May 2, 2008 - Village of Mohalla Umer Farook,
the Women's Peace Group

The day started with a drive to the small village of Mohalla Umer Farook where the Interfaith League Against Poverty has a women's peace group.
When we arrived we were greeted by a two rows of waiting children with their faces decorated with peace messages, and I was presented with a beautiful bouquet of flowers. We all went into a small building where seats had been arranged for me and others from ILAP, while the children and women gathered around us.
After I was introduced I told everyone what an honor it was to be with them and that they should be very proud of the fine peace work they are doing in their village.(They have a peace garden and have posted signs with messages of peace throughout the village.) I reminded the women of the very important role they play as peacemakers because of the influence they have on their children and whether they will grow to be peaceful citizens.
The women asked a number of pertinent questions about current peace issues and we had a nice follow-up discussion. The children, who ranged from infants to young ladies, were very well behaved through all of this considering it wasn't the most comfortable of conditions.
After our talk we all went outside, where they gave me a tour of their peace garden which has peace, in Urdu, spelled out in flowers. The little garden and the beautiful children with their faces festively painted stood in stark contrast to the harsh and stoic surroundings. The beauty of their spirits and their desire for peace made the place glow.
A peace village in Pakistan, with peace signs, peace garden and women's peace club; not many places in the U.S. can boast of such things yet many American's have an image of Pakistan as only a country plagued with violence.
Maybe if we put more of our resources behind people like this and less behind the tools of war, we would see better results in our War on Terrorism.
Several of the children followed us to our car and waved good-bye as we made our way down the bumpy dirt road. I would have preferred to have stayed and played.
SF

The Children's Peace Reception	Listening to a story
	At the Peace Garden
Everyone at the Peace Garden	(It is easy to get into conflict but avoiding conflict is hard)
(The person who seeking peace keeps his nose, ears and eyes open but keeps his tongue close.)	(Forgiveness is the best revenge)
A Child's desire for Peace. VIDEO OF MEETING ON YOUTUBE
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