Breaking Down Walls

Today was our day of practicing peacemaking, a.k.a. The day at the convention center. Of all the days of our trip, this was the one I looked forward to the most. The convention center housed many attractions including a zip line, bumper cars, and inflatables. I was looking forward to a morning of fun and games, but the most memorable stations turned out to be much different than what I expected. At our first station, we helped members of Habitat for Humanity build houses for people who couldn't afford them. At another station, we carried water jugs around a path to learn about the 100 wells project, and how far some women need to walk to reach clean water. The biggest area set up was called "The Wall" which was about war and social injustice in other countries that many people don't know about. Normally, when we think about events like the Holocaust, we try to believe that things like it don't happen anymore. Sadly, that's not the case. Fear Of different people and different ideas has caused us to build many walls, with our words and actions just as often as with wood and stone. One of the themes of the gathering has been to tear down the walls that divide us, and to embrace peace between all people. In the dome today, we got to listen to Diane Latiker, an ordinary woman who lived in a town plagued with gang violence. She decided to break down the walls between her and the kids out on the streets by opening her doors to anyone who needed a home. She wasn't afraid for her own safety, she would just let anyone in who had nowhere else to stay. We need to learn to welcome people who we don't normally work with, and treat them the same way as any of our friends. Then the world can be a better place. Thanks for reading and see you tomorrow!-Paul Meuser