wfn.org | Peacemakers Are Visiting Presbyterian Churches and Presbyteries

[PCUSA NEWS <pcusa.news@ecunet.org>]

12-October-1999 
99341 
 
    International Peacemakers Are Visiting 
    Presbyterian Churches and Presbyteries 
 
    Overseas Guests Promote Understanding of Peace and Justice Issues 
 
    by Jerry L. Van Marter 
 
LOUISVILLE, Ky.-Fifteen "International Peacemakers" from around the world 
are currently visiting Presbyterian congregations, presbyteries, seminaries 
and colleges under the auspices of the Presbyterian Peacemaking Program. 
 
    The goal of the annual International Peacemaker program is to give U.S. 
Presbyterians the opportunity understand through personal encounter the 
peace and justice concerns of others around the world so they can better 
understand the peace and justice issues in their own communities. 
 
    The international peacemakers gathered in Louisville Sept. 28-Oct. 1 
for orientation before fanning out all over the country.  Those visiting 
(and the dates of their visits) include: 
 
    * The Rev. Tshiakany Mbaya, Democratic Republic of the Congo - a 
Presbyterian minister and president of the East Kasai Council of Churches 
in Congo (Oct. 1-24). 
 
    * Ms. Hina David, Pakistan - an accounting student at PC(USA)-related 
Kinnaird College and an international representative to the 1998 
Presbyterian Youth Triennium(Oct. 1-24). 
 
    * The Rev. Alastair Hulbert, Europe - born in India to Scottish 
missionary parents, he promotes interfaith cooperation within the new 
European Union(Oct. 28-Nov. 22). 
 
    * Buenaventura Fuentes, Mexico - director of the Commission of Human 
Rights of the General Assembly of the National Presbyterian Church of 
Mexico (Oct. 1-24). 
 
    * The Rev. Ismael Madruga, Cuba - pastor of the Presbyterian Reformed 
church of Cuba in Guines for 33 years (Sept. 16-27, Oct. 1-15). 
 
    * The Rev. Esteban Arias, Colombia - a Presbyterian minister and 
coordinator of the Peace Program for the Presbyterian and Lutheran churches 
of Colombia (Oct. 1-24). 
 
    * Ithamar and Joao Dias de Araujo, Brazil - Ithamar is stated clerk of 
the Presbytery of Salvador of the United Presbyterian Church of Brazil 
(UPB)and a human rights activist; Joao is a founder and former moderator of 
the UPB and president and professor of theology at the UPB seminary in 
Salvador (Oct. 1-24). 
 
    * Ms. Cedar Duaybis, Israel/Palestine - a Palestinian Christian from 
Haifa, she is a former schoolteacher and is a founding member of Sabeel, a 
movement of Palestinian Christians examining their faith in the context of 
the Israeli-Palestinian conflict (Oct. 1-20). 
 
    * The Rev. Gadiel Gomez, Guatemala - a pastor and former moderator of 
the Presbyterian Church of Guatemala (Oct. 1-24). 
 
    * The Rev. Uma Onwunta, Nigeria - principal clerk of the Presbyterian 
Church of Nigeria.  Nigeria just had its first democratic elections in 15 
years, moving it away from military rule (Oct. 1-24). 
 
    * Johnnes Tulungen, East Timor - field program manager for the Province 
of North Sulawesi for a USAID-funded program of resource management and 
conservation (Sept. 15-30). 
 
    * Ms. Arda Jebejian, Lebanon - A recent graduate of the American 
University in Beirut, she coordinates projects for the Finnish Relief 
Mission in Lebanon and serves as vice-president of the Women's Program of 
the Middle East Council of Churches, where she represents the Armenian 
Evangelical Church in the Near East (March, 2000). 
 
    * Mrs. Xoliswa Tom, South Africa - A member of the Uniting Presbyterian 
Church in Southern Africa, she is the creator and coordinator of the 
Eastern Cape Anti-Poverty Foundation, serving rural communities in the 
second poorest province in South Africa (March 2000). 
 
    * Magda Iskandar, Egypt - A PC(USA) mission specialist working with 
"Care with Love," a training program that trains young men and women to be 
home health care providers (late March-mid-April, 2000). 
 
    More information about the International Peacemakers program is 
available from Debby Vial in the Presbyterian Peacemaking Program office at 
(502) 569-5702. 

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