerals from the food and provides a steady flow of energy for several hours following your meal. Complex carbs will keep you satisfied longer and you will be less likely to find yourself in the kitchen an hour after dinner opening every cupboard looking for that something to satisfy that craving.

In addition to the energy that carbohydrates provide, diets high in complex carbohydrates, fruits and veggies will also provide your body with the fiber needed to clear out the old and make room for the new. Fiber helps your body naturally metabolize fat and protein and eliminate the waste. Soluble fibers found in fruits, veggies, psyllium (these are the digestible fibers that can hold and store water) are like big brooms that move through the digestive system sweeping up the debris, absorbing liquids for bulk and moving things through- including cholesterol, bacteria, and waste.

This keeps the immune system strong, lowers blood fats, boosts and stabilizes energy levels, helps maintain good brain function and minimizes digestive upset and bowel disorders (including colon cancer).

>From The Economist print edition Dec 7th 2006

The Food Politics: Change the world just by buying certain foods.
http://gaia.org.pt/?q=node/1027

i think i want to go here

Wal-Mart is Fakin It

http://cornucopia.org/index.php/206

Throwing Away by Thich Nhat Hanh

Compassion for a Suicide Bomber

Nowadays we learn that there are many young people in the Mideast, they are ready to die, to blow themselves up with a bomb in order to kill as many as possible. We call them terrorists, and we believe that in order for the world to be peaceful, you have to kill all these terrorists. So you invest a lot of money and energy into what you call the war against terror. The more you kill, the more terrorists you create, because the killing is an act of punishment. Then the family and the friends of the one who is killed burn with the flame of anger, the will to punish. In killing one so-called terrorist, you create three, four terrorists more. That is what is happening.

There are many young people who suffer so much hate and despair, not only in Iraq, but also in Europe, in America. The number of young people who kill themselves every day is enormous. When you are burned by the flame of despair, of hate, of violence, you suffer so much. And as a young person, you don't know much about your mind, about the practice. You believe that the only way to stop the suffering, the burning, is to kill yourself.

I guess for many young people, to die is much easier than to live, because they are overwhelmed by the emotions--of hate, of despair. And then you are told that by dying you might help the cause of justice, and you can go to paradise right away after death.

These kinds of perceptions and feelings lead to the act of suicide bombing. If you look deeply, you see that these people need help. And the operation to kill them is not the right answer. We have to help them to see there is a way out of suffering, that only love and compassion and understanding can solve the problem.

One side is using violence. The other side is responding with violence. And the situation goes on without a chance to stop. The way out is shown by the Buddha. Hate cannot respond to hate. Violence cannot respond to violence. There must be another way. The meditation on compassion is essential.

During the war in Vietnam we were able--myself and many friends of ours--to see that the young Americans who came to Vietnam to kill or to be killed were also victims of a wrong policy. With that kind of insight we tried to work for reconciliation rather than supporting one side of the war.

In my experience, the concentration on compassion is a wonderful practice. You may need only fifteen minutes of breathing deeply and looking deeply to recognize that the other person is a victim of his or her own suffering. That person needs you, needs your help, and does not need your punishment. Suddenly the nectar of compassion is born, your heart is blessed with that nectar, and you don't suffer any more. Instead, you want to do something, to say something, and if you are not capable of loving speech you can write a letter. You can say something kind in order to help that person. But you cannot help that person until you have been able to help yourself. Peace and compassion always begin with yourself.

http://picasaweb.google.com/estetler/TurkeyBowl

Towards a local economy...

My friend Corbin recently posted on the need for societal transformation. One point of emphasis was the need for local and regional identity. While it wasn't his main point or emphasis, I feel as though this identity can become so strong as to chip away at the individualism of our society. I saw this happening when I visited my parents in Uniontown, OH. There is some fascinating history in the area and the locals seem to be in touch with it (a strong local historical society) This deep awareness of an Anabaptist heritage has led to a local identity so strong that tourism is the greatest grossing business in the area. My dad mentioned that tourism is stronger in their little town than the neighboring city of Canton where the Pro Football Hall of Fame is. A local identity is also being emphasized through the work of my very own father. He is superintendent of schools there and has spent the last 7 years of his life making the School a center of community. The Schools there recently finished a collaborative work between the local YMCA, Hospital, and public library, to build an all purpose community center of learning and wellness. I was real proud of him as I worked out at the YMCA and saw a simple building being used as a tool to build community, encourage wellness, and develop local identity.

By Wendell Berry,
from http://www.resurgence.org/resurgence/issues/berry206.htm

"If the government does not propose to protect the lives, livelihoods and
freedoms of its people, then the people must think about protecting
themselves. How are they to protect themselves? There seems, really, to be
only one way, and that is to develop and put into practice the idea of a
local economy Â? something that growing numbers of people are now doing.
For several good reasons, they are beginning with the idea of a local food
economy.

"People are trying to find ways to shorten the distance between producers
and consumers, to make the connections between the two more direct, and to
make this local economic activity a benefit to the local community. They
are trying to learn to use the consumer economies of local towns and cities
to preserve the livelihoods of local farm families and farm communities.

"Of course, everything needed locally cannot be produced locally. But a
viable neighbourhood is a community; and a viable community is made up of
neighbours who cherish and protect what they have in common. This is the
principle of subsistence. A viable community, like a viable farm, protects
its own production capacities. It does not import products that it can
produce for itself. And it does not export local products until local needs
have been met. The economic products of a viable community are understood
either as belonging to the community'?s subsistence or as surplus, and
only the surplus is considered to be marketable abroad. A community, if it
is to be viable, cannot think of producing solely for export, and it cannot
permit importers to use cheaper labour and goods from other places to
destroy the local capacity to produce goods that are needed locally.

"Without prosperous local economies, the people have no power and the land
no voice."

-- Wendell Berry