Plans for Eaton Colombia SA Mission, February, 2012

     The present plans include flights from Chicago on Tuesday, January 31, through Panama City to Baranquilla, Colombia SA on Copa Airlines.  Connie Cochran who we met at our training will be joining us in Panama for the final leg of our trip.  We are expecting to be staying in an apartment near the Office of the North Coast Presbytery which is part of the Presbyterian Church of Colombia.
     We do not have specific schedule, at this time, but will be present with the Presbytery Officials and the Mission Co-workers, Rev. Mamie Broadhurst and her husband Rev. Richard Williams will be arranging for how we'll be used during February.
     Our return from Baranquilla is scheduled for February 29  and we have plans to stay overnight in Panama City to be able to see the Canal and a bit of the country as we relax a bit after our month in Colombia.
     We plan to keep our family and friends up to date through this blog, and we expect to be able to access e-mail personally too.  It will be our goal to include pictures and even some video attached to the blog, if we're able to manage that.
   

Brief Background on Colombia Accompaniment Program

For over 40 years, Colombians have suffered from a violent internal conflict exacerbated by the drug trade. At great personal risk, leaders in the Presbyterian Church of Colombia [IPC] have spoken our in faith against human rights violations and supported families who have been displaced by decades of war. The IPC has much to teach us about being the church in a time of conflict.

The Colombian Accompaniment Program began in 2004 at the request of the IPC, in the midst of harassment and threats of violence to their prophetic ministry. They ask us to serve as international accompaniers to provide a measure of safety as they carry out the work to which God has called them.n response to their request, the Presbyterian Peace Fellowship has worked with PCUSA World Mission and IPC to train over 100 volunteers, of whom 70 have been deployed as short-term mission workers to Colombia.

The Colombian Accompaniment Program began in 2004 at the request of the IPC, in the midst of harassment and threats of violence to their prophetic ministry. They ask us to serve as international accompaniers to provide a measure of safety as they carry out the work to which God has called them.
In response to their request, the Presbyterian Peace Fellowship has worked with PCUSA World Mission and IPC to train over 100 volunteers, of whom 70 have been deployed as short-term mission workers to Colombia.

Community accompaniment is what we practice, a ministry of presence with the church and with the displaced communities and human rights leaders with whom they work. Out primary goal is to be a nonviolent presence of Christian Support and solidarity with our church partners, to "see and be seen," and to share the story with churches and communities in the U.S. through prayer, education, and advocacy efforts.

Background to Our Presbyterian Peacemaking Colombia Accompaniment

A Message from

We are grateful for the opportunity the PCUSA provides to be Peacemakers. We were first drawn to the idea of ‘accompaniment’ in West Bank of Palestine, but this opportunity in Colombia has called us now to service as we have returned to First Pres Normal, Great Rivers Presbytery and the ‘wider’ world.

We believe that it is God’s desire that God’s people have peace, and if we can help that happen, we will be grateful to be part of the process.

Please join us in prayer for the Iglesia Presbyteriana de Colombia and for those we may be able to bring a sense of support and peace.

We look forward to sharing our experience with e-mail reports to those who wish and to church and community groups upon our return.

Joy and Just Peace,

Anne and David Eaton

Anne and Dave