MPT accompanies march for Medical Personnel

On Friday October 22nd MPT accompanied a march for medical personnel who have been killed in Juarez due to the on going violence. The violence has been spreading through every part of daily life in mexico. Drug dealers and Cartels extort businesses, teachers, doctors, hospitals, families, groups working for human rights, employees of the government. There is no escape in Juarez from the cartels, there is no safe house, no justice system, no system of security for the people. unfortunately when a Cartel or Gang member puts a "hit" (ordered murder) out on someone, they expect the job to be finished and completed. Any victims of a shooting who are brought to the hospital, are now being killed along with doctors and nurses inside the hospital. Hundreds of people showed up in order to show support for those who have lost their lives, and those who are fighting for justice. Doctors, nurses, rescue workers, 32 organizations, and a few hundred people marched from a local shopping mall to a government building. Nina and I marched on opposite sides observing not only the number of police officers that were accompanying and guarding this protest, but the people who were involved in the march itself. We had a very high number of police officers accompanying the protest, I could not come to a reason as to why. The people were extremely calm, sad, and angry. Their anger was not directed as putting more people in pain but at finding a solution to the violence.

Let's Dance

A group of women were so tired of hearing bad news and were tired of constantly being offered classes to analyze the reality that they said:’’ We need something to help us deal with living this painful reality. We need something to help us with all this stress. Some have had family members killed, some have had neighbors killed.”So after much persistence t hey were heard, and a workshop on free movement was offered. I accompanied them and we all had a most pleasant 3 hours of dancing to music that helped you just flow like water, music that helped you release tightness that is being held in your body, music that helped you imagine beauty surrounding you, we all danced and danced sometimes with our eyes open and other times looking into each other’s eyes. During the session we were all put into groups of five and given a piece of paper. We each had a chance to dance and those in your small group who observed you wrote five words about what they saw in your dance. We then used those words to write a poem. Many spoke of the peace they felt from the tension that they are living. One woman had to be taken to emergency that evening because the dance didn’t begin to heal the stress she is living in and was hospitalized at the brink of a stroke. I am amazed at the resiliency of women who have known so much pain and am most grateful to dance with them and being part of their healing process.

The pain in the reality

Sunday was the first day of the soccer tourament that I am coordinating with a gentleman from the area. Our first game started with "Barcelona" Vs. "J.O Ladies", it was a great game and we all had fun. I am the referee for the games and I never expected them to take it so seriously, its not just a game here, it matters to them. Our first game concluded with Barcelona as the victor 3-2. As our second game started between "Manchester City" and "Argentina" everyone was in great spirits. Around 10 minutes into the game, We heard gunfire that was very close in proximity. The gunfire was on the street adjacent to the field where we were playing. During the gunfire, I felt like everything slowed down, but it was moving so fast. People were running trying to get their kids away, people yelling and screaming, driving away in cars. The soccer game completely stopped and all the kids ran to the corner of the field where you could see the situation that was taking place. The gentleman, his wife, and I were calling to the kids "Venganse! Venganse!"(all of you come here, Come here). The young man I work with finally went to the corner and physically moved the kids back. When we first arrived we asked the Centro "what should we do if we see or hear something happening?". Their response was very simple, "Turn your back or they will kill you too, they will kill you for even looking". A woman came over and said something to the young man I work with and he came over and told his wife and I to sit down against a wall, I am not sure what that women told him, but it was clear that we were in danger. As we were yelling for the kids, I just happened to get our safety phone call from Michigan Peace Team. Obviously this was not a good time, I asked her to cal back later. That phone call took the last of my phone minutes and so now not only was I in an unsafe, unplanned situation, but I had no way of calling Nina who was not with me. I have to admit that I felt a lot better becuase I had the young man, and his wife there with me. Around 5 minutes passed and parents came for their kids to get them home, people were still running and yelling. We found out that a man came to kill another man, He was walking with his wife and child. When he saw that they were coming for him, he ran away and his wife was left with their child. The man shot her 6 times instead, the child left unharmed physically. When it was safer I left with my affinity team in a car, they dropped me off at home.

The Violence here is very real, but the people that are left here to fight it are real as well. The fear is paralyzing to man. That woman was killed, for reasons unknown, but no reason given could justify the taking of a life.

A look of compassion

During the week I go to 8:00 mass on most days. Last Wednesday as we were giving a ride to several senior citizens, we stopped for a red light. There was a young man selling papers and I looked at him with eyes of compassion and love. It was a brief encounter but a very heartfelt one for me. I thought about his struggle to make a living selling papers, about where he must live and if he even had family. The next morning as I walked to a woman’s circle in one of the colonias a woman commented that the paper boy on the corner had been assassinated at 4:00 in the afternoon on Wednesday. I couldn’t hold back the tears as I heard the news, why, how, my heart was filled with questions. So many are being assassinated and there are no answers as to why or who is responsible: just one more has died, three have been assassinated, five have been assassinated…and the pain of the families that receive the news how can they continue to face life? So many families choose to leave, so many poor families cannot leave. There are no answers and the violence continues to escalate. How Long, O Lord? How Long?

2011 Peace Teams: Deadlines for Application & Training plus News

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The pain in the reality

Sunday was the first day of the soccer tourament that I am coordinating with a gentleman from the area. Our first game started with "Barcelona" Vs. "J.O Ladies", it was a great game and we all had fun. I am the referee for the games and I never expected them to take it so seriously, its not just a game here, it matters to them. Our first game concluded with Barcelona as the victor 3-2. As our second game started between "Manchester City" and "Argentina" everyone was in great spirits. Around 10 minutes into the game, We heard gunfire that was very close in proximity. The gunfire was on the street adjacent to the field where we were playing. During the gunfire, I felt like everything slowed down, but it was moving so fast. People were running trying to get their kids away, people yelling and screaming, driving away in cars. The soccer game completely stopped and all the kids ran to the corner of the field where you could see the situation that was taking place. The gentleman, his wife, and I were calling to the kids "Venganse! Venganse!"(all of you come here, Come here). The young man I work with finally went to the corner and physically moved the kids back. When we first arrived we asked the Centro "what should we do if we see or hear something happening?". Their response was very simple, "Turn your back or they will kill you too, they will kill you for even looking". A woman came over and said something to the young man I work with and he came over and told his wife and I to sit down against a wall, I am not sure what that women told him, but it was clear that we were in danger. As we were yelling for the kids, I just happened to get our safety phone call from Michigan Peace Team. Obviously this was not a good time, I asked her to cal back later. That phone call took the last of my phone minutes and so now not only was I in an unsafe, unplanned situation, but I had no way of calling Nina who was not with me. I have to admit that I felt a lot better becuase I had the young man, and his wife there with me. Around 5 minutes passed and parents came for their kids to get them home, people were still running and yelling. We found out that a man came to kill another man, He was walking with his wife and child. When he saw that they were coming for him, he ran away and his wife was left with their child. The man shot her 6 times instead, the child left unharmed physically. When it was safer I left with my affinity team in a car, they dropped me off at home.

The Violence here is very real, but the people that are left here to fight it are real as well. The fear is paralyzing to man. That woman was killed, for reasons unknown, but no reason given could justify the taking of a life.

Join us for the Next Team Training (Oct 22-24, 2010)

Join us this month for an Advanced Training Retreat (October 22-24, 2010; more information and online registration at Idealist.org).   Curious about the training? At the end of this posting is a list of some of the practice areas covered during the Retreat.

As you may know, in 2010 MPT worked with hundreds of local and national peace-minded folks to offer basic and advanced trainings, and to deploy Domestic and International Peace Teams.  We had peace team members and volunteers from all across the United States.  We also had international applicants, team members, and volunteers-- from Romania, France, Germany, and more.  Our program in Juarez continues, and we are evaluating options for that program in 2011; in the meantime we are taking applications for both Juarez and Palestine for next year.  We will continue our commitment to deploy teams quarterly to the West Bank. 

We are need to confirm peace team members to start training this month, for deployment to Palestine in January 2011; and as always, we need veteran team members to serve as team anchors.

Whether you're considering an 2011/12 International Team to Palestine or Juarez (even if you're not sure)-- or if you aren't interested in a team, but want to practice and improve your nonviolence skills, this is the training weekend for you.  If you want to continue your nonviolence training for your personal or professional development, this training is stand-alone.  It's an amazing chance to further your own grounding in nonviolence, and learn more about nonviolent action in a team retreat setting. 

For those who want the option of going on a team in January, February or March 2011, this training is required.  If you plan to deploy later (or if plans change), this weekend intensive meets the requirement for your one of your two training retreats in preparation for any team in 2011 or 2012!  If you are considering a team January through March 2011, you will also need to start the online/remote portion of your training, which starts as soon as possible this month.  Contact NicoleR/MPT@gmail.com for details. 

We encourage you to start on-site and remote training as soon as possible if you are considering an International Team in 2011/12; there is no obligation, and training is part of the process of mutual evaluation to decide if an MPT Team is the right fit for you!

Here are just some of the areas covered at our Advanced and International Trainings (in both retreats and remote/online training)...

Getting to know oneself (hopes and fears, relationship to money, goals and expectations for trip, how do you deal w/ stress/conflict  etc.)

Getting to know the team and team building activities

Listening and Communication tools (active listening, I messages, CLARA)
Role Plays
Consensus decision making
Affinity Teams
Self Care (co-counseling, trauma, compassion fatigue, ritual, first aid etc.)

Power, Privilege and Oppression

Media and 'Telling the Story'

Who is MPT?
What are Peace Teams? What is nonviolent conflict resolution/third party nonviolent intervention? What is our role?
Nonviolence as a big picture, and What is nonviolence?
Location Specific Training @ second On-Site Retreat (background of conflict/brief history, cultural sensitivity, etc.) -- for International Team Applicants Only
Administrative Stuff, Forms, Tips and "nuts and bolts" info. (packing tips, MPT Forms, what we expect from you/what should you expect from us) -- for International Team Applicants Only

We hope you can join us!  Please register online now or simply email or call me at the information below with any questions or concerns!

In Peace,

Nicole Rohrkemper
International Team Deployment Coordinator
Michigan Peace Team
(586) 419-1070 (direct line)

www.MichiganPeaceTeam.org

www.MPTinPalstine.blogspot.com
www.MPTinJuarez.blogspot.com
MPTenEspanol.blogspot.com

Learn How You can Join a Peace Team- FAQs at http://mptinpalestine.blogspot.com/p/faqs-for-potential-teamers.html.