peace school

I've put off writing anything since I got back because it was so intense, I don't know where to start. I spent 10 days in the middle of nowhere with 13 other people, and we started by thinking our way through a theological basis for a peace and justice stance and then spent the rest of time meandering through many different people's real-life expressions of such a faith.

The first part was very much deja vu for a peace studies menno like me, but hearing about what actual peace activists are doing in the field here was awesome. As was getting to know a bunch of other young activists. And believe me, in ten days, you really get to know people.

I spoke with one women who had been really active in her church and community organizing peace demonstrations etc in the lead up to the war on Iraq. She said that since then she hasn't done anything, because she was so shattered (I guess) by what felt like the utter futility of it all, in the end. Later that day a young woman working for the campaign for nuclear disarmament told us about some policies Blair recently wasn't able to push through because the government still hasn't forgotten the peace lobby that first reared it's lovely head before the invasion of Iraq.

I think it's little sparkles of hope like that which may have to continue to motivate me in working to build peace, since so rarely are there massive victories. But the small ones do add up.

My favourite quote of the week was from Tolkien: "If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world." Peace school definitely taught much valuing of food and cheer and song.

(the picture: How many peace activists does it take to read a map?)