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Dear Colleagues and Co-Workers for Peace, This is a letter of encouragement, appreciation and hope. Despite the outbreak of war and our own breaking hearts at the increasing number of lives cut short on all sides, we must not despair. Although the US has defied the calls for restraint from millions of people worldwide by attacking Iraq, we must keep hope alive. As peacemakers, ours is a lifetime commitment. So, while we redouble our efforts for peace, we must also take our energies from a place of peace. This means moving with equanimity and goodwill through our turbulent times, taking care of each other and of our work together. We must remember to be peace while doing it. We must not forget that we are sustained by our interfaith FOR community, a community which has, for over 85 years, been in the vanguard of pacifism and justice work. We can be justly heartened by the relentless persistence of FOR members and friends in the US and world-wide who are providing critical voices and often-grueling and dangerous work for peace and justice, who are putting their words into action and their bodies on the line. They encourage us. * We are invigorated by the numbers of young people actively engaged in anti-war efforts, and the many who are turning to FOR for information on nonviolence. * We gain strength with the growing number of peace organizations that have come into being, not only within our nation's borders and across many faith traditions, identities and professions, but also within almost every nation of our world. * We take pride in participating in, and helping organize, some of the largest peace demonstrations in world history. * We take courage in the work of our local groups who have organized sit-ins at the offices of Congressional members, engaged in civil disobedience as a part of the pledge of resistance, and have participated in countless vigils, demonstrations, marches and rallies. * We take courage in our peace fellowships who are encouraging their members to open their doors for prayer and sanctuary, holding candlelight vigils, providing opportunities for interfaith worship and dialogue, and holding public memorials for the casualties of war. * We take courage in the work of IFOR, providing a network of support for over 40 branches and affiliates throughout the world committed to active nonviolence. * We take courage from our fantastic staff, working tirelessly providing resources, information, recruiting participants for mass demonstrations and rallies, providing guidance and support for youth and new peace activists. * We take courage from the new friends who have appeared to lend a hand. The FOR office is open until 10:00 P.M. each evening. We will be hosting a number of discussions on topics ranging from nonviolence, civil disobedience, conscientious objections and activities that include collecting items for relief kits for the Iraqi people. * We take courage from our National Council, whose members have never stopped providing leadership for peace within their own communities while also giving so generously of their efforts and time to FOR organizational concerns. * We take courage from our outstanding United Nations representatives, Frank Ostrowski and John Kim, who have been exemplary in keeping us abreast of the twists and turns of UN decision-making. *We take courage in the number of families with children and members of "mainstream America" who have taken to the streets and raised their voices in protest against this war and the immorality of "preemptive strikes". * We take courage in Dr. King's insight that "the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends towards justice." Let us continue to uphold the belief that especially now, when all may seem most grim, there is still the possibility for world peace. Let us be witnesses to this by our love for each other and for all "others." In gratitude for your perseverance, stubbornness, and hope.
Lili Baxter,
National Chair
©2003 Fellowship of Reconciliation |