10/22/2023

My Dear Friend & POTUS, JRB,

            I am pressed for time this Sun AM. I just got off my Zoom with Yangon Friends & will be heading off on my bike to join Davis Friends soon.

            I fantasize that someday you could join our Yangon worship. You would meet JMH from Muskegon(MI), FS from Media(PA), TC from Seoul & KK from the Philippines. Today 4 Friends from Asia-West Pacific Section joined, too.

When you join you can participate in the 15-minutes of greeting time. Today we heard about “Training for Change” from a Nepalese Friend & the West Point Ethics of War & Peace Conference.  We then have silent worship for 30 minutes. Sometimes someone shares a message, but that didn’t happen today. Then we have time for after thoughts, joys & sorrows.” We often discuss news from Burma & our hope that the suffering of the citizen can be ameliorated without violence. Today we discussed how the Gaza conflict has disrupted the lives of everyone on the planet. Since we believe that of God resides within every soul, we ponder the ways in which we can be instruments of peace. You would benefit from that line of inquiry rather than touting the economic benefits of weapon sales.

            I was reassured to read in today’s NYT that some folks in Israel & Gaza continue to believe in peace, despite “paroxysms of outrage by the cacophony of social media.” Some still talk about gathering with “all those who believe that killing is not the answer, & that life is more important than death.” In the article I also learned that prior to Oct 7, Bibi & his gang had a strategy of supporting Hamas to “thwart the possibility of a Palestinian state.” Horrifying!

            The article described the wake of Awad Darawshe, a Palestinian Israeli paramedic, who died attempting to save the lives of Jews at the Tribe of Nova peace-and-love gathering. Refreshments included bitter coffee, accompanied by sweet dates, “because life is this combination.”

            BYBS,