and even if you don't donate for me...

I just heard about this urgent call for more peacemakers and donations so that CPT can continue and expand its work. The article can be found here.

It sounds like they have more communities asking for assistance in setting up nonviolent direct action than they have volunteers to facilitate this assistance.

Do you feel a drawing, deep in your spirit, to help create workable solutions that don't require violence? Do you resonate with William Penn's hope-filled remark, "Let us then see what love will do"? Do you long for a true peace that is not only an absence of violent conflict, but a continual building of reconciliation and love between former enemies?

What if we had even 1% of the number of people involved in the American armed forces, working for reconciliation through nonviolent methods around the world? Can you imagine what kind of impact this would have?

Right now I would imagine there are at most a couple hundred people working for CPT as full time and reserve members, some doing on-site work and some doing administrative work. (I don't know the exact number, that's totally a guess, based on their 6 areas. I have no idea how many reservists there are.) What if there were a couple thousand people willing to do this kind of work?

You can get involved, too!

The way CPT works is that you first join a delegation, which is a 1-2 week trip to a CPT site, where you learn about the conflict there and CPT's work, and meet some local people who are working for peace. Then you do a month-long training in nonviolent direct action methods.

After that you can choose to become a reservist or a full time member of CPT. If you are full time you get some sort of salary. You don't have to raise your own support, but you are expected to share about your experiences with those in your area while at home for breaks. If you're a reservist you spend a couple weeks or a month a year on a CPT site, however much you are able. You do raise your own support, but this provides a way for more people to be involved and to hear about what you're doing, even if they are not in the position to commit to actually joining CPT.

So think about it, pray about, ruminate on it, and see how you are called to help the world work toward nonviolent resolution of conflict.