Please feel free to spread this
prayer request far and wide. Especially on this day, the 25th
anniversary of the state-sanctioned murders of four North American religious
women in El Salvador, news comes from Iraq that four members of the
Christian Peacemaker Teams – Tom Fox, Norman Kember, James Loney, Harmeet
Singh Sooden – have been kidnapped by unknown anti-occupation forces in Iraq
and threatened with death as “undercover agents” for the U.S. forces. Julie
and I are privileged to know many of the founders of CPT – largely Mennonite
and Church of the Brethren in origin – from our days in Chicago. We remain
occasionally-faithful supporters of their witness and service as non-violent
interveners and intercessors in several deeply troubled and conflicted
places of the world – including Israel/Palestine, Colombia, the Philippines,
Sri Lanka I believe, and others.
These are, in our experience, deeply
convicted and faithful practitioners of the way of Jesus who do not
dissemble or proselytize at all but offer themselves for whatever good they
can do or just be in these tragic and deadly settings. PLEASE pray for
them, for all CPTers, for all witnesses and servants of justice and peace,
for all combatants and casualties of wars and violences everywhere. Part of
CPT commitment is to share every risk with the most vulnerable in any given
situation. They might not want any power invoked for them that is not
available to all. If you are moved to contact a Senator or Congressperson
for them, please do!
Thank you, John & Julie
Auer
