CPTnet
26 July 2012
CPT INTERNATIONAL: Making the difference
Dear Christian Peacemaker Teams supporters,
 |
|
| Misael Payares |
I spent the month of June in Colombia with our team there and visited Las Pavas for four days.
I stayed in the family home of Misael Payares and got to know his daughter
Mercelis. Each night after sunset the community would gather for a time of
prayer and conversation. I sat in the circle with them as they read passages
from the Bible and talked about how it connected with their struggle to stay on
their land.
In the weeks since I returned
to the U.S., the community has taken very public and courageous
action, putting their bodies in front of tractors that are bringing palm
seedling to plant on their land. In the video of their action, Mercelis describes her
nonviolent resistance. “I saw the tractor bringing palms to plant on our
land,” she says. “I wanted to take an action of peaceful resistance, so I lay
down in the dirt in front of the tractor. Then this gentleman, Juvenal
Martinez, grabbed my leg, mistreated me, abused me.”
“[They are] chopping up our
crops with machetes, kicking our neighbors, trying to push us to the limit, we
who are used to enduring it, because we are Christians and we’ve seen that
violence never brings any results,” said Etni Torres, another member of
the community.
 |
CPTers were there alongside
the community throughout the week, documenting what was happening. One of the
CPTers was slapped by a lawyer for the palm company. This work is demanding and
CPTers give sacrificially of themselves time and time again. Can you
make a donation to support our work? We are 6 months into our fiscal year,
we’re $25,000 below what we need to make our budget this year. Can you be part of making up the
difference? Donate here: https://www.cpt.org/participate/donate
If you are not able to donate
at this time, can you support Las Pavas by sharing CPTnet stories and videos through your
networks? There is incredible potential for compelling stories like these to
spread without depending on corporate media, but it won’t happen without you.
Finally, if you’d like to
visit Colombia and hear from our partners first hand, there is a delegation coming up
from November 28 to December 12. More information here: https://www.cpt.org/participate/delegation/schedule
Sincerely,
Tim Nafziger
CPT Outreach Coordinator
