One More Week ...

Two more days of traveling.  This time to the Kakheti region which is a major wine making region.  I traveled at the invitation of Sergei and his family.  Sergei is a C.O. from the Russian Federation's draft, having received three conscription notices so far.  He has been hoping that I might help to find him some assistance to emigrate to the United States.  I think I say, more than anything else, that I am not an expert and that I only know what I am able to see online.  From what I see online, I am surprised to see how challenging emigration to the U.S. for both Russians and Ukrainians is.

Yesterday afternoon I had a wonderful treat!  I was able to worship with old Friends (and new) at Tbilisi Friends Worship Group.  Several of the members I first met on my first trip to Georgia in 2009.  The worship felt deep and well grounded.   I shared pictures of where I worship at Gunpowder Friends Meeting (Sparks, MD, Baltimore Yearly Meeting).  They were excited and pleased to receive bookmarks with four seasons pictures of our Meeting house.  We had wonderful treats and good conversation.

Over the last week I have been working to set up a meeting at the Act for Transformation office with a representative from the U.S. embassy.   Today those efforts finally came to fruition. Ryan Sherman, Cultural Programs Coordinator in the public affairs area came to meet me and Act for Transformation staff at their offices.  We spoke for quite some time about the Alternatives to Violence Project and Fairtogether and the impact that they have on people's lives.  Alena and Inga shared about the amazing work that they are doing in Georgia but also in Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Ukraine.  Misha shared about the work that he is doing facilitating work with Ukrainian and Russian refugees and conscientious objectors.  Ryan was openly impressed.  He had been unaware of this work for peace.  He was surprised to know that facilitators that I trained twelve and thirteen years ago are still working.  He shared possibilities for financial support from the US embassy.  I will work with Act for Transformation in whatever way I cane to facilitate these grants.

Finally, this morning I presented my talk on Peacemaking in Today's world.  We were a small group made up exclusively of men and woman who are working for peace.  I decided to keep my remarks short (fifteen minutes) and to spend how ever long felt right in discussion.  It was a deep and heartfelt exchange in which we learned from each other.  I will share more about it in a separate post

I am grateful for this time of stretching and growing for myself and those that I am able to touch.