When I look around and see all that is happening in the world today, I realize that far more of us are speaking up for PEACE than are working for war. Each day we see more and more examples of people who do not accept this rush to war and who realize that more violence is not the way to solve the world's problems. 

So, in a very unexpected way, I am actually feeling HOPE these days because there are far, far more of us who want PEACE than those who are orchestrating war.

I also am reminded of a 'timeline' I saw which showed the progression of justice in this world since the beginning of civilization. The arc of progress has continued to go UP, and continues to go UP. Oh, there are some 'dips' in this arc, and sometimes the upward progress is extremely slow and almost imperceptible. But we are moving in the right direction. And all of the rallies for PEACE this past year convinces me of that.

Phil Biebl
Madison, WI

p.s. This past Sunday, I attended a 'listening session' at our State Capitol which was hosted by our Congress person, Tammy Baldwin. She arranged this session so as to hear from her constituents about their thoughts / concerns about a possible war with Iraq. --- It proved to be a very inspirational afternoon. Hundreds of people turned out to fill the Capitol chambers and every single one of them spoke out against the war.

PEN PALS ACROSS THE UNIVERSE

I’ve had very special international pen pals for 35 years.  When I got my first fulltime job, I decided to sponsor a child through a respected childcare organization.  Through the years, I have sponsored many children in several countries, including Brazil, Thailand, India and Indonesia.   Some of the children have been Buddhists, some Hindu, Muslim or Christian.  I’ve learned a great deal about the cultures and religious celebrations in these countries through the eyes of the children, and they, in turn, seemed eager to learn about the customs where I live.  There are restrictions on what type of things you can package up and mail directly to the children – but I try to send them postcards showing our scenery and sometimes magazines or clippings in addition to extra money for local items like clothing or school supplies.  It’s been a true cultural exchange, even though I had never really thought of it that way until Yoko’s Peace Event for John Lennon.

One of these children, an Indonesian boy named Idham, was my sponsored child for five years beginning in 1975.  We maintained a very steady flow of correspondence during that time.  Early on, Idham began to exhibit an artistic flair, sketching out little drawings on the bottom of each thin sheet of Air Mail paper.  This habit soon grew into full-page paintings attached to his letters, and finally, he sent Tom and me two large paintings of important Indonesian people which we had framed.  We still have one of these paintings hanging on our wall 25 years later.

This child was the youngest of six children, raised by their mother.  Despite the hardships they must have had to endure, Idham wrote bright, positive, informative letters.  His mother had obviously nurtured and encouraged his talent for drawing and his love of learning.

Just as he was about to leave the sponsorship
program in 1981, he wrote to me about his feelings about John Lennon’s death and his admiration for the Beatles.  Amazingly  enough, we had not discussed this topic before.  In his letter dated January 12, 1981, Idham said: “…the death of John Lennon last Dec. 8, 1980 was a shock.  Not long ago, they had reproduced the songs of the Beatles. A cassette tape cost three and a half  times the original price, but all is sold out. At first I thought that there are few admirers of the Beatles in our city but I was mistaken.  All of us in the family admires the Beatles especially we, the four boys. I’ve been hearing these songs when I was still small.”

I’d had no idea that he was a fan or that he even knew anything about the Beatles. Our final few letters were exchanged at the end of 1980 and the first part of 1981, with me rushing out some Beatle clippings and magazines before he would be released from the sponsorship program.  He wrote at least three “final” letters to me during this last-minute flurry!  In one of these, he drew a little cartoon character who was crying because we were separating – the names: “Tom,” “Marsha” and “Idham” were printed in the stripes of the cartoon boy’s shirt.

Somewhere out  there, is a 39-year-old Indonesian man who had a one-on-one pen pal relationship with an American sponsor when he was just a boy.  I hope he remembers me when there is news about the United States, so he can envision a human, rather than political face.  Whenever I hear news about Indonesia,  I always see in my mind’s eye one child, Idham, and I wonder how he is.  I hope he’s still painting.  And listening to great music.  And I hope he is well and happy.   Survival, happiness and the freedom to dream. They’re all human needs that cut across all races, religions and countries.  Peace to you, Idham wherever you are.

Marsha Ewing

(Click any picture above to see a page of full size paintings)

Thank you for giving me this opportunity.

We are days away from a war against Iraq. It has been inching its way along now for months. The threats of terrorism against Iraq must have a
huge effect on the children there.

How can we teach future generations to love when we are only giving them examples of hatred?

All religions speak of peace and love, yet one of the most known religions to date - Christianity, is failing everyone. I am ashamed that fellow Christians have decided to wage war against another country.

Again, what impression are we giving to Arabs and Muslims? That pacifism is wrong? This violence will only begets yet more violence.

Peace is about forgiveness, putting your pride aside and saying you were wrong. An apology is the start of peace. Treating everyone as you would treat yourself is the next step. I just don't see it happening right now. We must re-learn how to love one another.

Thank you again,

Bless,

Anai Rhoads

In 1707 Andrew Fletcher in Saltoun, England, at the Convention Concerning a Right Regulation of Government for the Common Good of Mankind, pronounced, “Give me the making of the songs of a nation and I care not who makes the laws.” 

This is a powerful statement suggesting that music has a type of power over people. Before, and since that time, many have suggested and continue to proclaim music as a universal language of communication between people, cultures, and countries. 

The Mountain View High School Toro Marching Band of Mesa, Arizona, has been invited to perform in China. An international selection committee chose this band, based on videos and CDs of the band’s performances. While in China, the band will be marching in the Plum Bloom Spring Festival in Nanjing. Over one million Chinese people participate in this festival. This event is televised and promoted across China as well as internationally. In addition, the band will be giving concert performances on the Great Wall of China, and the Peking Opera House.

The band will also be participating in a cultural exchange with other students in China. This is the very first time that an American marching band has been invited to participate in a festival of this kind.

Mountain View Toro Marching Band believes this opportunity is not only an honor for us, but also for the entire country. The Mountain View Marching Band Trip to China is a mission of peace, social exchange, and an opportunity to build bridges toward global peace in this lifetime.

Visit: Toro Band Website

Click this link to see one man's peace crusade:

http://www.hbuecker.net/yyy/yyy.htm

Since I couldn't travel I took an imaginary trip.

I went everywhere. I visited every country and I saw every race because there is no limits to our imagination.

From the hot and sandy deserts to the snow covered mountains. From the ice ruled north and south poles to the evergreen valleys.

I felt the winds blow and move from east and west, south and north on the face of the earth.

And in the end instead of many I saw ONE.

As we may all look different deep down in our hearts we are all the same.

There are so many traditions, languages, religions as many as the stars in the sky but we all come to this world the same way.

I think if we all just for a minute close our eyes and wish PEACE and LOVE to one another we may have it!

In the end it is all in our minds and hearts. Our lives will be what we make of them and the world will be as we build it.

If just for a moment we forget our differences and we think for the people that were born and lived before us and the people that are not yet born and the ones that live today and we imagine peace we will have peace.

If we want to change the world we can do it. ONE person at a time.

Peace and love are not just words, they are reality.
If we believe in peace we will get it in the end. We just have to start believing. Thank you for reading!

Anny Whispel

On a recent trip through Bosnia I was shocked to see the shell pocked landscape, devastating ruins. 

But I saw that even though hatred was still high, people didn't see the need to shoot each other over their banal differences. I guess they realized the pointlessness of what they did the first time round. 

"Finally", I thought to myself, "the cycle of violence somehow halted".  But how, I was unsure. This I wanted to discover on my own. 

About an hour before reaching Sarajevo I stopped roadside to, ahem, take a break which nature required, and noticed that, nearby, a small dove was roosting in the rafters of an all but totaled building. It was preening itself, oblivious to the disaster that had befallen the house several years earlier. Life had returned to the area where death once reigned supreme! I found that moment to be quite symbolic, and I came back to our car with a smile of hope. 

My cousin later pointed out to me that fowl hunting season was soon to begin, and that we might want to get ready for it. 

And the universe wept, I believe was the next line... 

I leave you with this ambiguous ending, and a love message of equality and peace. 

May all your dreams come true and all your truths come dreams!   

Not quite the peace event you wanted but an eventful piece nonetheless!   

Many thanks for your time,   :o)   

Ivan.
 

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