PRAYER ALERT: CANADIAN CPTER REFUSED ENTRY TO U.S.

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CPTNet

December 31, 2001

PRAYER ALERT: CANADIAN CPTER REFUSED ENTRY TO U.S.

On Thursday, December 27, Stewart Vriesinga, a Canadian Quaker from

Lucknow, Ontario, was refused entry into the U.S. while traveling by

car to Chicago for CPT’s Peacemaker Corps training. Immigration authorities

searched his belongings and confiscated his e-mail address book, then told

him not to come back for six months until he could prove “permanent

residency and employment.”

Vriesinga had been caring for his mother full-time for the past six

years until her death last spring. He applied to join CPT as a full-time

Corps member for a three-year term. Vriesinga recently sold his mother’s

house and moved to a farm where friends offered him free housing during his

time with CPT.

CPT immediately faxed Vriesinga a letter of invitation explaining the

organization, assuring full financial support during his stay in the

U.S. and verifying that his full-time ministry will be supervised through

the CPT Canada office.

Vriesinga returned to the border with the letter and was once again

detained. This time he was interrogated for 5 hours and given a 5-year

ban from entering the U.S. CPT is working with Vriesinga to prepare

documentation requesting a reversal of that ban.

At this time CPT asks for your undergirding through prayer as we

discern further action.

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