Sakartvelo 6/10/10

Yesterday we completed a training for facilitators workshop and graduated thirteen people who are excited and anxious to bring the Alternatives to Violence Project (AVP) to their countrymen. This weekend we will begin working with some of them as apprentices. AVP was active here in the late seventies when a UN employee was paid to bring the program to Sakartvelo. She acted in the capacity of coordinator, trainer, and lead facilitator. She had UN money available and used it, in part, to pay stipends to AVP facilitators. When she, and the UN program and it's money , left Sakartvelo, AVP stopped. The facilitators refused to work without pay. Today all but one of the facilitators from those times still refuse to work without pay and so, our work here in the Republic of Georgia is to raise up a cadre of facilitators who will work as volunteers and to work to breathe new life into AVP in this country. Sakartvelo is a country steeped in violence. As a tiny country (about the size of North Carolina) wedged in between many larger countries she has been invaded innumerable times in her history and still managed to retain territory but only through fierce fighting - violence. Her culture is pervaded with violence of all kinds. The work of AVP is so needed here! These last weeks, in the few free moments that I have, I find myself rather amazed to be carrying this work. I remember when I was first asked to take over the correspondence with Tbilisi Friends Worship Group: to listen to their requests and to discern how to move forward. My first inclination was to say "no". I hadn't had any experience in such things and wasn't clear that I had the skills or knowledge to proceed but I stopped and took the time to pray for guidance. In my inner silence I heard a very clear voice with a very clear message "Just do it!" and so I stepped into the work in faith, believing that if I continued to listen, to be faithful, that way would open. That has been true. I am amazed by the good work that is being accomplished. I remember one Christmas morning in meeting for worship receiving a message. It was the revelation that Mary said "Yes". She didn't have to. She knew that it would change her life completely and probably knew that it would be challenging and put her in painful places but she said "Yes". I have never come to an answer for myself around the question of virgin birth but I am clear that the message for me is that Mary said "Yes". Each time that I open to the Spirit, each time that I say "Yes" it makes the next time that much easier for I know that God walks beside me and will not abandon me. Thanks be to God!