Yea! Limbo!

A 90 degree greeting to you all. If you're reading this its most likely because you are my family, a friend, or someone I've met at a presentation about accompaniment work in Colombia (which I'll start soon here).

Right now I'm in Bogota after arriving from Sincelejo on the north coast of Colombia. I came here because a guy that I met seven years ago and hadn't really seen since said that I could live and work with his family. The day after I got here that guy left for Harrisonburg, Va. Consequently, I feel lucky to have had a very life-giving and fun time in Sincelejo.

Its been a fairly relaxed two months with plenty of time to make some websites and get to know and enjoy my hosts Jose Juan, Mafe and Maggie. They've seen to it that I, a loosely connected stranger, not only have enough food but also comfort, social connections, and meaningful experiences here. Thank goodness Colombian hospitality is a notch above in the United States. Because of the organizations and campaigns my hosts are involved in I had the chance to meet various organizers, activists, and politicians almost all who invited me to their houses, the beach, to parties, or to watch their kids.

At one point I went to a meeting of representatives of youth networks who traveled from small towns and communities scattered throughout the Montes de Maria. It seems a naive realization to have, but I was really struck by the reality of what it means to struggle for change and the audacity one has to have to even attempt it. The groups represented at the meeting commit themselves to raise the quality of living and opporutnities for youth in their communities in the face of economic and social disenfranchisement and legal and illegal military recruitment faced by rural Colombian youth. The audaciousness one needs to have to declare effective and concrete change possible in the living conditions of a community when confronted with the behemoth realities of an export and city oriented economy (thanks to neo-liberalist influences) and a decades old war is just incredible. Especially contrasted with my own history of activism as mostly done through pre-established organizations with protocols, trainings, and support groups. Most of the representatives at the meeting started their lives as grass-roots organizers with not much more than the urgency of change, their energy, and community connections. Listening to the youth network representatives I began to understand how much bravery and hope it takes to start and continue grass-roots work that brings meaningful change. (and this is without even going into the risk and threats they receive due to their work)

I would have been happy to stay in Sincelejo to spend some more time with Jose Juan, Mafe, and their family but I'm also excited to begin my work with FOR and to finally get to the peace community. I've posted some pics below of my time and friends in Sincelejo.