Stories of Peace Archive
Making peace by advocating for education around the world
Making peace by advocating for education around the world Alliana Rempel has raised thousands of dollars to support inner-city shelters in Winnipeg, the Children’s Hospital, and the Malala fund. Most recently, she published her first book, the proceeds of which will support education around the world. Alliana, of Arborg, Manitoba, is also just 11 years old. Her book, One, which she illustrated and wrote, is about a young girl in a war-torn country and her magic school supplies that come to the rescue when her school is shut down by terrorists. She was inspired to write it after she read I Am […]
Children bridging differences
Children bridging differences By Rachel Bergen Walk into Hagar Association, a school in Be’er Sheba, Israel, and it looks like almost any other school. But if you listen closely, you’ll hear children speaking both Hebrew and Arabic and see them playing together—uncommon sounds and sights in the region. Hagar is a bilingual MCC-supported school for 330 Jewish-Israeli and Palestinian citizens of Israel (sometimes called “Arab”) children, ages 1 to grade six. The children come from homes where Islam, Judaism or Christianity are practiced. The school is the only one of its kind in the Negev region of southern Israel. According […]
Strangers becoming Neighbours
Stories of Peace Strangers becoming Neighbours By Donna Schulz Music continues to be the catalyst for growth in the relationship between Mennonite Church Saskatchewan and its Indigenous neighbours. On Earth Day, April 22, 2018, Mennonites and members of the Muskeg Lake community gathered for An Afternoon of Song at Our Lady of Guadalupe Roman Catholic Church in Marcelin on the Muskeg Lake Cree Nation. The program opened with a drum group and dancers from the Big River First Nation. Harry Lafond of Muskeg Lake welcomed guests and explained the meaning of the Cree songs and dances. Dolores Sand, also of […]
An Open Palm
An Open Palm by Thien Phuoc Quang Tran Growing up as a preacher’s son, I was immersed in Christian values. Every memory I have revolves around Vietnamese Mennonite Church (VMC) in Ho Chi Minh City. I learned the way of Christ — to love my neighbours, and to give to the poor. In Vietnam we have a philosophy called “the way of the open palm.” The palm facing up is a non-threatening gesture, reminiscent of the pleading gesture of a beggar. The person being addressed will not feel threatened by the gesture, and it is used universally as a way of […]
A messy journey from military service to pacifism
By Austin Kocher I did not join the military out of a duty to America (whatever that means), or because military service ran in the family. I joined because I wanted out of Ohio, I wanted college money, and I wanted to challenge myself as much as I could. However, it is important to say that there was nothing in my social and religious world at the time that would have challenged my decision to enlist. In fact, enlisting is an easy way for working class people to earn instant social capital in the form of respect, admiration, and deference. […]
The day Paola taught her teacher a lesson in kindness
By Trevor Scott Barton Nine out of ten students at my school in South Carolina come from families whose income level meets the federal guidelines for poverty. Paola, an immigrant kid from El Salvador, is one of them. She is a first-grader and she lives in a small apartment with her grandma, mom, sister and uncle. Her family’s low income means she is likely to suffer from poor nutrition, inadequate health care, an inferior education and a bad future. I’m struggling against her life-crushing poverty with all of the compassion, creativity and commitment that I can find inside of me. […]
Family’s work teaches restorative justice for the classroom, workplace and beyond
As tensions between nations rise and world leaders threaten war—even nuclear war—peacemakers all over the world continue to work to make peace on earth a reality. Jae Young Lee and Karen Spicher, Mennonite Mission Network mission associates in Namyangju, South Korea, are two of those peacemakers. “Peace on earth” is a term often spoken of during the Christmas season, and Lee sees it as a central tenet to their community and work. “Peace on earth does not end with Jesus’ birth and death,” he says. “It’s the ministry of reconciliation and of peace that should be at the center for […]
When coffee replaces swords
When coffee replaces swords By Ryan Jantzi Catholic, Lutheran and Mennonite are the three stripes of the Christian church in the small town where I pastor. While our journey certainly isn’t faultless, these three congregations have a history of working together. We have hosted celebration dinners at the opening of one another’s new church buildings. We team up annually for a village-wide Vacation Bible School program. We also try to get together for coffee as pastors. Five hundred years ago, our spiritual ancestors were on the cusp of an extended bloodbath of religious violence. In marked contrast, recently I enjoyed […]
Growing peace in the Philippines—with coffee!
Growing peace in the Philippines—with coffee! By Joji Pantoja People from Mindanao, Philippines, have been yearning for peace. Peacebuilders Community started working with people who have been in conflict for almost 30 years. Conflict disrupts any development in the country; conflict has caused the people of Mindanao to experience death, displacement, and starvation. As Peacebuilders Community slowly became involved in the dialogue, it was clear all groups shared one commonality: a love of coffee. So coffee became the vehicle for the peace message Peacebulders wanted to promote. “Coffee for Peace” was born in 2007. The goal was to promote high-quality […]
Working for peace while exiled: Jean Claude Nkundwa
Exiled peacemaker Jean Claude Nkundwa Adapted from news releases and article by Lauren Jefferson Jean Claude Nkundwa works for peace in his native country of Burundi from exile in Rwanda. When Jean graduated with a master of arts in conflict transformation at Eastern Mennonite University in 2014, he thought finding work in peacebuilding in his native Burundi after graduation could be difficult. He, his wife Francine Muhimpundu, and young son returned to Burundi, and Nkundwa renewed former contacts from working 12 years with partner organizations affiliated with Mennonite Central Committee and also Harvest of Peace Ministries. With Burundi International Community Church, he helped mobilize […]