Aug 2004 From the Editor
Article written by Melissa Mundt
As August draws to a close it's exciting for me see that when we gather
for House dinners, we take up every chair in the kitchen! It's
definitely been a month of growth here in San Cristobal welcoming four
new volunteers to the Peace House Project.
Kara, who just finished law school focusing on International Human
Rights Law, is volunteering at the Red de Defensores (an organization
that trains local community members in law to monitor the military in
their regions). Monica brings her experience in teaching, social work
and direct service with Mexican immigrants in the U.S. to the woman's
organization, Kinal. She will be teaching English and working on
marketing issues for their women-run weaving cooperative. Miles, a
bilingual teacher, community organizer and organic farmer will be our
first non-resident Peace House volunteer. He will be participating in
Peace House orientation, bi-monthly discussion dinners, and our
occasional Peace House work project weekends (big, ! short term
projects that need our pooled strengths such as translating urgent
actions, painting a youth center, etc). We are working to connect him
with an environmental education project. And finally, our volunteer
Rachel, who was away working this summer, has returned and will soon
begin volunteering with the Indigenous Photographer's Union. Quite a
lively and talented bunch! Early this month, Peace House member Sarah,
helped organize a delegation of pastors from the United Church of
Christ Wisconsin, who were here to learn about ecumenical organizing,
Indigenous theology and religious diversity and conflict in Chiapas.
Peace House volunteers designed and presented a workshop on Privilege
and International Solidarity and helped translate for other speakers.
The presentations brought to light the both dividing and unifying,
empowering and subjugating force religion has been throughout Chiapas
history.
In this newsletter, I briefly analyze the role religion plays in the
Chiapas political landscape and Sarah reflects on her time accompanying
a training for Indigenous catechists from the region of San Miguel
Huixtan.
As August draws to a close it's exciting for me see that when we gather
for House dinners, we take up every chair in the kitchen! It's
definitely been a month of growth here in San Cristobal welcoming four
new volunteers to the Peace House Project.
Kara, who just finished law school focusing on International Human
Rights Law, is volunteering at the Red de Defensores (an organization
that trains local community members in law to monitor the military in
their regions). Monica brings her experience in teaching, social work
and direct service with Mexican immigrants in the U.S. to the woman's
organization, Kinal. She will be teaching English and working on
marketing issues for their women-run weaving cooperative. Miles, a
bilingual teacher, community organizer and organic farmer will be our
first non-resident Peace House volunteer. He will be participating in
Peace House orientation, bi-monthly discussion dinners, and our
occasional Peace House work project weekends (big, ! short term
projects that need our pooled strengths such as translating urgent
actions, painting a youth center, etc). We are working to connect him
with an environmental education project. And finally, our volunteer
Rachel, who was away working this summer, has returned and will soon
begin volunteering with the Indigenous Photographer's Union. Quite a
lively and talented bunch! Early this month, Peace House member Sarah,
helped organize a delegation of pastors from the United Church of
Christ Wisconsin, who were here to learn about ecumenical organizing,
Indigenous theology and religious diversity and conflict in Chiapas.
Peace House volunteers designed and presented a workshop on Privilege
and International Solidarity and helped translate for other speakers.
The presentations brought to light the both dividing and unifying,
empowering and subjugating force religion has been throughout Chiapas
history.
In this newsletter, I briefly analyze the role religion plays in the
Chiapas political landscape and Sarah reflects on her time accompanying
a training for Indigenous catechists from the region of San Miguel
Huixtan.
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