All In One Peace

I have much to share, as I have been away from the internet. This must come first…

*On Friday, December 16th, three journalists from Voice of the People, an independant radio station, were arrested and computers and such were taken. They were looking for John, the director as well, and I receieved and email on the 18th and it told us that a friend had gotten a hold of John via the phone and was turning himself into the authorities (the other three were still in custody).
*Agnes, his wife, was denied access to John the next day. Also, the families Internet had been cut off.
*I recieved and an email on the 20th, telling us:

The police raided the VOP offices in Harare last Thursday. All VOP equipment was confiscated.
This is the second day that John Masuku is in the police custody, and until now his wife Agnes and other family members have not been allowed to see him nor communicate with him. According to the latest information he is to appear in court tomorrow (Wednesday) morning.

*On the 23rd, John Masuku was released on bail.
*While in custody, he has not been mistreated, but the conditions of the place he was locked in were appalling.
*He will have to appear before the Harare magistrate’s court on Friday, January 13, 2006. Until then he also has to report every Friday to police.

I haven’t had much time to look at all these sites, but I figured I’d let you all take a look and see. Here are some links about the case that were sent to me too. As I know more about the Masuku’s, the case, and the political situation, I will share more…

John Released, 23/12/2005
http://www.swradioafrica.com/news231205/masukufreed231205.htm
http://www.int.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=68&art_id=qw113534262267B251
http://za.today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=topNews&storyID=2005-12-23T141253Z_01_ALL351248_RTRIDST_0_OZATP-ZIMBABWE-JOURNALIST-20051223.XML

22/12/2005
http://www.int.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=&click_id=68&art_id=vn20051222070757752C470952
http://www.thestar.co.za/index.php?fSectionId=129&fArticleId=3044932
http://www.ifj.org/default.asp?Index=3609&Language=EN
http://www.swradioafrica.com/news191205/vop191205.htm
http://www.swradioafrica.com/news201205/VOP201205.htm
http://www.zimonline.co.za/headdetail.asp?ID=11323
http://www.rsf.org/print.php3?id_article=15924

Hi y’all-
I want to thank you all for your love and support. I am so richly blessed by it and I deeply need it. I remember in August, just a few measly months ago, that I was crying the prayer to be filled up. I was just so drained that I was beside myself. I even told someone, “After the lonlinesss I’ve been feeling, going to a foriegn country where I don’t fit in and don’t know the language, to live alone, and to face myself: well, it will be a walk in the park.” And I still think that is true. But, I think God knew that it wouldn’t do to have me go to Bosnia starting out that drained. For this body has been filled with love and peace and joy. September on, from the moment I’ve waken up and started the day: work, visiting with friends, my gauntlet of activities from Tuesday Night to ESL to bible study, etc… to when I laid my head back down-it has been a shower of love and affection. Thanks. My gallery has some of these Kodak (R) moments to share with you. Here is one, my commissioning at UPC. (Thanks Hillary for being the photograpgher).

Other photos click on gallery- people in Seattle

Hmmm, I can’t sleep. This is my last night in Seattle for a while. It’s hard to imagine my life without these last 5 1/2 years. And yet I’m at a cusp of a new chapter- one that entails this chapter but in a different place for a while. It’s hard to imagine what I’d be like without the late nights, time on Lander 7- “L7″, completing bulletin boards as an RA, magical car talks, dancing in the snow and snowball fights, learning to break dance… nor could I imagine not exploring the Rainier Valley, the eclectic U-District, Kent, up at UPC doing something, Lake City, Alki, or all of downtown in it’s entirety… but it’s not the things I was doing, or the specific places I was that made me and molded me. It was you, the people I was with who changed me. And it’s hard to leave this place and these things knowing that…

I am so fortunate to have so many people to thank and love! That is about all I can say now. You really have made living here in Seattle oober special. It’s hard to let go of control, but I have to say that I do not know if I will ever come back to live here or not- there are just too many variables. But, I have the hope that we will see each other again. And so with that, my emotion-filled self with take this love that you have poured on and into me and move to share that with others.

BBC Serbs jailed for Vukovar massacre

With all of the press of Ante Gotovina being caught in Spain and sent to the Hague, it seems that the Balkans are in the news a lot. This seemed just like another report- one I didn’t particularly even want to read per se. But I did anyway, as I usually try to at least skim info about the Balkans.

But 14 people were convicted today of the Ovcara massacre which happened right outside Vukovar, Croatia. I went to that farm. I went to that farm with my friend Sarah and her local friend- a mother…
Ovcara Memorial

I will never forget her face, as she gingerly lit one of the catholic votive candles flickering out in the wind at the memorial in the middle of this big empty field. The thought of her always makes me shiver- and remember the emptiness and longing that goes hand in hand with the aftermath. I’m glad I read the article and remembered.

I have been hesitant in writing the past few weeks… There is so much to say with all that is going on both in the Balkans and in my life for which to write about… In thinking about that, I have come to discover that I find it so hard to write here because that means that I have to look back and challenge myself, what I am doing, and what I believe. I know I am not the most articulate, so having people who can read this and call me on how I look at things, or how I say things is much more intimidating…

I am reading “Soul of a Citizen” and if has given me new found energy to write. It head on caught me by saying that we tend to desire the gift of eloquent speech, to have all the answers to share with others- all before we feel we can take a step in the right direction, to make a stand. Loeb, the author, points out that often the most positive changes happen when we are in that cloud of confusion in search for the answers… and that is exactly what I am in pursuit of: the truth. So why NOT let you all in on that journey?