Early in the morning of July 28, we [Christian Peacemaker Team members Lynn
Stoltzfus and William Payne] traveled to the village of X'oyep in the
highlands of Chiapas.

X'oyep had been a small village of about 13 families until last November when
refugees fleeing paramilitary violence began
arriving. Now, almost 1100 people live in X'oyep.

Although we traveled early hoping to avoid the checkpoint, we were not
surprised to be stopped at the joint military-immigration checkpoint in
Chenalho--Lynn and two other CPTers were stopped there twice last week (see
July 24 Urgent Action). When we told Emilio, the immigration officer, where
we were going, he said he would cite Lynn, a "repeat offender."

As he was filling out the first page of the form, we chatted with him and
shared our recent experiences at the immigration office in San Cristobal. The
head of Immigration had told us that it is legal for foreigners to travel to
Acteal and Polho, two areas near X'oyep not controlled by the governing party.

By then, Emilio discovered that he didn't have the second
page of the citation form and let us go! He appeared relieved that he
wouldn't have to cite us, and we left pleased that, with amicable
conversation, we had created a small breach in our mutual enemy images.

We found the X'oyep community to be well organized. Every person was assigned
specific tasks. Even though the people originally from X'oyep didn't have
much to begin with, they shared everything they had. For a while over 70
refugees lived in one person's one-room house! As Abejas (Bees), they are
also united by their commitment to nonviolent means to secure a life with
peace, justice and dignity.

In X'oyep, we joined in celebrations thanking the youth and pastors from a
middle-class parish in neighboring Tuxtla diocese who had accompanied the
refugees for the past six months. We learned how accompanying the Bees had
strengthened the commitment of these "mainstream" Mexicans to work with the
cast-offs of their society.

We fully expected to be cited on our return trip July 29, since Emilio had had
plenty of time to get the required forms. However, a new immigration officer
was on duty, one who didn't know what X'oyep was, much less that Emilio had
almost cited us for going there. While he was taking down our information we
talked with a few soldiers about their work. They don't seem to really like
it, but they are "just following orders." It was good to make a human
connection with them through simple conversation.

During this trip we witnessed miracles of deliverance, cooperation,
communication and conversion; small miracles indeed, yet glimpses of God's
new reality disarming the mutual fears of armies and of aspiring peacemakers.