Wrapping Things Up and Shipping Out

Wrapping Things Up and Shipping Out
February 26, 2002


Hi everyone,

Well, I'm shipping out on Thursday and getting things wrapped up here for the next three months.

If you know how to tune into WORT-FM from Madison, WI, I'll be doing a live, hour-long call-in program starting at noon on Thursday. This means that we'll pull over on the way up to the airport, do the interview, and get back on the road to catch my flight, I guess. I'm anticipating that this will
finally get some of the kooky hecklers I've been wondering would ever show up at one of my talks. I'm not looking forward to that but know it will happen sometime. But at least I've gotten a lot of speaking practice in after this month. I decided to learn how to speak by cramming a bunch of
invitations all into a two-week span and diving in head first. For the most part, it's been good. Here's a summary of what I did:

TV interview on KIMT in Mason City
Feature article for Globe Gazette in Mason City
West Branch Quaker Meeting, IA (sermon and adult Sunday School)
Wartburg College (Chapel, three classes, recruiting table, interview for
paper, discussion with Students for Peace and Justice)
Luther College (Chapel, six classes, recruiting table, public evening forum,
couple lunch discussions)
English Lutheran, La Crosse, WI (adult forum, three Temple Talks, evening
group discussion, lunch with future Middle East travelers)
First Baptist Church, Osage, IA (geography lesson on Holy Land for Ladies'
Aid--ended up as discussion of CPT work and the Occupation)
Trinity Lutheran, Mason City (adult forum)
NIACC, Mason City (two classes)
Francis Lauer Youth Shelter, Mason City, afternoon program.

So, I guess it's been busy. I learned pretty quickly that even if people stared at you slack-jawed (I thought only college students did that), they can be completely absorbed in what you're saying anyway. The best part though, was having so many enthusiastic recruits at both Luther and
Wartburg. One from Luther I'm positive will be on a project by August, I'm so excited! And now, with many thanks to the Baptist Ladies calling up and wanting a geography lesson (I dared to laugh before I went), I brainstormed a list of topics I'm willing to speak on. Hopefully tomorrow I'll send you another letter detailing brilliant ways you can support my CPT work (and not involving outlays of cash although that's always delightful, too). But anyway, feel free to forward the following topics to any group you think may like to know:

*overview of CPT's history and work (worldwide and/or Hebron)
*overview of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and current Intifada (with pictures)
*introduction to CPT's Campaign for Secure Dwellings (advocacy program to protect Palestinian homes from Israeli military demolition)
*introduction to CPT's Violence Is Not Child's Play Campaign (a realistic churchs' approach to opposing violent toys)
*role of Palestinian/Arab women in society
*high school Sunday School/college/young adult discussion on global service opportunities, including practical planning for spending a year in service organizations.
*K-8 Sunday School program on life/culture of Holy Land (with props)
*adult program on life/culture of Holy Land/Middle Eastern customs
*Simulated Occupation of church or school with follow-up discussion
*understanding Palestinian violence/terrorism
*philosophy of peacemaking/theological and Biblical backgrounds for active nonviolence and/or civil disobedience
*afternoon workshop on Palestinian embroidery/cross-stitch technique
(examples to show and hand out patterns for do-it-yourself)
*afternoon workshop on Palestinian cooking, can be coupled with congregational dinner to test the results (I'll bring the spices and you supply the ingredients).


And other things similar to that. The workshops and things that sound like they'll need a good bit of prep work I'd need to know about 1-2 months in advance (so I can bring home ingredients, etc.)

Well, it's nearly 2 a.m. and I should get to bed. I only have three days left in which to cram some quality naptime!

Peace,
Le Anne