Hey Everyone!

When you read this journal entry, Stace and I will be in an area that is in the norther part of eastern Chad. We will be flying there, since the security situation does not permit driving. Most aid workers have been pulled from the camps that are in the north, leaving only skeleton crews that deliver only basics to keep refugees alive.

We have decided to add a day, so it will be 15 Days of i-ACT. We will have to wait for a plane to bring us back down, on our way to the capital and then back home, so we want to go back to the visit the camp up there and give you an opportunity to meet more of the people of Darfur.

Please tell everyone you know to check us out through the 15 days, and tell them to stay involved. Let’s start 2007 with meaningful and sustained action. Wouldn’t it be wonderful to look back, at the end of 2007, and think, in this year I helped to stop a genocide.

Paz, Gabriel

Gabriel’s replies to comments

Hello Phyllis! It is 2007 now. Happy New Year to you, your family, and all of your students. That’s where there is a lot of hope, Phyllis, in those young people that you get to work with every day. I know that, when they come to positions of more power (because they already have so much power right now), they will not allow atrocities like the ones occurring in Darfur to go unanswered.

Hey Rach! I’m sorry that you had trouble posting, but I know that you and family are always with us. Please say hi to all, and tell Max that I’m thinking of him.

Hello Stacey’s Mom! Yes, I was blown away when Nourasham’s neighbor came over to me and said, “You are Zahara’s husband!” My wife and I both have names that are very common among the people we have been meeting. Gabriel, or Gibril (as they pronounce it), is a name that is in many families, and there are many Zaharas also.

Hola Mimi! It was so cool to find Nourasham, but, yes, very sad to hear that her husband had been killed. Nourasham’s family and home are very much like families and homes in our community. The home is just bursting with tenderness and love. You would love to hang out with the kids. Hadia and the new baby girls are adorable. Gracias por escribir, Mimi. Te extrano pero ya pronto voy!

Hola Mom: Gracias por pasar tanto rato con Zahara y familia y por mandarme recados. He podido comer un poquito mas estos ultimos dos dias, asi que me voy a recuperar un poco, en cuanto a la dieta. Muchos saludos a todos y un abrazo. Pronto nos vemos.

Hello Patty W: Thank you for being with us, and I will pass on to all we meet that there are many out there thinking of them and doing what they can to create peace. Happy New Year, and I know I’ll see you soon back in one of our mutual stops.

Hey Christina R: Thank you, and Happy New Year to you! I do miss my family, especially at a time that I’m used to being with all of them. It’s been nice to have so many of you with me, though, so my family is growing :) Thanks, and I’ll see you soon!

Dear Meron: You are right. None of it is OK. Men and boys being killed, women and girls being raped, entire families being displaced and starved, none of it is OK.

Hi Connie: Nourasham definitely has the courage and will to keep going, after her husband being killed. Her children look healthy, and they are very much loved. They also look happy, but I cannot tell what’s inside of them. Their father was a trader by profession, so they might think that their papa is out on business and will return, as usual. Thinking of my almost 4 years old Gabo, I don’t think that children that young can understand the “never” part of “never coming back.” Nourasham, who does not have any other family in that camp, is the one that does see the void, and she must still stay strong for her four little ones.

Hey Tere: Happy New Year! Thanks for spreading the word. It can be discouraging that more don’t take a few minutes to pay attention to something where so many lives are at stake, but we can’t give up. We have to keep trying, and some will join us. It’s not easy to get people “in the door” on a subject as unpleasant as genocide is. That is why, in part, I also have always focused on the beauty of the people and culture that will be lost, if we all decide to stand by. And, there is so much beauty!

Hi Mimi Schiff: We have to remind “the powers that be in America” that we give them that power, and that they must use it appropriately, or we will take it away. I know it might be a bit naive, but if enough of us decide to set priorities that include humanity at the top, we can change the powers to be.

Dear Lisa: Thank you so much for lighting candles for us and everyone out here at your mass celebrating World Day of Prayer for Peace. I have told Nourasham that many “out there” now know her and her children and are doing so much to help them get back to a life that is full. Let’s make 2007 the year in that Darfur shines in all of its colors.

Hi Marilyn: About next steps upon my return, it has to be about increased action around the country. Our actions must match the situation on the ground for the millions that are in grave danger. We must demand action from our leaders, and we cannot accept political babel as a response. They’ll all say how much they care and they have done, but it is not enough. A group of us, at the grassroots level, have been involved in pushing I Stand With Darfur (http://www.istandwithdarfur.org), a campaign of direct action. I hope that people around the country take this on as their own, as we tell our leaders, No More Business as Usual, as another genocide takes place. There are so many things we can do, and I look forward to hearing ideas . We need to create awareness, but it has to be awareness that leads to immediate action.

Hello Markus: Thank you for your kind words and wishes, and I wish you a great 2007.

Hello Anonymous from Senegal: Thank you for your insight and perspective. I do feel a bit like a fish out of water, but then I also feel completely at home. I completely agree that I will not understand but a small fraction of what I’m encountering, but I hope that we keep taking steps in the right direction, getting closer. From the people we are meeting, there has not been one that has expressed a wish to wait for the AU to find the solution. We should support the AU in getting stronger and more efficient, but we cannot sacrifice the people of Darfur for the process of building a force that may eventually be able to protect. The world has to take on the responsibility to protect. About the people we have met: Dignity-yes; acceptance-no. Not one person is willing to accept death, rape, displacement, and starvation as their lot in life. They are a strong, vibrant people, that want to return to their homes.

Hey Connie: I agree. No matter where you live, you demand from your representatives that they act. This is a crisis that is going on 4 years! How much longer do we wait? It should not be the United States alone; it should be the world! The survivors only know what they have seen: the AU has not been able to do it so far, and they do not accept the fact that the perpetrator is in-beded with the supposed protection force.

Hi Rachel: As you say, the politics of it is complex, but it is innocent civilians that are paying the price. If we put ourselves in their shoes, it is clear that we would be calling for help from anywhere to save our children.

Hi Mimi Schiff: Thank you for sharing the history of the Hamburg. We now have millions of people that are being, in a way, sent back in their own “Hamburg.” We know that it is happening. We have known it for a very long time.

Dear Lisa: I also hope that the President would be watching our videos and seeing the real people that are living through this present day genocide.

Hello Tynia! Thank you for your note. The HRWSTF has been very present, coming along with us on this trip. Please get more people involved and ask them to do the daily actions!

Happy New Year,

First, let me wish everyone a blessed, safe and peaceful 2007!

Second, let me sincerely apologize for the inaccuracy in my description of the Muslim celebration that took place over the last three days. Ali tried to explain the story to us because we were interested in understanding the tradition. There was confusion in the translation with our combined exhaustion and inability for any of us to speak with the other fully in our mother tongue. Ali and I realized our miscommunication today when someone wrote us with the correction. The father in the story is Abraham, not Isaac. The test of faith was God’s request for Abraham to sacrifice his son, Ishmael and because of his dedication to God, Ishmael was spared.

I’ve been thinking a great deal about communication. I am realizing that even with the greatest intent to connect, we often miss the sentiment we are trying to understand or convey. Ali speaks French and Arabic perfectly with a very good start in English. I speak English and can communicate general ideas in French. Gabriel speaks perfect English and Spanish but no French. Yusef has a degree in Arabic, speaks French and can communicate general information in English, The Sudanese people each speak their own tribal language while many also speak Arabic and some enough English to communicate general information. We all have the same goal each day that we spend together, to communicate clearly and be known by one another. We misunderstand each other over the simplest of things like which part of a camp we are headed towards or what time we’ll meet in the morning. This is just here in Chad where we care about one another and are making the effort to understand each other. Now think about the whole world with its myriad of customs, histories, languages and agendas. It is no wonder that we have so much conflict. The thing that resonates for me is that it must always start with the intention to communicate, understand and respect our differences. If we widen our world view, learn about customs different than our own and commit to hanging in there even when we falter and want to go back to our shell maybe we’ll find a way to respect each other and live on this planet together. I know that every time I make a mistake in understanding someone else I am tempted to give up all together. I feel ashamed, ignorant and foolish. It is those times when I most need courage to recommit to the intention I have set to keep learning and growing. I have learned how to take the baby steps on this path from the many who have led the way with their actions, words and lives. Many of those people have commented on these blogs and I am grateful for the guidance.

It is my sincere hope that those who have come together to stop this genocide may continue to work towards a world that works for everyone far beyond the day we see peace in Darfur. That we stand united across the world to protect all peoples now and in the future because we value human life, all human life. There have been differences in opinion and approaches to how to stop this genocide but I hope that we remain united in our goal and connected by our similarities. It is when things are most critical and urgent that we must practice understanding one another most deeply. I wish all of you a blessed and peaceful year. May we, as a community, lead the way not only in our words but in our actions and response to challenges.

Peace and Blessings,
Stacey

Stacey’s replies to comments

Dear Phyllis H., Happy New Year to you, I so hope for good news for the people of Darfur in 2007. The John Dau story is very inspiring. I hope the people of Darfur are recognized and protested by the ” growing roar.” Peace, Stacey

Rachel V., Sorry that you have been having trouble commenting. Thank you for sharing the videos to the people of Corona, CA. Yes, good news is the order of the day! Peace, Stacey

Hi Mimi! Yes, so very sad about Nourasham’s husband. It was heartbreaking to hear but she and the children are forging ahead bravely. Hugs, stace

Patty W, thank you for the well wishes for our safety and solidarity with the people of Darfur! Blessings, Stacey

Hi Christina Rodriguez, It is hard to be away from family and loved ones but good to be here with extended family. Happy new Year, Stacey

Dear Meron, I too, felt overwhelmed by the sadness of that man’s words. The loss of human life by design is devastating no matter who it is. May see a peaceful Darfur in 2007, Stacey

Connie, I believe from the time I spent with Nourasham and her children ( and from Gabriel’s time with them)that they will indeed prevail and carry on in a courageous tradition. it is just a shame that they survived the genocide only for him to die across the border. Paz, stace

Hi teresa, Yes, today was very moving for me too. I think that much of that sentiment comes from witnessing the inability ( because of MANY factors) for the AU to protect them and the fact that if America wants to do something, right or wrong, it usually does, regardless of what the world thinks. It is just a shame that that” something” is not stopping this genocide immediately. One person at a time, we will make a difference together. Happy New Year, Stace

Dear Lisa, Thank you for lighting the candles for all the people of Darfur. Nourasham’s losses and courage both serve to enlighten and strengthen us all on our journey. Thank you for following her story. Peace, Stacey

Marilyn, I believe if the people of America come together and make our will known that we CAN effect the actions of our government and thereby have reason to allow our hearts to soar. We’ll continue with Camp Darfur and actions in DC. Education and united, clear actions are our priorities while trying to stop this and future genocides. Much Peace, Stacey

Markus C., we will overcome the atrocities perpetrated on one another when we all take daily action to make the world a better place. When we shift our priorities from power to empowerment. Their is hope but it takes committed efforts from all of us. Many Blessings and Much Peace. Happy New Year, Stacey

Mom, WE are America. We must make our will to protect known to the powers that be and your spreading the word is a huge part of that effort. The Nourasham reunion was filled with conflicting emotions but Gabriel’s being there was very good. Glad Rene called you, we’ll be careful and I LOVE YOU> Happy New Year, Charlie

Dear Anonymous, First let me say that I am glad you’ve been following the journey. I appreciate your correction about the day of Celebration and wish you a blessed Celebration. Unfortunately, with little sleep for our team, three languages and a hectic travel/work schedule we often miscommunicate. We have trouble with the basics so you can imagine the very important nuances! When I asked about the celebration it was BECAUSE I wanted to learn about the tradition. I was told the story was similar to the one in the bible about the willingness to sacrifice of a son and passing the test of faith. In relaying the story and similarities our interpreter mentioned, Isaac which I now realize was an attempt to connect to the biblical story. It was my lack of Judeo Christian knowledge ( not realizing that Isaac was the son in that story, not the father), Ali’s valiant attempt with his not yet perfect english and my FAR from perfect french to tell us the story of the Celebration. In the confusion the story translated as Isaac’s sacrifice and not Abraham’s. while Ishmael was left out all together. Ali is sitting here with me now and we both realize names and stories got confused. I apologize sincerely for any misinformation or seeming disinterest in the Muslim culture. My interest in and respect for other cultures is a driving force in my life and the reason I want to preserve and help protect the Darfurian way of life and people. In the future I will do more thorough research ( when I again have access to internet searches!) before writing.

As to, your question about whether “people beyond Africa can ever really plumb the depths of that character?” My answer is no. It is impossible to stand for a lifetime in the shoes of another but the attempt to walk even a mile in those shoes seems to me to be the first steps in understanding others better. We must TRY our best to learn and relate and connect to one another. Yes, we will fail at times but if the intentions are pure we must allow each other mistakes in our efforts. I have witnessed a dignity that i have never seen before with the Sudanese people and have endeavored to share that with all those watching and reading. Of course, it is always through our own paradigm, so much may be lost on the way from observation to representing. What I have NOT witnessed is acceptance. I have seen gratitude, faith and strength but EVERY person we’ve met has spoken of “turning back to Sudan.” So, I must respectfully disagree with the assessment of acceptance as a quality of the Sudanese people.

As for the AU, I believed, too, that the AU must be the answer in the beginning of my work to stop the genocide. I believed in an African solution and will ALWAYS choose self empowerment over International interference. However, that was eight months ago and the GENOCIDE continues after nearly four years. Many in The AU are Rawandan survivors who are now forced to ” observe” rather than prevent another genocide. Remember that the Sudanese governmentt is part of the African Union also. I believe people get the idea that it is all “in the hands of America” because we’ve been a bully on the world stage and hey hope we’ll bully the Sudanese governmentt into letting them live. I wish we’d bully an International UN Peacekeeping force into saving the Darfurians currently being killed. I’m not as concerned about” political players” at the moment as I am about the protection of Valuable Lives. Again, this all just my opinion, experience and attempt to do the best I can. I am open to learn more and grateful for your correspondence.

Salaam &Happy New Year, Stacey

Connie, I always think about the photo hanging at the Dachau Concentration Camp in Germany. In it the freed holocaust survivors are waving, cheering and welcoming the foreign troops that have come to liberate them. I don’t think they cared what uniform they were wearing just that they were freed. I’m sure the wounds would have healed much faster in the national psyche had the liberators been their country men and women but that was not the case. You are right the people of Darfur cannot wait! Paz, stace

Rachel V., Ditto,ditto,ditto! Power becomes a problem when it is misused and works to the detriment of humanity. Inaction represents a misuse of power. There have been many ways to stop the genocide in Darfur. Strong economic and political sanctions for a country that does not want to be isolated, could have worked early on if they were actively enforced. Now, four years later and nearly 500,000 dead ( Eric Reeves) we must ACT. We have the power to influence and save lives. Is refraining from using that influence because we have misused it in the past really in the best interest of the people of Africa? There is nothing that empowers a people politically by standing idly by as they are being murdered. The politics we speak of will mean nothing to them in their graves. We are talking about the PEOPLE, not the government. HUMANITY BEFORE POLITICS!!! Thanks for writing and may humanity prevail… Peace, Stacey

Hi, Mimi Schiff. I spent a lot of time listening to survivors back in 1994 at The Museum of Tolerance for a project I was working on a the time. What I remember most is how each one remembered the individuals that liberated them. They didn’t care what country they were from only that they had arrived. I’ve never felt war was the answer to much and that war, like all wars, was complicated, but I remember thinking that liberating the victims of the Holocaust would be a pretty good use of a uniform. I agree, Never Again MEANS Never Again, no matter who we are talking about. Prayers and Love to you, Stacey

Dear Lisa Goldner, Thank you for the prayers on World Day of Prayer for Peace. We do not have a direct link to the White House but that is a very good idea. I pray we are doing some good and believe that people like you and your family are so important to this work. It is one person effecting another and so on until we reach critical mass and our voices are heard. Happy New Year, Stacey

Thanks B and M. I hope the bounty that it yields will be a swift end to the genocide and peace for Darfurians. Much love and Happy New Year, Stacey

Hi Tyria, keep up the great work with HRWTF and may this New Year bring peace in Darfur. Salaam, Stacey

Marilyn, the image of candles and respects being paid to the 3,000 American lives and 700,000 Iraqi lives is very moving, especially as our children organized this effort. The loss of life is overwhelming and pains me deeply as it does so many people. ” We are not worth more, they are not worth less.” When will we realize that we are all one humanity? I suppose the children will lead the way as they always have. Let them not grow up and forget their youthful hope and dedication to change. STAND, The Student Task Force and The Divestment Task Force are just some of the National youth leaders in the movement to stop this genocide who have led the way. Thank you for the story of the the young girls. I look to the day when, as women, they lead us into a more peaceful future where 703,000 people do not have to die and genocide is a distant memory. Thank YOU for all your love, light and support. Peace, Stacey