By Christy Darr | Programming and Development
Proving that peace is far from passive, LFFP has been busy planting, nurturing, and cultivating seeds of peace with many different folks. Some of our more recent activity includes:
* Two successful Family Night at Perry * The planting of more Peace Gardens at Perry and in Sursum Corda * Heartening successes with the Peace Table solving conflict between peace clubbers * Peace Theatre by the Perry Peace Kids in the Peace Room, and
In addition, following are some more in-depth highlights of our most recent happenings.
Students Blooming! Hands and Hearts
Tracing hands is an easy art project to do with children. Usually it's just for something to do, whether turning it into a turkey around Thanksgiving or a design on a home-made t-shirt. But we decided to draw our hands with the Perry School kids to think about all the positive things we do with them. Peace can sometimes seem like an abstract concept, but as we traced our hands and pasted them on construction paper, we remember that peace starts in our hearts and gets put into action through the work of our hands. Words like "cooking," "hugging," "gardening," and "building" were written by the kids as they thought about all the different things their hands do and, combined on the larger poster, we all drew ourselves being peacemakers with our hands too.
Contagious Love Experiment
The Contagious Love Experiment was the theme for the month of February. Two Iraq War veterans walked and biked across the U.S. having learned the lesson in war that love can be just as contagious as fear (www.contagiousloveexperiment.wordpress.com). One of them, Josh Stieber, who grew up near DC, has returned to the area and spends two afternoons a week at the Perry School. Together with Little Friends for Peace, we've all been learning that it doesn't just take big trips across the country to work for peace, but even the smallest decisions and actions we take every day have the potential to spread fear and anger... or, though often much harder, love and understanding.
Peace Cafe
The Peace Cafe is a highlight for the students at the Perry School. There have been a few times when scheduling has pushed back the cafe and these delays are met with great disappointment. Fortunately those times and rare and just go to show how important it is to work together to prepare food and dine as friends. Sometimes there is bickering over who does what in the kitchen, but the task of cooking as a team has helped us to learn to work together in ways that doing crafts as individuals or pairs can't. Some days take longer than others, but at the end of it, it's satisfying to know that they skills we learned in teamwork and overcoming our disagreements has come together into a delicious meal that we can all enjoy.
Blooming Partnerships! New School Comes to the Perry Peace Room and the Sursum Corda Neighborhood
LFFP recently partnered with a group of Nantucket students on their 8th grade trip to our Peace Room at Perry School. The Peace Room was filled to overflowing as the Peace Kids recited their pledge and sang a peace song, introducing their new friends to the Peace Room. Not long after, creative peaceful energy was seen across Perry School, with one group of kids and volunteers in the kitchen cooking, another gardening around the Peace Pole out front, and yet another inventing Peace games and drawing in the Peace Room. By the end of the afternoon, everyone was happy and hungry and ready to come together to share tacos in the Peace Cafe.
We are very touched by Matt's thoughtful reflection on the event: Thank you-thank you-thank you. At least four of my girls said that our stay at LFFP was not only the best part of the DC trip, but the best part of their last year with us! I am overwhelmed with gratitude and filled with hope. As long as this world has people like you, Jerry and your children-there will be hope (and peace). Until we meet again, my new friend, Peace be with you and in your neighborhood.
Holy Trinity Youth Partner with LFFP to do Community Service
Holy Trinity, a Catholic Parish in Georgetown, has also begun a partnership with LFFP. Conversations between LFFP and the Social Justice Ministry began during lent and have been bearing much fruit, as Holy Trinity has said that they would like to partner with us for the long term! Volunteers have joined LFFP for Family Night at Perry School, presenting on healthy food to children and their families, as well as for gardening and playing in the Sursum Corda with the neighborhood kids. LFFP has given several workshops on Peace to Holy Trinity. This looks like the beginning of a beautiful friendship!
Kicks for Kids: Perry Kids go to Soccer game at RFK
We recently took our Perry Peace Kids on an outing to DC United Game. It was a beautiful night and all had a good time. The kids got t-shirts, pom-poms and lunch bags . They cheered and danced in their seats, laughed and just let go. We are thankful for Sarah, Josh, Mr. Patrick and Terrell coming along to supervise the group and join in on the fun.
Peace TV at Eastern High Middle
Jerry and MJ were the feature speakers at Eastern High Middle School in Silver Spring’s media class that presents on a cable TV show. Invited by a former peace camper, MJ and Jerry put peace in the spotlight. Stay tuned for the segment as soon as we receive the media class’ final product.
Peace Leaders Set the Stage for a Continued Partnership
University of Maryland volunteers Lauren, Pam, and Mary Claire recently delivered their final presentation for the Leadership and Community Based Learning Class through which they got involved with LFFP. The presentation was excellent. Afterwards, their professors and Dean of the Department invited LFFP to continue partnering. We all look forward to welcoming more community leaders from UMD next year. In the meantime, Lauren, Pam, and Mary Claire held a t-shirt painting fundraiser for LFFP at their school, continuing to impress us with their leadership and impact!
International Peace Partnership
In mid-April, Josh led the students in creating a video letter of peace and solidarity to students in Afghanistan. See the link below to watch!
On May 6th, two women who each run a Peace and Conflict Resolution program in Korea came to visit LFFP and the Peace Room at Perry. We excitedly prepared for this impromptu peace experience with Lauren, a young adult contact who put them in touch with us. It was a wonderful cross-cultural exchange. Both women are currently here in US to take a 40 day course in Peace Studies at Eastern Mennonite College. The same evening we also we met with a delegation of Hiroshima survivors from Japan. We cherish our time learning from each other and our varied experiences of peace and unpeace.
Some Recent Happenings in the Peace Room at Perry Hands and Hearts
Tracing hands is an easy art project to do with children. Usually it's just for something to do, whether turning it into a turkey around Thanksgiving or a design on a home-made t-shirt. But we decided to draw our hands with the Perry School kids to think about all the positive things we do with them. Peace can sometimes seem like an abstract concept, but as we traced our hands and pasted them on construction paper, we remember that peace starts in our hearts and gets put into action through the work of our hands. Words like "cooking," "hugging," "gardening," and "building" were written by the kids as they thought about all the different things their hands do and, combined on the larger poster, we all drew ourselves being peacemakers with our hands too.
Contagious Love Experiment
The Contagious Love Experiment was the theme for the month of February. Two Iraq War veterans walked and biked across the U.S. having learned the lesson in war that love can be just as contagious as fear (www.contagiousloveexperiment.wordpress.com). One of them, Josh Stieber, who grew up near DC, has returned to the area and spends two afternoons a week at the Perry School. Together with Little Friends for Peace, we've all been learning that it doesn't just take big trips across the country to work for peace, but even the smallest decisions and actions we take every day have the potential to spread fear and anger... or, though often much harder, love and understanding.
Peace Cafe
The Peace Cafe is a highlight for the students at the Perry School. There have been a few times when scheduling has pushed back the cafe and these delays are met with great disappointment. Fortunately those times and rare and just go to show how important it is to work together to prepare food and dine as friends. Sometimes there is bickering over who does what in the kitchen, but the task of cooking as a team has helped us to learn to work together in ways that doing crafts as individuals or pairs can't. Some days take longer than others, but at the end of it, it's satisfying to know that they skills we learned in teamwork and overcoming our disagreements has come together into a delicious meal that we can all enjoy.
As always, we look forward to hearing any hopes, dreams, or suggestions you have for us!
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