I am writing this letter to you because you have played a significant role in my life. You have helped me be the person that I am today. Therefore, I want to take a moment to let you know what I am doing and ask for your support.
As many of you know, I have been involved in speaking out and taking action against the violence in our society on both the local and national level. This work has become an important part of my Christian beliefs. I have spent the last four years committed to the works of mercy and nonviolence by living and working in the Catholic Worker Community of Cleveland. When thinking about the last four year, I rejoice in the fact that the work has left me broke and at times landed me in jail. Recently, my commitment to nonviolence has led me to join the Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT). This July, I participated in a month long training with the organization to prepare me for the work. .
Right now, you are probably asking yourself, “What are the Christian Peacemaker Teams?” That is a great question!
According to their mission statement CPT “offers an organized, nonviolent alternative to war and other forms of lethal inter-group conflict. CPT provides organization support to persons committed to faith-based nonviolent alternatives in situations where lethal conflict is an immediate reality or is supported by public policy.” More specifically, “CPT places violence-reduction teams in crisis situations and militarized areas around the world at the invitation of local peace and human rights workers. CPT embraces the vision of unarmed intervention waged by committed peacemakers ready to risk injury and death in bold attempts to transform lethal conflict through the nonviolent power of God’s truth and love.”
After intensive language school, I will be working on the team in Colombia, South America. In Colombia, CPT does accompaniment with local communities in the Magdalena Medio region that are being displaced from their lands. These communities are often forced from their lands by the Colombian military and paramilitary through violence, which make room for multinational corporations to extract the raw materials. These communities have invited us internationals to join them in their nonviolent resistances to protect their communities.
Now, you might be saying to yourself, “That sounds really dangerous” and you are right. The work is dangerous. I understand and accept that. I am challenged by the questions, “What would happen if Christians devoted the same discipline and self-sacrifice to peacemaking that armies devote to war?” Furthermore, I am reminded and strengthened by Jesus’ words, “Blessed are the peacemakers for they will be called sons and daughters of God.” I truly believe peace is possible and nonviolence works. The Gospel of Christ challenges us to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us. This work does not go without consequences. The Gospels also remind us there is a cost to the Christian life and that cost can sometimes be the cross. I would hope to meet this challenge with joy. I also know that God’s grace will be with me. Please know that I have been trained and discerned my commitment to do this work carefully for the last year through prayer, reflections, and study.
I am ready for this challenge and need your help. I am asking that you make a commitment to support my peacemaking by praying for me and/or donating financially to this work. As you could imagine the cost to travel, work, and live in another country can be expensive. Please consider a donation of $30, $50, $100 to my work. If you are willing to make a financial contribution, please contact CPT. www.cpt.org. If at this time you cannot offer financial support, please pray for me and the people the Christian Peacemaker Teams are working with in Colombia, Iraq, Palestine, and Northern Canada.
If you have questions about CPT please contact me by calling 216-798-9177 or via email Cknest11@yahoo.com. To learn more about the Christian Peacemaker Teams visit their website http://www.cpt.org/.
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