Hussein, a 23-year-old man living in a volatile region of Lebanon, is part of CRS’ peacebuilding programs for youth. Photo by Laura Sheahen/CRS

“I hated what happened…we knew two guys who died in Beirut. I don’t feel safe any more. I am not even worried about my future but about what will happen tomorrow morning.”

These fearful words by a 24-year-old man about last May’s fighting in Lebanon underscore the tensions that threaten this fragile Middle Eastern country. There are more than a dozen political parties in Lebanon, 18 religious groups, and involvement from other countries who see Lebanon as key to advancing their own interests. Too often ordinary Lebanese feel powerless before their own political leaders and those of other countries.

Lebanon has been in the news a lot recently. In May, it chose a president after months of deadlock marked by assassinations and fighting. Last week, it named its government ministers after an 18-month standoff. This week, it exchanged prisoners with Israel, bringing some closure to the war of summer 2006. Everyone watching this complex, troubled land hopes it can overcome a decades-old legacy of violence.

With its peacebuilding programs, CRS is helping Lebanese communities to find common ground. In the south of Lebanon, where political and religious divisions among Shia, Sunni, and Christian groups have caused problems, CRS partners ask people from opposing factions to brainstorm projects everyone in a town can agree on. These “consensus building” programs focus on improvements like better water and electrical systems. In Minyeh, a poor town in the north of Lebanon, CRS works with local partner Na-am to teach young people in their 20s about good government. The young people ask their neighbors what would make their community better, and then work with town authorities and with each other to make it happen. Youth are having strong impact — in one town the adults have noted that the municipality picks up the trash more frequently now that the youth are more involved. Read the rest of this entry »

Debbie DeVoe, CRS’ regional information officer for East Africa, shares the latest from West Darfur in Sudan.

Peering out the helicopter window, my stomach dropped again. This time it wasn’t from the twinge of fear I felt when the nose of the U.N. chopper dipped forward on liftoff. It was from what I was seeing on the ground.

Beyond the desire to return to her village, Mariam Abdalla Bakhit hopes that her children and all women will become educated. Photo by Debbie DeVoe/CRS

We were dropping into Sileia on our way to Sirba – two large villages in West Darfur that suffered immensely during recent government efforts to drive out rebels. After flying for miles over the stark but beautiful desert landscape, golden glints of thatched huts and fences appeared in the distance. As we got closer, the view changed drastically.

Next to a cluster of picturesque family compounds was a sickening scar of scorched earth. Blackened circles clearly marked where huts had been burned to the ground. The helicopter banked left, and the scene repeated itself.

Five years in, the conflict in Darfur continues unabated. More than 2 million people are displaced from their homes, feeling too scared to return to their villages and risk another attack. Each week, the number grows. Yet, somehow, people still find hope.

Eleven-year-old Faiza Khalil Hamad is happy to be attending classes in the West Darfur capital of El Geneina: “I used to look after our sheep every day, but now I am in school. I have learned a lot so far. I like school.” Abdullah Assal is proud to be part of a Catholic Relief Services food relief committee that helps distribute emergency rations each month to thousands of people, pleased to be helping his neighbors.

Mariam Abdalla Bakhit, who has lived in an El Geneina camp since January 2007, misses her house and garden and farm and animals. Ask her how she’s doing, and she’ll say “well” — much better than when she first arrived with nothing. Her husband Abdul Karim Hassan describes their life a bit more stoically: “Sometimes it’s difficult, sometimes it’s normal.”

It can be disturbing to see just how normal life appears at times in Darfur. School girls play jump rope. Small boys drag along wooden cars tied to string. Men chat over tea and coffee in wooden shacks, while coworkers sit down for a midmorning breakfast of fried goat, beans and puffy bread. Cars zip along El Geneina’s recently paved roads, lined with shops that sell everything from soap to hookah pipes.

Sit down for a longer conversation though, and smiles disappear. Women fear for their personal safety when they have to go into the bush to collect firewood. Men can’t find enough work to support their families. An older woman shows me her paralyzed hand and the responsible bullet lodged in her upper arm.

When it comes time for me to leave — a luxury I’m well aware of — I ask my new friends Mariam and Abdul if they have any questions for me. “This is difficult to ask,” Abdul replies, “but when will the conflict end and peace come?”

CRS joins with Caritas Internationalis in mourning the death of Archbishop Rahho of Mosul in northern Iraq. Archbishop Rahho was kidnapped last week and was found dead today. The following is a statement from Caritas Internationalis:

Caritas says the tragic death of Chaldean Catholic Archbishop Paulos Faraj Rahho of Mosul in northern Iraq highlights the urgency of ending the violence in the country and the region.

The archbishop was kidnapped on February 29 in Mosul after a deadly shootout in which three of his companions were killed. He was found dead on Thursday 13 March.

Caritas Internationalis, the umbrella organisation of 162 national Catholic charities that includes Caritas Iraq, said peacebuilding efforts need to be supported both within local communities, nationally and internationally to bring a halt to the conflict.

Caritas Iraq runs peacebuilding training courses in many places in the country, trying to break through distrust and suspicion among communities.

Caritas Internationalis Secretary General Lesley-Anne Knight said, “Archbishop Rahho was a man who sought peace and dialogue in a country at war. All sides of the conflict in Iraq have a duty not to target civilians. Archbishop Rahho supported peacebuilding efforts including those carried out by Caritas, which makes his death even more tragic and senseless. Caritas again calls for an end of all violence in Iraq and in the region, and for the safe release of all people taken hostage. Peace through dialogue is the only way forward.”

Caritas Iraq has been active since 1992 providing humanitarian relief, especially to new mothers and babies, and peacebuilding work since 2003.

Since 2003, CRS has been one of several Caritas Internationalis supporters of Caritas Iraq’s work with the internally displaced population and with those who have been marginalized within an increasingly desperate and violent situation.

Conflict continues in Kenya over the contested win by President Mwai Kibaki over rival contender Raila Odinga. The crisis in Kenya is affecting people across the country, whether or not they have been directly touched by the violence.

In Nairobi, most businesses have reopened. For CRS staff, however, it’s far from business as usual. Debbie DeVoe, regional information officer for East Africa, sat down with John Katunga, regional technical advisor for peacebuilding and justice, and Peter Kimeu, regional technical advisor for peacebuilding, global solidarity and justice, to learn more about the reflection sessions they have been holding for staff.

The conference room was packed with staff who value the opportunity to come together to address and reduce any tension. Photo by Debbie DeVoe/CRS

Kimeu: Kenyan hearts are bleeding, and CRS staff hearts are bleeding too. We need to reconcile as members of the CRS family so we can provide the emergency response required. By bringing the staff together, they can share their feelings with each other and listen to one another.

Katunga: What has happened in the country can’t be isolated. CRS employees in Kenya are a microcosm of society, and as Kenyan society is divided by the crisis, it affects our staff.

These meetings provide a framework for staff to vent their frustrations and their feelings. By coming together, people realize how what they are saying and how they are acting are affecting others. People need to be able to say “I’m not happy about what’s happening” without saying “I hate Kibaki” or “I hate Raila.” We need to learn ways to express ourselves without antagonizing others.

Kimeu: We asked staff to write on cards how the conflict has changed their working relationships. Many of the cards have the same message: “I’m hurt. I’m scared. I don’t know how to approach my brothers or sisters anymore.” By bringing these issues to the table, we can help people listen to one another.

Katunga: These days every word can be interpreted differently. Take the word “justice.” It no longer means the same thing for everyone. Through these reflections, we are giving staff the opportunity to examine how their emotions and beliefs have been affected by the situation to improve their working relationships.

Msgr. Joseph Ciampaglio – Diocese of Paterson

We began our day with Mass at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. Despite the ornate surroundings, we were caught up in the mystery of what happened 2,000 years ago in this holy place – the passion, death, and resurrection of Jesus – the central mysteries of our faith. To some degree that spirit permeated our day – a busy day of meetings with various officials and educators.

Mr. Avraham Lavine, Director of International Organization’ Relations, Ministry of Labor and social affairs and his associate, Eliane Haddad.

One of the major responsibilities of this office is to relate to 96 different humanitarian organizations, such as Catholic Relief Services, which respond mainly to the Palestinian needs. In 1994, when the Palestinian economy completely collapsed, CRS became central in providing food and other humanitarian aid.

Mr. Lavine believes that the vast majority of Israelis and Palestinians wish to live in harmony, yet the actions of the extremists on either side continue to upset the apple cart. Only a deep sense of compromise can solve the current problems.

Risa Zoll of B’Tselem

B’Tselem is the Israeli Information Center for Human Rights in the occupied territories. B’Tselem – “in the image of” – is a dynamic agency founded by a group of public figures to enhance human dignity for both Palestinians and Israelis.

It employs 26 field researchers. They take testimony from victims of human rights violations, video the respondents and publicize the facts to governmental agencies and the general public. It attempts to “jar Israelis from a state of denial.” They have documented facts that the “wall” and the settlements have caused many human rights violations for Palestinians. It is a credit to the Israeli government that it permits this organization to function so openly.

Most powerful of all were the videos taken by the local Palestinian people of the different abuses at the hand of the settlers. Settlers are seen taunting, throwing stones, at the Palestinians, in the presence of the police, so that the Palestinians are virtually prisoners in their own homes.

After lunch we headed for

Rabbi David Rosen, International Director of Inter-religious affairs.

This man is truly dynamic and extremely articulate as he describes his life experiences of complex issues and situations without taking a breath. He suggested that we could help solve the problem if we enable people to get beyond the mentality of seeing the Israelis as all right and the Palestinians as all wrong or vice versa. See the facts as they are – people can be loved without somebody being hated. Also needed is more active engagement by the United States, without taking sides.

Dr. Mahadi Hadi, Director of PASSA

Mr. Hadi is a brilliant man who has compiled detailed histories of both Israelis and Palestinians from the founding to the present in order to help people, especially youth, to talk, research and educate.

After years of study, discussion, meeting and organization, this man’s heart spilled over as he said, “at sixty I am tired of being nice. I must speak out about the facts as I see them.” The heart needs to be reached if decency, respect and dignity are to be honored. We must grapple with the soul of humanity to bring about peace.

Our visit with the Latin Patriarch was canceled, which was disappointing. By the end of the day, we were overloaded with information and needed a break to process all we had heard.

In summary, today was a powerful, yet overwhelming day!

Msgr. Joseph Ciampaglio, from the Diocese of Paterson, is a member of the Global Fellows: Parish Homily Program. The Global Fellows: priests, deacons and seminarians, travel to the developing world to experience the plight of the poor and marginalized overseas. Upon their return, the Global Fellows are empowered to preach in parishes across the United States about social justice and peace around the world. This entry is a personal reflection by one of the participants in this program, and does not necessarily reflect the views of Catholic Relief Services, or its partners.

Chris Tucker, Catholic Relief Services’ U.S. regional director for the Mid-Atlantic, is quoted in this Catholic News Service story on the Annapolis Middle East peace talks earlier this week. Chris previously served as the CRS regional director of the Middle East and North Africa.

A view of Jerusalem. Photo by Tom Garofalo/CRS

As key leaders from Israel, the Palestinian territories, Saudi Arabia, Syria and other nations gathered in Annapolis for a Nov. 26-28 Middle East peace conference and related meetings, local Catholic leaders said they were hopeful the meetings would trigger further discussions for making a lasting peace in the Holy Land.

Peace is attainable, they said, but it will take assertive leadership from the United States to make it a reality.

“I’m guardedly optimistic in the sense that I’m always happy when there’s some kind of negotiation going on in the Middle East,” said Baltimore Auxiliary Bishop Denis J. Madden, urban vicar for the archdiocese.

Bishop Madden previously served as associate secretary general of the Catholic Near East Welfare Association and director of the Pontifical Mission for Palestine office in Jerusalem.

He said the lack of strong leadership from the United States in recent years has been a contributing reason the peace process has stalled. He was hopeful the U.S.-led Annapolis conference would change that.

Read the rest of this entry »

Bishop Curtis J. Guillory celebrates Mass at St. Dominic’s Parish in Tubmanburg, Liberia. Photo by Lane Hartill/CRS.

Most Rev. Curtis J. Guillory SVD, Bishop of Beaumont, Texas, who is on Catholic Relief Service’s Board of Directors, is visiting Liberia this week. Yesterday, Bishop Guillory visited St. Dominic’s Parish in Tubmanburg, which has received CRS funding over the years.

At the parish, Bishop Guillory was escorted by Father Gary Jenkins who arrived in Liberia in 1973 and stayed throughout the 14-year civil war. Father Gary works with and counsels children who were involved in the conflict. Bishop Guillory met with five young men involved in the war. He also celebrated Mass with community members, ate lunch with church staff, and visited students (and their dormitories). Here are his reflections about the day.

I’d heard about the child soldiers; I’d read about them. But to actually be present with them, especially the five we met with after lunch …

They were playing ball and all of a sudden they were picked up and taken to a camp. I can imagine the shock. These were kids. They were taken away from their parents, particularly their mothers. They were in a totally different environment, a very violent environment — and forced to carry a gun, forced to kill, forced to carry ammunition. Like the one boy said, you could never tell the commanders you were tired.

Yet there is hope for them. With Father Gary and Father Henry at St. Dominic’s Parish, there’s a solid community there to try to integrate them back into society, trying to help them deal with many traumas and to give them a sense that it’s not their fault. That’s one of the points I was trying to make. They’re not responsible for what they saw or what they did because it was forced upon them and if they didn’t do it they would have probably been killed.

When I was talking to them my heart was very heavy. I was trying to imagine what I would do in that situation. To be honest, it’s unimaginable. I guess I would hopefully turn out the way they did. These kids, like I told them, they are really heroes. Not only were they able to survive this ordeal, they seem to be dealing with it. They’re the leaders of the future.

Bishop Guillory at St. Dominic’s. Photo by Lane Hartill/CRS.

The other thing that informed, impressed and inspired me was that those kids were thanking God that they were saved. The faith is just so strong, so vibrant, so alive. All of that is helping to integrate these kids and the whole community because everyone suffered from this extended and brutal and violent war.

I’ve been on the CRS Board now for four years. CRS brings skills. They bring resources, technology. But one of the things that I’ve always found to be CRS’ great gift was the spirit of compassion and understanding they bring. They’re involved with the people. They get involved in the lives of the people. They try to understand the customs and the culture. They come in and try to find out from the people what are their needs and in many cases how those needs ought to be met. CRS really tries to be as much as possible a part of the community, a part of the lives of the people. I think that brings about a great amount of respect, a great amount of trust.

CRS has the reputation of going to those remote places where people won’t go, don’t want to go or can’t go. We’re with the poorest of the poor.

Over the years, CRS has been very involved in the Catholic Peacebuilding Network. They are currently holding their international conference in Bogota, Colombia. Here is their latest communique: 

The 4^thInternational Conference of the Catholic Peacebuilding Network is being held June 25^th – 29^th in Bogota, with the theme: “Creating a climate of reconciliation: opening space for truth, justice and reparation.”

Archbishop Ruben Salazar Gomez, Archdiocese of Barranquilla, President, SNPS/Caritas Colombiana

Gerard F. Powers, Chairman, Steering Committee, Catholic Peacebuilding Network