November 5, 2007

Dear Friends,

Ben Porter, Dr. Trisha Herman, Rev. Banja, and Debbie and Del  working on the trauma healing curriculum.

What a milestone for RECONCILE! It has been in the planning for some time now to develop three-month curriculums for both trauma healing and peace building. That planning finally came to fruition as we worked intensely for two weeks to develop the content. And what an amazing two weeks it was! We had consultants come from the PC(USA), Mennonite Central Committee from Uganda, the Institute for Justice and Reconciliation from South Africa, and from the Mindolo Peace Institute in Zambia! In addition, the entire RECONCILE staff contributed immensely in order to create material that would speak to the Sudanese context. It was a very exciting time together. Some of the most special moments were during our daily devotions, when we shared stories and experiences from various places that captured not only the horrors of war and its effect on human lives, but also how God has been touching those lives to bring healing to traumatized people and using his servants to be peacemakers to the world around them. It truly brought to mind Jesus’ words in Matthew 5:9, “Blessed are the peacemakers for they will be called the children of God.”

Time of fellowship and sharing during the curriculum development workshop.

We are doing the final editing on the curriculums, as we plan to offer extended courses in trauma healing and peace building in 2008. RECONCILE seeks to make a difference in the lives of people and communities. We know that that difference can only happen as people open their hearts and accept and know the “Prince of Peace.”

There is growing concern regarding the Comprehensive Peace Agreement. Recent weeks have brought increased warnings that the peace accord is breaking down. Southern leaders complain that their counterparts from the National Congress Party in the north fail to honor their agreements and make key decisions without consulting with the southern leaders. In the last few weeks, the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement announced that their party was pulling out of the unity government until key elements of the peace agreement were fully implemented. Meanwhile, both sides are expanding their armies, aiming—for now—to deter each other from initiating a war.

Sudan needs pressure from the international community if the peace is going to hold, so we would encourage you to urge your government representatives to be proactive in the search for peace, healing, and forgiveness. A good way to do this is through participating in the Sudan Advocacy Action Forum. Sudan needs our prayers for the transformational power of the “Prince of Peace” to touch people’s lives, as that is the only way true peace will ever be achieved.

We thank you for your partnership, prayers, and support, making it possible for us to be peacemakers in this part of the world. During this time of year, as we look forward to celebrating the coming of the Christ Child, our prayer is that you may receive the Prince of Peace in a renewed personal way as well as sharing His peace with the world around you.

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
- Isaiah 9:6

Wishing you a Blessed Christmas,

Debbie and Del

P.S. We want to thank everyone who has been involved in the recent Mission Challenge ’07—for your prayers, your heart for mission, and for your support of PC(USA) global mission! If you have not had a chance to participate in this effort and would like to do so, you can through the following ways.

For individuals

The Mission Challenge envelope - During Mission Challenge ’07, the best way to support PC (USA) missionaries is to put a check in the bulletin insert and send it in. This will go to account E051790, which is undesignated funding for mission personnel.

Online - To give online, go to the simplified giving Web site. Here, it is possible to give undesignated support to all missionaries or to designate funds to support missionaries in one of seven regions of the world. It’s also possible to designate support to any individual PC(USA) missionary by going to the missionary’s home page at Mission Connections.

By phone – To contribute via credit card, call (502) 569-8658.

Through the mail - If individuals would like to send a check at any time, they may send it to:

Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
Individual Remittance Processing
P.O. Box 643700
Pittsburgh, PA  15264-3700

To designate to a specific missionary, write the missionary’s name and account number on the subject line of the check. The account number is available online. Click on “Look up the number of a specific mission worker.”

For churches

We are asking churches to give generously to support Presbyterian missionaries. It’s important for missionaries to feel connected to churches, and vice versa. Churches may give either through the accounts set up for Mission Challenge (see above) or they can give through Directed Mission Support (DMS). The 2007/2008 Directed Mission Support catalogue can still be used to make DMS commitments and contributions for 2008. Order a copy from Presbyterian Distribution Service at (800) 524-2612. Ask for PDS #68700-07-050.

Pledge forms and an updated list of the DMS numbers of all missionaries serving in 2008 are available.

The 2007 Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study, p. 323