I knew this day would come and it’s been on my mind for a long time. When you start something you inherently know that, logically, there will also be an ending. And today, I finish my my role with CPT. 

When I joined the Colombia team in April 2013, one of my first accompaniment assignments involved horseback riding through the farmlands of the Middle Magdalena, visiting families who maintained steadfastness to the land, growing cacao, mango, banana, and papaya to remain rooted, literally and figuratively, in their struggle. We were generously invited into their homes and offered the fruits of their labour, which we of course devoured under the sizzle of the midday sun. I had only just arrived to Colombia, but I distinctly remember thinking to myself, this is it; this is what I’m meant to be doing. How could I ever do anything else? 

And that feeling stayed with me, from the moment I stood with the community of Las Pavas while their homes and crops burned until a few weeks ago while I watched online as President Gustavo Petro personally handed Claudia the deed to her land. How could I ever find this kind of fulfillment anywhere else?

From lip-trembling anxiety as I confronted riot police blocking campesinos from their homes, to deep-throated sobs as I watched my friends be taken away by the Israeli occupying forces; from the nights on the couch editing content, to the hosting of CPT trainings and taxiing colleagues to and from the border, I sit here and watch scenes roll through my head like a movie. Bittersweet memories of over a decade, where I thought the difficult and heart wrenching experiences might outweigh the positives, but in fact, I’m left with only gratitude and a massive sense of awe. And I wonder what will come next that could possibly compare. 

But in this moment of reflection I’m reminded that we did this together. These memories I hold so close are pieces of a larger CPT community that is more than a job title, but a lifestyle as part of a wider movement of good people doing the daily work of liberation. I will still be a part of this community and continue to take action in my new circles of influence, and we will still be linking arms and hearts as we move forward together.

Thank you for reading my words the last few years. Thank you for listening, understanding, sharing, signing petitions, emailing your representatives, participating in delegations, and donating. It has been a pleasure to walk this journey together.