Esther

I am a CPT Reservist (part-timer), am married, in my mid-60s, mother of two young adults – a son and a daughter. I was raised in an Old Order Amish family in Goshen, Indiana. I am now a Canadian citizen and a member of Valleyview Mennonite Church in London, Ontario. I graduated from Goshen College with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing. I completed a thirty four year nursing career as a Nurse Manager, a Clinical Nursing Instructor of University of Western Ontario, an Employee Relations Officer, and a Registered Nurse Recruiter.

Where have you worked?

• Delegations in Grassy Narrows/Kenora, Colombia, and Middle East
• USA/Mexico Borderlands, based in Douglas, Arizona
• Grassy Narrows/Kenora in Northwest Ontario
• Hebron, West Bank
• Numerous public witness events - "Shine the Light" Campaign in Toronto and Washington DC, SOA event at Fort Benning, Georgia, other events in North Carolina, Indiana, and Ottawa, Ontario
• Volunteer work in the Chicago office.
• Numerous presentations for churches, and other groups and gatherings. On planning committee for Peace Congress.

How did you get involved?

In 1997, I started participating in humanitarian aid/medical missions to Russia, Cuba, and Honduras, with a growing awareness of economic injustice, systemic racism, white privilege, human rights violations, the politics of power and control, and the ways in which violence is used as means of resolving conflict. Material aid provides short term relief, but does not address underlying causes. Friends of mine were involved in CPT and with their encouragement, inspiration and example, I decided to join.

What attracted you?

CPT expressed a congruence between my faith and belief in Jesus' call to be peacemakers. I was also drawn to the inclusive nature of CPT in welcoming people of faith. Growing up in one of the traditional peace churches made the transition to CPT a "natural fit."

Why are you doing this work?

It is a way of putting my faith into action, moving from being an academic arm chair peacemaker to actively 'getting in the way.' It is a matter of faithful obedience.

What does your support community think about your work?

My faith community is very supportive, and welcome regular reports while I am on project, and presentations when I return. My immediate family have trepidations about my involvement, but are supportive, knowing that I love what I am doing, that I thrive on challenge, and will continue to go outside of my comfort zone, and push out my growing edges.

An inspirational story from your work:

"Maria" was wandering alone in the hot summer sun, in the ditch beside the massive USA/Mexico border wall. The rest of her group had abandoned her because she had leg cramps, one of the first symptoms of dehydration, and she could not keep up the rapid pace. She had no food, water, or money when CPT members found her, near the site where they had been holding a three day fast along the border wall. Maria's only possession was her New Testament which she clutched to her chest. She was immediately given water and bread, then driven back to the CPT apartment for additional food and shelter, while arrangements were made for transportation to a nearby city where her husband was waiting for her. As she departed, Maria gave CPT a gift of thanks, the only item she had left to give: her black nylon Nike ball cap. The cap now hangs on my bookshelf as a reminder that the unforgiving Sonora desert has been denied yet another victim, and that "in as much as you have done it for the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you have done it unto me."

What are the most challenging things about this work?

In the face of sometimes enormous odds, I wonder if what we do actually makes a difference, or changes anything. And yet there are constant reminders that if nothing else, we bring hope to the communities with whom we stand in solidarity. Being immersed into a completely different culture and language is a challenge, yet so enriching as we are warmly welcomed, and learn so much about the people and their history. While we may have daily encounters with risk, danger and violence, we know that we have been trained to deal effectively with these situations, and have made the commitment to get in the way.

What would you tell someone interested in CPT to consider before joining?

Be prepared for a move out of the comfortable pew and experience a radical transformation in their spiritual and personal life.

What else would you like to share?

"You must be the change you want to see in the world". -Mahatma Gandhi

Jan

I am in my early 50s, from Scotland, and a full-time CPTer. Previously I was a teacher of children with special needs. I have an adult son and daughter. I am a member of the Anglican Third Order of the Society of St Francis, but also attend Quaker meetings. I have worked with CPT since 2005.

Where have you worked?

Iraq and Palestine. I also serve on CPT’s Steering Committee (board of directors) as a representative of the Peacemaker Corps (CPT field-based members).

How did you get involved?

I first heard about CPT in 2002 when I attended a meeting about the Israel/Palestine conflict at which a CPTer spoke. Interested, I went on a delegation to Israel/Palestine in August 2003 to learn more about CPT’s work.

What attracted you?

I liked the fact that CPT worked with both Israeli and Palestinian peace groups. In Hebron I noticed that CPTers were very much part of the community in which they lived.

I trained in January 2005 and joined as a Reservist (part-timer), planning to continue teaching full time. However, after spending my six week summer break in Baghdad in 2005, I felt called by God to work full time with CPT. In July 2006 I became a full time CPTer.

Why are you doing this work?

I am seeking ways to actively bring my faith and my peace and justice work together. For me CPT does exactly that.

What does your support community think about your work?

My family and friends understand how important this work is to me. Most are very supportive, although they sometimes worry about my safety. The work would be more difficult without their support.

An inspirational story from your work:

The work is rewarding. Working with others we have helped establish a football/soccer team for the children in the Old City of Hebron, Palestine. The Old City is under full Israeli army control, and the Israeli soldiers were unhappy with where the Palestinian children were playing. However, with a little (non physical) pushing and some encouragement, a compromise was achieved that will allow the children to continue to play. It is a small achievement for Palestinians and Israelis to negotiate and agree over children playing football, but it is a small step in the right direction.

What are the most challenging things about this work?

It can be difficult to live and work in the midst of conflict and suffering. I value the time each morning that the team comes together for worship. My own faith and that of team-mates makes this work possible.

Sandra

I am in my early 30s, a full-time CPTer, a Colombian woman, with a psychology degree from the National University of Colombia. I am Mennonite. I am mestiza (indigenous roots). My family is composed of my mother, my sister, my brother and my pet.

Where have you worked?

Mostly Colombia. I served for a short time in Kenora, Ontario (Canada) and I participated in CPT’s women’s delegation to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and then a exploratory trip to northern Uganda (Africa). I also served on CPT’s Steering Committee (board of directors) as a representative of the Peacemaker Corps (CPT field-based members).

How did you get involved?

I participated in the first all-Colombian delegation to the project. After this visit I felt a strong call to work on justice and peace issues. After a time of discernment on the Spirit as an intern on the Colombia project, I decided to listen to this call and follow it.

What attracted you?

I was drawn to CPT’s focus on rural communities affected by the violence, and the importance CPT gives to the human side of the conflict. It is a real challenge for me to see the armed actor and the oppressor as a human being, and not as an enemy.

Why are you doing this work?

We need to support peace and justice initiatives in a concrete way. This includes the spiritual, physical, political and emotional levels. You can see the difference this work makes for the community members, to know that they are not alone.

What does your support community think about your work?

My family and community think that I am following God´s call. It is true. They recognize that there are risks for me as a Colombian working in my own country, but they trust in God´s protection and they are learning even more about our own country and our conflict.

An inspirational story from your work:

The rural communities with whom we work in Colombia are an inspiration. I can go and visit them any time and come back to my home in a big city. But they are always threatened with violence and they stay there in the countryside, in the midst of the conflict, surrounded by armed actors. The community members, who are the ones who most suffer, share everything with us from their lives, as if we are very old and good friends. Their trust in God´s presence is a key point for their resistance and struggle.

What are the most challenging things about this work?

There is a lot of work to do, and very few people to do it. The structure of economical, political and social violence is so big. We need to recognize that we are not able to change everything. Sometimes life together as a team is difficult and it is hard to keep our energy in balance so we can continue to do this work.

What would you tell someone interested in CPT to consider before joining?

CPT is an experience that will impact the rest of your life. You will never see the world in the same way, you will have the opportunity to add a grain of sand for justice and peace. You will be able to see some Seeds of Peace growing up in the middle of terror and devastation. You need to be a Seed of Hope for your people and my people. We are tools for peace, but the real masters of peace are the people resisting violence and devastation every day.

And finally…..

The opportunity to be very close with suffering communities is a powerful and transforming experience. With our diversity of gifts we need to work closely with those who are suffering and resisting, and we need to allow God´s Spirit to flow through us for a better world.

Sean

I am in my mid-twenties from Springfield, OH. I am a native-born Ohioan, a fifth generation American of Irish and German descent. I am from a family of six, including three sisters, and a large, close-knit extended family. I am Roman Catholic. I have been a student, bartender, political activist in the U.S. and Ireland, grocery cashier, repairman of water coolers; have worked in student life in Italy, and am now a full-time Christian Peacemaker.

Where have you worked?

I have worked with CPT in Palestine, mostly on the At-Tuwani project but also some in Hebron.

How did you get involved?

I heard about CPT while working in Rome. I first read about the organization on CNN.com regarding their work in Iraq and then heard about their Palestine project from a colleague while planning a short personal visit to the mideast. I did a CPT delegation soon after returning to the U.S. and completed training the following winter.

What attracted you?

I was drawn immediately to their hands-on commitment to and reclaiming of a faith that I felt had become co-opted and hijacked by people whose love of neighbor seemed limited to those neighbors with whom they shared a common worldview, ethnic identity, or social class and whose love of enemy seemed nonexistent.

Why are you doing this work?

I believe Christ’s call to pick up our own cross is a call to some form of real action on behalf of our fellow human beings, a call to radical love, and that is something I feel personally called to. I reached a point where I needed something less abstract in order for my faith to remain relevant. I am also doing it for myself. Through this work, I experience immense spiritual and mental growth and am learning, from the people around me, a lot about life and what it means to be a Christian and a world citizen.

What does your support community think about your work?

My family and close friends are very supportive and for that I am indescribably grateful. They are also curious as to what I am doing, and so in a sense are taking the journey with me. They are one of the greatest spiritual strengths in my life. I’m not sure I could do this without them.

An inspirational story from your work:

The day before Easter, shepherds from Tuwani and the neighboring village of Mufaqara came together to graze their sheep in a large valley that had been inaccessible for six years because of a settler outpost overlooking it. Settlers came out with the army and attacked the sheep, trying to push the flocks out. At the end of the day, one settler said to a shepherd that if he came back the next day, he would kill him. The next day, Easter Sunday, more shepherds came than the day before. The army and the settlers watched as a dozen flocks, hundreds of sheep, and families with picnic lunches filled the valley, undaunted by the threats from the day before.

What are the most challenging things about this work?

Accepting the losses. Coming to terms with the fact that our work doesn’t guarantee a happy ending. Also, life in Tuwani is very simple. Along with being its greatest blessing, it can also be a challenge. At times, when the weather is hot and the fleas are biting and food and water are running low, it can be difficult to think pro-actively about the project.

What would you tell someone interested in CPT to consider before joining?

Consider all the options, do a delegation to the project you are most drawn to, think about whether CPT is the right organization for you, and if so, “ahlan wa sahlan!” [Arabic for “welcome.”]

Suzanna

I am a young woman from the United States, who was raised in the Lutheran church (ELCA). Prior to CPT I studied Art History and Italian at Vassar College. I was a full-time CPTer for over three years and am now a part-time Reservist.

Where have you worked?

Mostly with the Colombia Team in Barrancabermeja. Also short-term involvement in CPT delegations to the Borderlands project in Sonora/Arizona.

How did you get involved?

During college I was active in anti-war organizing and Palestine solidarity and awareness campaigns. I think in my heart I have always been a pacifist, but I became an active pacifist in those years. As I was getting close to graduating, I realized I didn’t want to have a ‘job’ in the traditional sense, but rather wanted to be a fulltime activist. I started to look online for ways to do that, and CPT was one of many options that I explored. From there I decided to participate in a CPT delegation.

What attracted you?

On my delegation I was attracted to the openness to creativity and collaboration, and the recognition of each team member as a whole, multifaceted individual.

What are you doing this work?

I believe deeply that addressing violence must be done – confronting the in-your-face violence, and the violence that functions in the most removed way. Challenging both the foot soldiers and the structures of domination and oppression.

What does your support community think about your work?

My family, friends and community support me from their faith perspective, although not as much from their political perspective as one might hope. They try. I try to challenge them in ways that invite them to grow. My younger brother is especially supportive from a political perspective.

An inspirational story from your work:

Often the inspirational part of work is found in the days where it seems like nothing is happening – the visits to the rural Colombian communities when we drink a lot of coffee or lemonade, chat and take a nap, the public actions that do not get a rise out of the local Colombian police, three phone calls that help someone who is targeted flee safely from the city, or a bunch of letters to officials who are sick of hearing from us so that human rights cases actually get investigated. None of these things make good “stories,” but they are the daily inspirations. When nothing too thrilling is happening, that probably means our goal of reducing violence is happening through our presence.

What are the most challenging things about this work?

Some of the most challenging things are dealing with dynamics of racism, sexism, and other forms oppression that are rooted in international economic forms of domination. These can be especially challenging because our work is about active engagement with the world – we’re supposed to engage these things, both externally and within CPT.
Some other challenges:

• living in community
• the high rotation of individuals on-team
• the constant displacement of local people fleeing violence
• the temptation to try to be super-heroes and therefore not take good care of ourselves
• disconnection with friends, families and communities because of my commitment to a different geography
• constant emphasis on the need to act for change
• the reality that there are few other people in the world who have jobs like ours
• it’s hard for others to relate to this work without either ignoring it, or putting CPTers up on a pedestal, both of which are not good bases for relationships.

What would you tell someone interested in CPT to consider before joining?

Do deep self-examination before committing to CPT because there are a lot of pieces of the CPT experience that work for some and not for others. And when CPT isn’t a good fit for someone, it may have very little to do with the person’s commitment to peace work. Think seriously how well you can work as a team member – lots of jobs say they require teamwork, but I would argue none require it as much as CPT. How well can you live in community, and how well can you be “semi-nomadic” for years at a time as you move in and out of field-work?

I see anti-oppression work as central to all CPT work. We should all have a commitment to anti-oppression work, a dedication to building and bettering our anti-oppression analysis, and clarity about what privileges we do and do not have as we walk into this work.

Ask yourself the question, “Am I ready to never be the same again?” In some ways the growth and change that CPT work brings is wonderful, and in many ways extremely painful. This is hard to prepare for.

What are the rewarding parts of this work?

• We see, sometimes only briefly, spaces where real change is going through infancy and will one day be Real Change in our world.
• Communities share themselves with us on a level that cannot be explained, only experienced, and we experience this depth of sharing only when we understand that we do not have the answers.
• We can never forget the realities of capitalism and imperialism because we have friends that suffer from them; those of us who are members from the Global North can never forget that we are part of those oppressive structures.
• Most importantly, the organizations and communities we work with educate us in the skill of finding joy in pain, destruction and sadness. This skill is fundamental to our humanness. CPT work, when done well, helps us be more human.
  

Finally, I am always willing for folks who are interested in CPT to contact me by email at Suzanna.collerd [at] gmail [dot] com

William

I am a CPT Reservist (part-time worker) in my early 40s, a member of the Toronto Catholic Worker community, and a queer activist.

Where have you worked with CPT?

Chiapas (Mexico), Burnt Church (Esgenoopetitj, Canada), Colombia, Palestine, Anishnabe territory (Canada)

How did you get involved?

In the mid-nineties I was following the unfolding of the Zapatista movement in Chiapas (southern Mexico) with great interest, particularly because they had linked their struggle for justice with other justice movements throughout the world, including that of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgendered people, which is my community. By 1997 I had decided to volunteer as a human rights observer in Chiapas through a human rights office. At the same time, a member of my community was asked to consider joining CPT's newly-formed team in Chiapas. Unable to go herself, she suggested CPT contact me since I was going anyways! The rest is, as they say, history, and I have been working with CPT either full-time or part-time since then.

What attracted you?

I was inspired by the vision of pacifists not sitting back and condemning the use of violence from the comfort of their own homes. I was drawn to using active nonviolence in the midst of dire conflict situations, and the choice to light a candle instead of cursing the darkness.

Why are you doing this work?

I am invigorated by working with so many inspiring people in a framework of deep democracy that really feels true and hopeful.

What does your family and/or support community think about your CPT work?

I have the benefit of being part of a home community that includes other CPTers, so there is a lot of understanding and support here. My own family, I think, respects the commitment I’ve made, but my mother in particular gets pretty nervous every time I go somewhere.

An inspirational story from your CPT work?

After I had left our Colombia project, the team there let me know an ex-paramilitary guy had stopped by the CPT office in Barranca to report that he had left the armed paramilitaries, and that he linked that decision to a conversation with another CPTer and myself.

What are the most challenging things?

It’s hard to find a way to address my own needs around financial security as I get older in the framework of CPT’s needs-based financial support. I know financial security is all illusion, but as friends and family members have their houses and pension plans, I sometimes get stressed out about the “what-if's”.

What would you tell someone interested in CPT to consider before joining?

Make sure that you take your days off, that you work with a spiritual director, that you pray regularly, and take regular retreats.