GRACE PILGRIMAGE 2010 - BOGOTA, COLOMBIA

Grace Pilgrimage 2010, Bogotá, Colombia

Diary of Sabine Lichtenfels and Silvie Bossert – a Pilgrim from Tamera

Sabine Lichtenfels:

November 9, Global Grace Day.

From our accommodation we walk 1 / 2 hour through the streets of the city, again without a police escort. After saying yesterday very strictly, how important it is to walk together in lines and in pairs side by side, the group is now extremely disciplined. We walk with music, and many passants are interested and take the leaflets.

At the Praca de Independencia we read the meditation in five different languages, accompanied by music. The police team leaves the site, as we explain to them that we want no weapons. There were some guests, I would like to emphasize Gloria Cuartas, the former mayor in Apartado, now very politically active in Bogota, at times acting as a senator.

Taita Orlando Gaitan, a shaman from Bogota who received the alternative Nobel Prize a few years ago appears has com with a whole group. On stage he gives a wonderful short speech. He says that there is no sense in stirring up negative images. "We are not fighting against existing systems, but we leave systems of corruption and violence. It is our job to develop systems of peace where we can show how to live a life of truth and trust. "

There is music, speeches and thanks. Black clouds gather, after two hours we walk home. In our great hall, we celebrate the closing mass. The Padre compare our situation with that of Moses standing before the burning bush and says: "Here I am Lord."

The unconditional surrender to the path of peace. The unconditional surrender to the belief that another life is possible. Like Moses, we want to free ourselves and humanity from slavery, a path that is only possible in reconnection with the divine forces.

Most of the peace community is leaving us today by bus, there were new landslides in the country, and so the situation is dangerous.

The last theatrical performance was a highlight. The theater is full. A magic silence in the room. The interaction of young people who can barely Spanish and have put together their piece in a short time in Spanish, together with others who have even made some of the horrible experiences that are described in this piece. Now they perform with incredible concentration. A boy from the peace community plays a child soldier, he stands there and tells the story of how he lost his parents and then received the offer to become a soldier, wishing he could throw it away again and have back his mother instead. For how many young people in this country that is reality!

In the end all actors are on stages with closed eyes, angels appear with large wings and kiss them gently awake, and then they travel with their time machine into the future to evoke a better world.

The piece has the magic to touch hearts which are closed and awakens the memory of a time when the heart was still full of faith and hope.

Afterwards Gloria and I give speeches on the meaning of GRACE and the importance of future models. Later we learn that it was raining at that time in Bogota so heavily that cars were washed away.

As always, the pilgrimage brings intensive community experiences for all involved. We learned to kow the healing power of community and its challenges. Many learned what it means to find the path of service, the path of solidarity. Surely, each of us met at some point one's own ego, that would persuade us that this too much, that that is impossible, that this is unfair or completely pointless. Certainly everyone was eventually caught by feelings of loneliness, or anger at others. The pilgrimage is a wonderful opportunity to bear witness, as to where we really stand in peace work. Many were also affected by the surprising experience that in the moments where you believed to have no strength and want to give up, another force emerged. These are the basic experiences of GRACE.

My soul is more than grateful that we went through the pilgrimage well.

The cooperation with the peace community is incredible. We were challenged each day to deal with completely new and unexpected situations. From day to day, we were able to faster find decisions. There never was unnecessary discussion, and that had a major impact on the group situation.

We give thank for this time. We are grateful for the protection. We give thank for the love that is created among all participants.

May the situation of the people here in Colombia become so public that those who need help will receive it. May this cooperation be a model and a cell of hope for the country. There are few people in the world who are following so courageously the path of peace as the Peace Community of San Jose de Apartado.

November 9, Global Grace Day - Conclusion of the Pilgrimage

by Silvie Bossert

We are back in Bogota, housed in a school. During the morning circle, we are informed about what we will do today: After breakfast we go as a last walk together through the town to the "Parque de Independencia "- the Independence Park where we will celebrate the Global Grace Day. Then Padre Javier will commit a Christian service. The completion of the pilgrimage will be made with the theater performance of our youth.

We gather in front of the school, again in pairs side by side. The sun shines on us. I walk with a young woman from San José. She lives there since the beginning of the peace community, her father was a founding member and was killed very soon after. We speak about how we live, about our children and their fathers and where they live. She is 16 years old. What stories these people carry with them!

After some time we reach the "Parque de Independencia". Tall trees in the city center, and an amphitheater with a large stage. It is there that Eduar talks about dignity and respect and how dignity and community need each other.

Sabine Lichtenfels talks about the Global Grace Day. The 9th of November is a historic day on many levels - 1938: the so-called Reichs crytal night, the beginning of the Nazi violence against the Jews, 1989 opening of the Berlin Wall, a sign of hope and reconciliation.

This memory now connects people all over the world with the power of Grace. The Indian shaman and leader Taita Orlando has come with about fifteen members of the tribe Moisca to the meeting. He recalls that Mother Earth is just as hurt as we are. "The best way to heal the wounds is to build models that match our dreams."

Together with its tribal members, he sings a song for the healing of the earth.

At the end the music group that has accompanied us throughout the pilgrimage, Poesia Samba Soul, plays. After a while everybody is dancing on the steps - the gratitude and joy on the common experience of pilgrimage becomes visible. As soon as we leave the place, it starts to rain heavily. Soaking wet, we arrive at school. We gather in a corner of the hall around a small table. It is the altar for the Christian service. We're all sitting on our pilgrim mats. We sing Ubi Caritas, and everyone drinks wine from the same cup. For a moment I feel reminded of the first Christian communities. I am grateful and touched that we can be together and learn more and more can, what community means.

The pilgrimage ends in the famous Sala Seki Sano Theater: Fourteen young people from San Jose have intensively learned texts and rehearsed with our young people during the last few days. A 16 year old woman who knows the pain of violence, plays the displaced mother. The child soldier, the angels, the black shadow and many supporting roles are played by the young people of San José. I'm sitting in the audience and see the strength and determination of these young people. In the end, they stand there, young people from a crisis area with the young people from Tamera and musicians from Brazil and Israel. It is visible: Here a deep friendship began among the youth, supported by their joint projects.

We leave the theater - and face 50 young men standing there. All are disabled, many go on crutches, some are missing a leg - there are young soldiers who have come back from combat. I could cry. In war there are only victims.

Sabine Lichtenfels

8th of November. Monday, the day of the Ring of Power.

I myself had the feeling that we would challenge the people too much when we meet early morning at sunrise for the Ring of Power, because the sun rises already at 5.30 clock. But, interestingly, it was the Consejo, the Council of the peace community, who wanted to do it. You are hungry for spirit, if you are in situations like this. We make fire in the morning, first in a small group, and then the whole community comes together for a prayer in the Ring of Power.

I absorb the silence of the mountains and the beauty of nature. It is hardly conceivable that here in the majestic mountains armed forces are hiding and kill each other. What an absurd world! At eight clock, the group is ready to go. On the way we once again say a farewell to the lagoon. A little further away, we see an eagle, is this perhaps a salute to our community development? After a mishap with one of the buses we arrive in Bogotá, again in a big hall. A short break, and then the pilgrimage moves towards the center of the city, we are showing ourselves once more before the court house to lay down the crosses for all the victims. We are participating out of solidarity with the community. For us it is not very enhancing to stand in front of a building where no one is interested. An official wants to clear away the crosses, because this action was not allowed. We finally manage to convince a woman to submit to the action, so that those people who have suffered so much pain, feel that they are perceived.

Then we come to the theater. It is raining heavily. Until now we were very lucky with the weather, but now everyone is completely soaked. Through a misunderstanding, we are three hours early. In wet clothes Eduar and I give the welcome speech at the theater.

After the play we collected back "home" and fall exhausted into our "bed", my home is currently a perforated mat in the hall of a home for handicapped persons. But I'm so tired, that are the hard ground and a safe roof is a wonderful camp.

Silvie Bossert:

7th of November 2010, nature reserve Sumapaz

It is early morning. We are all sitting in a big circle. In the middle there is a candle, and Sabine Lichtenfels reads the text "pain of the world." It is quiet and contemplative. We are getting ready for this day, we will receive people from the area for speeches, and in the evening, a concert is planned.

With some delay, the program on stage begins. The representatives of the community could not come - it would have been too dangerous for them to speak in public. But representatives of various organizations speak about their work:

A representative from "Bogotá Positiva" highlights the problems that have increased in recent years in the city more and more, and speaks about their work for the future.

Gloria Cuartas stressed again how important the Grace Pilgrimage is because it makes the people of Bogotá and the government aware of the existence and the resistance of the Peace Community of San José de Apartado.

Eduar Lanchero, a member of the Council of San José, talks about their deep decision for peace: "It is important that we transform pain into hope."

He tells of their work to use every day for peace, and about their cooperation Tamera. In fact, they already changed something deep when they started to form a community.

"Hope is when we do not respond with hate.

Hope is when we build together something new.

Hope is when we approach the life the way we want. "

Sabine Lichtenfels showed how much thewords of Eduar touched her: "Every tear can open our hearts and change the world." Again she stretches how radically the development of new systems are needed for the earth, and she told by their own history, how the idea of the Global Campus arose. A speaker from Sumapaz deepens the understanding of this troubled region.

After that, it is group time. Everywhere, circles form, groups on various topics. Water is a subject which is discussed more deeply. Another group talks about music as a path of peace. A circle exchanges experiences in education and youth. A member of the peace community tells how after each murder, the hope must be rebuilt in order to be able to do what is neccessary. For only when one has hope, one has the power to not to respond with revenge to the offender and to see a future where we will live in peace with all people.

I can only guess what a deep decision for peace these people have to make.

At the same time, the youth are having a great theater rehearsal on the playground: Fourteen young people from San José have already performed in smaller roles yesterday during a performance in Cuidad Bolivar. Some of them will now perform in central roles. During the bus ride they were busy practicing text. Tomorrow they will perform the piece in Bogotá - for the first time with a new team.

In the afternoon we had time to meet in the groups that were formed at the beginning of the pilgrimage. I was in a new group with mainly young people from San José. It took a while before they began to say even simple things about themselves in a circle. Eventually, one woman told how it is not easy to talk about herself. And that she previously could not integrate so easily into the peace community, because she was often too shy to speak to other people. But now she realizes that she would like to. Suddenly more and more people want to say something. They say that we can help each other when we ask questions. And that it is a learning process to talk about themselves and get to know each other.

I did not realize that the people of San José also often know each other not so well because many of them live far apart from each other. This pilgrimage serves also as help for the people of San José to experience community.

Outside, some people sit at the warm fire - here we are at 3600 meters above sea level, and it is quite chilly. Meanwhile in the hall, Poesia Samba Soul and a local music group make the people dance. And tomorrow we go back to the capital.

Sabine Lichtenfels:

6th of November, Sumapaz

We are all more or less doing well. A few feel little altitude sickness, and we have a couple of cases of acute malaria among the people from the community of peace, but that's very common over here. I wish to highlight the growing trust between the people of Tamera and the people of San José.

After another restless night in the school of Cuidad de Bolivar it was quite an effort, to distribute all people coming with us on six buses, but we managed. We drove to the Paramo and had a beautiful ritual at a lagoon.

I enjoy the few moments of silence in the mountains, almost greedily, it even was possible to have a few minutes on my own.

Seeing again where and how the multinational corporations are involved, I would like to remove all Coca-Cola bottles from the shelves. Here are the beautiful mountains - now to be bought by Coca-Cola to privatize the holy water and then sell it for their profit.

We are now in San Juan, about 3600 m above sea level. On the way we were welcomed at a party of farmers and immediately invited on stage for speeches, music and dance. A strong contrast: the silence of the mountains and then immediately the almost intolerable noise among people. Nevertheless, I feel touched how the campesinos are trying to build up non-violent movements and organizations in order to avoid the claw of globalization, all under difficult conditions.

Thank God we made it without major incidents through the steep streets of the high mountains of the Paramo. It is known as a very suitable hiding place for both guerrillas and paramilitaries in order plan and prepare violent actions.

If you knew nothing about it, what a relief could this place be - after the many busy days in the city, the noise, fumes and constant suspicions.

Imagine that people have to live every day under that pressure! We have to focus our consciousness like a laser beam on peace. It is quite a struggle, a fight without weapons, a fight that overcomes hatred and fear and reaches out to the original source of universal and human love.

On the way we were stopped by soldiers. The mayor of the small village San Juan drove his car in front our busses. The soldier let him pass, but as his car was out of sight, he turned around and stopped one of our buses.

The crew of FOR and PBI is very well trained, they go there immediately, and after a few minutes of negotiation they come back successfully. We can all pass.

Late in the evening we arrived in San Juan. We are warmly welcomed. Friendly people brought us food. We are now more than 180 people. People from Facatativá, from various humanitarian movements, and also people from the shaman Taita Orlando have joint.

I had a restless night. The altitude, the oxygen, the barking dogs outside, shots in the distance, people walked past the front of our windows.

Now we are in the middle of an event. There were wonderful speeches by Gloria Cuartas, a representative of Human Rights, the mayor, the nature protectors, Eduar Lanchero and me.

The speech of Eduar brings me close to tears. He has the gift to speak in a simple but very precise way. His commitment for community is very strong. He is a real leader for a revolutionary movement. Many young women fall in love with his male aura.

Again and again I am deeply impressed, how committed these people follow their path. How faithful they are to the thought the community. Thank you for that. You give us hope.

Then we meet in groups. I'm in a small group to the question: What is Tamera? Deep questions of the participatants. I feel that our work in Tamera is needed here. We give real hope to these people. This we have to keep in mind.

Soon there will be a fire and a concert.

Silvie Bossert:

6. November 2010, reserve Sumapaz

We found accommodation and go to dinner. We have to go all together - because everywhere out there soldiers are present, and we never know if it is a threat or a protection.

We arrived after a long bus ride in San Juan, a small settlement of campesinos. The whole area Sumapaz is rich of water, a beautiful nature reserve - but an area of conflict equally dangerous as the rain forest surrounding San José.

Our coach passed the lagoons of Sumapaz. This area, situated 3600m above sea level, is the largest swamp in the world, larger than Switzerland. We had a ritual for gratitude to the water on the banks of the "Chasica" lagoon. The water is deep clear, we breath fresh air, fog is settling over the water. It is hard to understand that in Bogotá, two hours from here, water is scarce - but that's it: On the way to Bogotá, the water is severely polluted.

A member of "Bogotá Positiva" tells us the latest news concerning this matter: Sumapaz is the largest water reservoir in South America. Once a sacred gathering place of the Muisca Indigenous people. At present, however, multinational companies like Coca Cola plan to purchase the area to develop energy production - without negotiating with the locals.

It occurs to me that a few days ago we drank water from bottles that read: "Agua purificado por Coca Cola - Coca Cola purified water. " I imagine how it will be, when the largest drinking water reservoir of the world is owned by a large private corporation.

For the survival of humanity it becomes more and more apparent that we are dependent on the development of community-oriented systems.

In the afternoon we attend a festival of campesinos in the Colegio Campestre Jaime Carzon, a meeting place for all the campesinos of the region. Groups from the region played music, people danced, local products were sold. Sabine Lichtenfels spoke here about how much we need new systems of cooperation with nature and people. For the violence that we commit to others, we also commit to ourselves. Eduar Lanchero, member of the council of the peace community, called for solidarity and community building.

I look into the distance and see an incredible view of mountains illuminated by the sun, lush green grass, bright purple flowers everywhere. Seeing this beauty, one can hardly imagine that there is war.

Dinner is now over. We are well protected in a hall. There is laughter, songs, play. Tomorrow we expect a full day of events and exchanges with people from the region.

Friday 5 November 2010

by Sabine Lichtenfels

A day of chaos. By yesterday evening, I felt that there will be major challenges. This feeling was right.

Our guide on this day should have come at eight clock in the morning. We had planned to speak again about the route. We started the day with a study hour about GRACE. The guide finally came at 10 clock, in best mood and smelling strongly of alcohol. He immediately wanted to get started. We told him that we must first discuss the route again, because it seemed to us very far. 30 km he had said. His statements were so confusing that it became clear that we could not have the group follow his leading. After a dispute, he became angry and left. All gentle attempts had failed. Around us, people start to discuss and argue, it was now, where we needed GRACE.

The co-leader and a woman of Human Rights Watch said they would lead us. Our road went up a steep hill to Cuidad Bolivar, a slum of one million inhabitants, which is close by Bogotá. We walked through the poorest areas, slums are mixed with a little more comfortable but very basic streets and houses. We hear that people of the paramilitary and guerrilla keep hiding here.

Again we had a discussion with the police. We insisted to go without police protection because that would make people think, that we collaborate with the police, which can lead to confrontation. Eduar said, we are strong enough even without weapons, we have our own means, to protect ourselves. We pass by one of the largest police stations including a large prison. Honking, big, aggressively driving mobile police cars rush past us. Nevertheless, military and police accepted when we asked them to leave.

On top of the mountain one of the older campesinos collapsed. In a small grocery store, we hold him, Irma and Andrea are with him very fast. There is no telephone reception here, and there are no taxis, which drive up here. The place is too dangerous. So we finally convince a bus driver, to take our "patient" down, in the company of Andrea.

Going so completely into the unknown and feeling the risk everywhere in the air, you have to deal constantly with increasing anxiety. I took the rattle in my hand and with every blow I was looking for positive and protective thoughts. I managed quite well. I let nothing disturb my calm mood anymore.

We made a strong shortcut. After arrival, we were all housed in a large hall, thousands of students came into the dormitory. The theater performance began her. Our young people are getting better from performance to performance. Now they also included people from the peace community into the piece.

The proposed panel discussion was canceled. It should have been led by our guide, but after a telephone conversation with Gloria Cuartas it became clear that he had continued drinking, and it did not make sense to hold a panel discussion in dangerous zone with a drunken coordinator.

Instead Father Javier and a support group of Tamera and the Consejo went with a taxi to Bogota. Here, a historic event took place: "Hijos e Hijas por la memoria y contra la impunidad" - daughters and sons for the rememberance and against impunity. 25 years ago many people were killed in a massacre. 35 guerrillas and 11 members of parliament died. Still persons are missing, and nobody knows whether they are still alive.

We met the father of a murdered man. He said that since the day he lost his son he had not passed one day without fighting for justice. It was touching to listen to him. He described how he changed from thoughts of hatred and vengeance into the commitment for love and justice. One day, a 15-year-old boy stood in front of him, that was the same age what his son had when he died. On that day the change happened in him. Suddenly he heard the voice of his son, telling him: "Do not follow the revenge, but go for truth and justice."

On the same day he saw police officers beating young people. He jumped for their help, going between them. The police sprayed tear gas directly in his face. He was often in jail since then. We also spoke with a woman. She was saved because she had to leave as it was the hour to give birth to her daughter. Her husband stayed - and was killed.

Everybody here lives up to our presence. We are moved, it is late and we are tired, but also strengthened for our work.

4. November, Bosa:

Today was an emotional day. A very different day. A Grace day, a compassion day and a Children's Day. In the morning, the young people of Tamera performed their theater play "The Black Shadow and the mystery of the Princess" for the first time here in Colombia, with an audience of 1000 children in the school Claretiana, with various representatives of peace organizations. The piece was created in 2007 when the then 11 year-old children were on a pilgrimage in Israel and Palestine and wanted to express their experiences in a play: that what happens there and everywhere in the world should be known. They wanted to write a play and perform it in America and start a big children´s movement for peace!

Now they are there. In South America. And played the piece for 1,000 children.

We are excited about our youth. As they stand before thousands of people, and although the room is not always quiet, they play wonderfully. Their concentration increases even more in the noise. What a message of peace here in a country of violence and war. They get very good feedback. The people of PBI and FOR are thrilled. "This is exactly the message the young people here need."

Then we led a march through the district of Bosa, a poor area. In the house of the people (Hogar comunitario El Pueblo) where we are received by a group of small children. They give us little peace flags they made. Eduar Lanchero speaks to the children telling them that we will bring the flags to the children in San Jose and that they will bring them hope to be not alone. It is clear: here the youngest children know what war is.

In the afternoon, several organizations of Bosa present themselves. Organizations working for the rights of displaced persons and against impunity. Communities of displaced persons, Indigenous, Afro Latinos, peasants, all people fighting for their rights. People who basically all have the same story. Victims of the system, displaced by violence and now living in slums. Full of pain and suffering. The people need mutual solidarity and courage. So many have lost fathers, children, siblings. And everywhere people could tell the same story. All over the world. The global system creates everywhere the same exploitation and suffering. "Claretiana" itself has long worked against impunity. They collect the cases and make them known to the public. Vera speaks for the first time on stage, in simple and moving words about the work of Tamera.

Then three children of the Colegios Claretiana go on stage: "We are students of this school and thank you for your commitment to peace. We are children, and sometimes we can not understand how the adults act. You should still be our role models. But they make war. Thank you for your commitment. "

I am moved. We have the responsibility for the whole world. For our children. Outside our young people perform the play once again, this time for the other half of the school, the children from the slums, the afternoon school.

Sabine Lichtenfels:

At the same time, at a nearby church we are having a Eucharist celebration. Father Giraldo gives a powerful sermon. He talks about the deep meaning and sense of peace communities. He also talks about the possibility of making the impossible possible. "Faith can move mountains. The true fellowship of Jesus leads to the result that you have to leave this corrupt system." He thanked the peace community and all those who choose that path.

For many of the Internationals this is a moment to digest the impressions and to give free rein to the feelings of the last days. Many tears flow. Also I let for the first time my emotions run free, together we sit there and cry.

In front of the altar we set up photos of some of the murdered members of the community. Now we would really love to go in silence. Unfortunately, our day program for it is too full. The Consejo will meet immediately afterwards to discuss the next days. Inaction - quiet - relaxing are in this moment terms we don´t know.

For only a few minutes there was the opportunity to gather the Internationals, who of course have many questions, to speak about the meaning of GRACE.

Continued Silvie:

In the evening the students of the school perform a theater play, which gives a critic to the social system as the actors said themselves. It showed directly the complicated situation of war and the associated suffering. So we were again confronted with the suffering of thousands of people in the world.

Tomorrow we will leave this place. Our route will lead us to the quarter Cuidad Bolivar, a slum that has emerged on a hillside on the outskirts of Bogota.

3. November, meeting with representatives of the Vice President

In the morning we gather in the theater of the school. Today we have big plans: The council of the Peace Community of San José de Apartado want to meet the Vice President of Colombia to speak about the murders, for protection and respect.

During the walk, each member of the Peace Community is accompanied by an International. Today we need to be very accurate because we have not officially announced this walk and it was our expressed desire to walk without protection by armed police. Since the peace community has made many bad experiences with police in the last years, they do not tolerate armed people in their area. Four people from PBI (Peace Brigades International) and FOR (Fellowship of Reconciliation) accompany the team, as communicated with the police.

Sabine Lichtenfels:

The awareness in the contact with the police has increased. Policemen, with whom we have come in contact were very friendly and even gave us coffee. At the same time, we heard that a delegation of the police had been here at the school and also at the church, to warn the peopole of us. They stated that the International would call people to violence, and that campesinos would work with the guerrilla. We have also heard that a policeman was among us in plain clothes.

The situation is serious. None of us is allowed to leave the school building in the evening. Until late in the night we meet with the Council of the Peace Community and consider what to do now.

At three in the night I get up to formulate a letter to the President that we want to give to him.

In a "break" where the others eat, representatives of PBI, FOR, Meike as a translator and I go to the commander of the police. It want to make sure that they accept our wish not to be accompanied by armed forces, and to inform the police officer in charge about us so that the unpleasant events don´t repeat.

3 pm. Buses take us to the edge of the Candelaria district, from where we walk in a long line to the government building. It was getting dark when we arrived at the building of the Vice President. For two days it was not clear if we were received or not. In the building people run about, there are phone calls and negotiations. We feel that worries can be generated when so many people show up at the same time in front of a building. Will there be riots?

The participants of the pilgrimage stay calm and in a disciplined order, which seems to contribute to the success: After about half an hour, the gates open.

Representatives of the Community of San José, Tamera, PBI and FOR are received in the building. Outside, we are singing on the sidewalk. The Brazilian music band from Brazil along with two Israeli musicians play. The time seems long, what happens inside the building?

Sabine Lichtenfels: The meeting was moving. A group of 20 people were received by two representatives of the deputy president. There are introductory words, polite and friendly. Padre Javier movingly portrays the fate of the peace community and that all attempts to be received by the former President Uribe had failed. Other representatives from the peace community talk. Then I explain the work of Tamera and the idea of Global Campus. "The Peace Community can become a model for peace in the country and help that many young people no longer go to the guerrilla or paramilitary, because they see a better perspective." This requires, however, from the government to stop the violence and to provide a real protection.

One can not say what effect such a meeting has. But there are very big promises. Clearly, we are told that the new government will ensure that the peace community receives more protection. They thank us for our work and say that it is a wonderful idea that arise here in South America peace research projects. They assured us that they will speak with the police headquarter, so that we are protected throughout this pilgrimage of any action by paramilitary or guerrilla.

We'll see. For the peace community, it was a historic event, the first time in its long history of suffering they have been heard in the government building.

Continued Silvie:

We are welcomed heartfully, with food and music at the Autonomous University of Bogota, which has a strong connection to social movements. The director is grateful for the peace work of the peace villages. They have studied a lot about the non-violent resistance and are determined to observe the human rights. Padre Javier informed us about the meeting in the government building. The whole meeting was organized by Gloria Cuartas, who thanked movingly for this pilgrimage.

For the first time since its founding the Peace Community was able to actually be received and was listened to their concerns by government representatives.

Our musicians are truly a gift on our way. They are able again to put the audience in the room into a powerful and joyous mood. We celebrate this wonderful day together.

2. November, Arrival in Fontibon

Arrived in Fontibon, a suburb of Bogotá, which is strongly engaged socially and culturally. We are warmly greeted by the management of the school. Internally I am shaken between sadness and hope. On our way with the posters through the town, I imagined these people on the photos would be people from our community. 198 members of the Peace Community San José have been murdered since 1997. The perpetrators come from all war factions, paramilitary, guerilla and government military. We walk through the city, people on the roadsides look at us. How will the information about the daily danger in which the peace villages live, become so well known that they can finally live protected?

Now we arrived at the school, the head of the movement "Movimiento Popular" and the head teacher welcome us. Here I see dedicated people come together. Mutual gratitude, hope and strength arise.

And here for the first time the pilgrims meet in different groups. Participants from Israel and Palestine, from various European countries, Tamera, Brazil, San Jose and other parts of Colombia hear from each other, why they are here. On the playground the laughter of youth and children of San José is heard, who come together with the youth group of Tamera. After the first games and shy talks, the ice is broken. It is planned that some of the youth of San José will also take part in the theater performance on Global Grace Day.

Public speeches in Fontibon

In the afternoon we are received on a public square in Fontibon. On stage, the Brazilian band "Poesia Samba Soul" from the "favela de Paz" in Sao Paolo is playing, while residents of Fontibon and members of the indigenous community Guancanas are gathering with us.

Two members of the Peace Community San José tell their story and about their decision to keep absolute non-violence and not to participate in any armed conflict. They speak of the massacres and acts of violence committed against them again and again. It is as if the pilgrimage, by the presence of so many Internationals, opened a door through which the victims can finally say publicly what happens to them in this country.

Sabine Lichtenfels, co-leader of the pilgrimage, emphasizes that it is not about fighting against something, but to develop new sustainable systems. She indicates how important the work of San Jose is, the building of a sustainable, non-violent model, based on trust. She calls to support this research work, which is now needed worldwide for a future worth living.

By the speech of Daniel Maestre from Los Guanganos, an indigenous tribe from North Colombia, it is clear that many minorities share the same fate: Also in their community, 300 members were killed in recent years. He makes the request that the people within Colombia create solidarity amongst themselves and mutually support each other. At the end, the people in the town need food, that is planted by the farmers, not the flowers as are massively cultivated for export in Colombia in the context of globalization.

I look back and remember this morning: At dawn we were led to the wonderful nature place "stones of Tunja" (place of power of the Muisca indigenous tribe). The sun greeted us through the fog. Through our common ritual, we connected with the ring of power around the world (http://www.sabine-lichtenfels.com/en/Ring_of_Power.html)

And now music is heard outside. People from all different countries sing and dance together. People from Israel Palestine are sitting by the fire, together with people from San José. They tell jokes and stories from their countries of origin - it is palpable: Here are people who want to create models of peace from the depth of their heart.

1. November

Gathering outside the State's Attorneys Office

The backpacks are packed, in the backyard the fire of the morning coffee is still burning. We gather in the large courtyard: Today we expect a long march through the city, the goal is Fiscalia, the State's Attorneys Office of Colombia.

The members of the Peace Community San José distribute small carved coffins with the names of the victims. I keep a coffin in my hands: Antonio – who was that? I look in the circle. Some girls want to carry the coffin of their fathers. In the last 14 years in San Jose more people were killed than we are on the pilgrimage today. Again and again I imagine that it would be like this for us: If every eight' person of Tamera simply no longer would be there.

We leave the school in pairs side by side. Young people from San Jose and from Europe come together to talk, questioning each other about their communities and sharing their dreams for the future, women from many different countries exchange, old and young go together. Next to me is Julio, a member of the leadership council of San José, with his crudges.

I ask him about all sorts of things. When he speaks, one is touched by his power and his decision to build a real model peace village in Mulatos, the place in San José, at which the last massacre took place.

After a long walk on the edge of multi-lane highways and streets of the city, we arrive at the Fiscalia. Gradually, the coffins and photographs of the victims are placed in front of the entrance, the musicians play the song "Mulatos," a hopeful song, which was created during the last "Global Campus" in San Jose with the music group "Poesia Samba Soul" from Brazil and Tamera. Eduar Lanchero, a leader of the peace village San José, speaks for justice and clarification of the murders. He is convinced that by consequent prosecution not so many massacres would have happened. Gloria Cuartas reminds us of the people killed and indicates that their power for change continues today within the entire Community. We know Gloria and appreciate her and her great commitment to justice for many years, and also now she supported us immensely during the preparation of the pilgrimage. Through her great efforts for justice and uncovering of crimes she is under constant threat through false accusations, political exclusion and death threats.

On the GRACE pilgrimage it's not about blaming, but to reconnect ourselves again in our hearts with the responsibility we have as human beings for the whole.

Worldwide, but also in Colombia, the indifference of people legitimizes oppression, exploitation and environmental degradation. In this sense we call the State's Attorneys Office to reveal the crimes that were committed on San Jose, and thus send a clear sign of justice and humanity.

Sabine Lichtenfels emphasizes that all of humanity, if we want to survive, must change dramatically. We all need to learn again to live together in trust and non-violence.

She makes clear that the work being done in San José, is now urgently needed worldwide: we need global solutions to the same questions. We need new systems for water, basic living conditions and energy supply. And we need again the knowledge of community.

"We have known the Peace Community of San José and its work for a long time. We know their pain, but also the lies that are being spread about them, especially the saying they would work together with the guerrillas. We have lived enough days with them, to know that this is not true. We know they go the way without weapons with a deep commitment and try together to live in in solidarity and peace."

In the evening we arrive in a school of Bosa. Curious crowds of children gather around us and put one question after another, some youth of the pilgrimage are invited into a classroom to talk about the peace pilgrimage, during which the soup for dinner is cooked on the fire outside. Tomorrow the youth of Tamera will perform their theater play in Colombia for the first time - in Cuidad Bolivar, a slum in Bogota.