• Jim Burchell's memory and life's work continues to impact the lives of so many in Nicaragua.We've already raised more than $60,000 for the Jim Burchell ¡Presente! Fund. Our partnerInhijambia has recently finished building two dormitories for girls who had been living on thestreets of Managua.

• Through the Jim Burchell ¡Presente! Fund your donations are making it possible for us to investat least $30,000 in our partner Axayacatl, which is building a center for women escapingdomestic violence and sexual abuse.

• The coffee cooperative El Porvenir is finally able to purchase a desperately needed vehicle,allowing access to medical services for sick community members.

• PeaceWorks Board member Marilyn Devroye recently visited Los Pepitos Center for DisabledChildren where she saw the vital services they provide for local kids with Down’s Syndrome,

PeaceWorks, c/o Johnston, 150 Indiana St., Maplewood, NJ 07040973-378-9325, peaceworks.org

September 22, 2015

Dear Friends,

When the mainstream news media reports on Nicaragua, the stories usually focus on crisis. An August headline in The Guardian read, “Food insecurity in Nicaragua: farming on the edge of a volcano.” In September, the New York Times described land disputes that left 10 indigenous farmers dead on Nicaragua's Miskito coast. While these stories need international attention, they are only part of the picture.

This fall, PeaceWorks will connect our community in New Jersey to lesser-known, but equally important stories about our Nicaragua. Stories of our Nica partners, working steadily and hopefully to create positive change in their communities.

For our November 14t h dinner forum, we're bringing up Miguel Marin, President of our partner organization FEDICAMP. Miguel will tour the East Coast, speaking about FEDICAMP’s response to climate change and food insecurity -- sustainable farming techniques, local water projects and collective advocacy for better government policies .Then in January we’ll go down to Nicaragua to see this work for ourselves, along with the work of our other partners who provide services and support to those who need it most.

In Nicaragua:

Cerebral Palsy and other disabilities. Check out our website to see her visit to their Equine therapy project.

In New Jersey:

• We just launched the all new PeaceWorks.org! Whoohoo! • Our NJ community is gearing up yet again to send a shipment of much needed material aid

donations to our partners. The 68 th material aid shipment will take place on October 10 th. • This past September 12th more than 40 people came out to our “Fight for $15” dinner forum

where Maribel Nova and Gertrudis Lopez shared their experiences organizing and supporting low-wage workers.

• 25 Seton Hall volunteers are helping our new Shipment Coordinator Jim Sagurton organize and pre-pack for the 68th Material Aid Shipment to Nicaragua on September 26th.

• Want to know more? Our Facebook page is updated almost daily...so Like Us!

Can you help us continue to support the vital work of our Nicaraguan partners through shipments, project funding, and educational work by donating to our general fund? Or, would you like contribute to the Jim Burchell ¡Presente! Fund to help projects like the new center for women escaping domestic violence, or Fedicamp’s work to address global climate change? For more information and for updates on all of our partners, visit our new website at www . peaceworks . org. None of this work would be possible without your steadfast support.

In Peace and Solidarity,Denis, Diane and the PeaceWorks Board

-------------------------------------

Please Let Us Know How You're Helping!

Enclosed please find my donation for: $50 _____, $100 _____, $150 _____, other _____

_____ Please add me to the PeaceWorks email list for meeting reminders and events announcements.

Name: ____________________________ Email: _________________________________________

_____ I am interested in a presentation on PeaceWorks at my church or community group.

_____ I can help prepare food for PeaceWorks Dinner Forums and Events.

PeaceWorks, c/o Johnston, 150 Indiana St., Maplewood, NJ 07040973-378-9325, peaceworks.org

http://www.peaceworks.org/http://www.peaceworks.org/http://www.peaceworks.org/http://www.peaceworks.org/http://www.peaceworks.org/

㈀　㘀 䐀䤀一一䔀刀 䘀伀刀唀䴀匀 

䐀椀渀渀攀爀猀 愀琀 㘀㨀㌀　⸀  倀爀漀最爀愀洀猀 愀琀 㜀㨀㌀　瀀洀⸀  ␀　 愀搀甀氀琀猀⸀  䬀椀搀猀 昀爀攀攀⸀䌀栀愀琀栀愀洀 䘀爀椀攀渀搀猀 䴀攀攀琀椀渀最⸀  㔀㠀 匀漀甀琀栀攀爀渀 䈀氀瘀搀Ⰰ  䌀栀愀琀栀愀洀Ⰰ 一䨀⸀

䴀䄀刀䌀䠀 ㈀吀䠀 ☀ 䄀倀刀䤀䰀 㤀吀䠀Ⰰ ㈀　㘀

匀甀猀琀愀椀渀愀戀氀攀 䘀愀爀洀猀Ⰰ 匀甀猀琀愀椀渀椀渀最 倀攀愀挀攀  

倀爀攀猀椀搀攀渀琀 漀昀 琀栀攀 一椀挀愀爀愀最甀愀渀 昀愀爀洀攀爀猀 漀爀最愀渀椀稀愀琀椀漀渀 䘀䔀䐀䤀䌀䄀䴀倀 䴀椀最甀攀氀 䴀愀爀椀渀 眀椀氀氀 戀攀 樀漀椀渀椀渀最 甀猀 琀漀 琀愀氀欀 愀戀漀甀琀 琀栀攀 眀漀爀欀 漀昀 昀椀最栀琀椀渀最 搀攀猀攀爀琀椀昀椀挀愀琀椀漀渀 愀渀搀 昀漀猀琀攀爀ⴀ椀渀最 猀甀猀琀愀椀渀愀戀氀攀 愀最爀椀挀甀氀琀甀爀攀 椀渀 渀漀爀琀栀攀爀渀 一椀挀愀爀愀最甀愀⸀  䐀椀渀渀攀爀 愀琀 㘀㨀㌀　⸀  倀爀漀最爀愀洀 愀琀 㜀㨀㌀　瀀洀⸀  ␀　 愀搀甀氀琀猀⸀  䬀椀搀猀 昀爀攀攀⸀䌀栀愀琀栀愀洀 䘀爀椀攀渀搀猀 䴀攀攀琀椀渀最⸀  㔀㠀 匀漀甀琀栀攀爀渀 䈀氀瘀搀Ⰰ  䌀栀愀琀栀愀洀Ⰰ 一䨀⸀

䐀䤀一一䔀刀 䘀伀刀唀䴀 ⨀ 一伀嘀 㐀琀栀 ⨀ 㘀㨀㌀　瀀

㘀㠀琀栀 䠀甀洀愀渀椀琀愀爀椀愀渀 䄀椀搀 匀栀椀瀀洀攀渀琀 琀漀 一椀挀愀爀愀最甀愀

匀栀椀瀀洀攀渀琀 挀漀漀爀搀椀渀愀琀漀爀 䨀椀洀 匀愀最甀爀琀漀渀 渀攀攀搀猀 夀伀唀刀 栀攀氀瀀 倀䄀䌀䬀䤀一䜀 昀漀爀 琀栀攀 㘀㠀琀栀 䠀甀洀愀渀椀琀愀爀椀愀渀 䄀椀搀 匀栀椀瀀洀攀渀琀 琀漀 一椀挀愀爀愀最甀愀⸀ 䌀漀渀琀愀挀琀 䨀椀洀 愀猀愀瀀 愀琀 樀愀洀攀猀⸀猀愀最甀爀琀漀渀䀀最洀愀椀氀⸀挀漀洀猀琀 倀爀攀猀戀礀琀攀爀椀愀渀 䌀栀甀爀挀栀 倀氀愀椀渀昀椀攀氀搀⸀ 㔀㈀㔀 䔀愀猀琀 䘀爀漀渀琀 匀琀爀攀攀琀Ⰰ 倀氀愀椀渀昀椀攀氀搀Ⰰ 一䨀

䄀䰀䰀 䠀䄀一䐀匀 伀一 䐀䔀䌀䬀⸀⸀⸀ 伀䌀吀 　吀䠀Ⰰ 　䄀䴀ⴀ㌀倀䴀

䌀漀洀攀 漀渀 漀甀爀 䨀愀渀甀愀爀礀 ㈀　㘀 䐀攀氀攀最愀琀椀漀渀 琀漀 一椀挀愀爀愀最甀愀℀

匀椀最渀 甀瀀 戀礀 匀攀瀀琀攀洀戀攀爀 ㌀　琀栀⸀ 䌀漀猀琀㨀 䄀瀀瀀爀漀砀椀洀愀琀攀氀礀 ␀㘀　　⼀瀀攀爀猀漀渀 ⠀椀渀挀氀甀搀椀渀最 愀椀爀⤀⸀ 䘀漀爀 搀攀琀愀椀氀猀 愀渀搀 搀愀琀攀猀Ⰰ 挀漀渀琀愀挀琀 䐀椀愀渀攀 匀琀攀爀渀攀爀Ⰰ 搀猀琀攀爀渀攀爀㐀䀀最洀愀椀氀⸀挀漀洀

㈀一䐀ⴀ㌀刀䐀 圀䔀䔀䬀匀 伀䘀 䨀䄀一唀䄀刀夀 ㈀　㘀

瀀攀愀挀攀眀漀爀欀猀⸀漀爀最

䘀䄀䰀䰀⼀圀䤀一吀䔀刀 ㈀　㔀 䔀嘀䔀一吀匀

PeaceWorks at Work!

-Meet Felipa- Felipa Joya Cruz is a rural farmer in the Rio Abajo community in Northern Nicaragua, about 15 miles from the Honduran border. She receives support from PeaceWorks’ local partner, The Federation for the Development of Rural People (FEDICAMP), which helps rural farmers with education and project financing for sustainable agricultural. Read her story below. *Meet FEDICAMP President Miguel Marin at the PeaceWorks November 14th Dinner Forum.

“The plot of land I have now was devastated by Hurricane Mitch. Everyone told me not to buy it because all that was left were stones, sand, and debris from a bridge that was washed away by currents. But I bought it anyway and started planting trees, conserving water, and building up the soil to create a new fertile layer. With FEDICAMP, I started diversifying my crops. We began to receive training in organic farming, and we have worked hard to maintain food security.

In the past few years, we have been affected by drought, which has resulted in crop failure, lack of food for the animals, and decreased milk production because the grasses are very poor. Also due to the drought, the water levels are down in the wells, we have lost many fruit trees, and this year the yields of basic grains, (mainly corn) will be 25% less. In response to the drought, we are working to conserve the water and soil, land cover, and product diversification. This has allowed us to grow healthier foods in which we can sell the surplus, both here in the community and in rural markets. During the last market I was able to make 2,000 Cordobas (roughly US70.00) by selling pumpkins, avocados, bananas and other products because we had diversified. I now know that organic farming is the best alternative to deal with the effects of climate change.”

*Hurricane Mitch — In 1998, Category 5 Hurricane Mitch reached peak winds of 180mph over the Caribbean before parking itself over Central America. From October 29 - November 3rd, 1998 Mitch dropped as much as 75 inches of rainfall over Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. Massive flooding and landslides would leave at least 11,000 dead and many more missing in what became the 2nd worst death toll attributed to any hurricane in history. The erosion of lands in rural communities devastated poor farmers for years to come.

一伀圀 䰀䤀嘀䔀㨀  吀䠀䔀 䄀䰀䰀 一䔀圀

倀䔀䄀䌀䔀圀伀刀䬀匀⸀伀刀䜀䴀䔀䔀吀 伀唀刀 倀䄀刀吀一䔀刀匀 䤀一 一䤀䌀䄀刀䄀䜀唀䄀

䘀䤀一䐀 伀唀吀 䄀䈀伀唀吀 䔀嘀䔀一吀匀 䰀䤀䬀䔀 䐀䤀一一䔀刀 䘀伀刀唀䴀匀 䄀一䐀 䐀䔀䰀䔀䜀䄀吀䤀伀一匀

吀䠀䔀 䰀䄀吀䔀匀吀 一䔀圀匀 䘀刀伀䴀 一䤀䌀䄀刀䄀䜀唀䄀 䄀一䐀 一䔀圀 䨀䔀刀匀䔀夀

䰀䤀䬀䔀 唀匀 伀一 䘀䄀䌀䔀䈀伀伀䬀

䴀䄀䬀䔀 匀䔀䌀唀刀䔀Ⰰ 䔀䄀匀夀 䐀伀一䄀吀䤀伀一匀 吀䠀刀唀 倀䄀夀倀䄀䰀

䐀伀圀一䰀伀䄀䐀 䔀嘀䔀一吀䘀䰀夀䔀刀匀℀

圀䄀吀䌀䠀 嘀䤀䐀䔀伀匀

匀䰀䤀䐀䔀 匀䠀伀圀匀䘀刀伀䴀 伀唀刀 䔀嘀䔀一吀匀

VOLUNTEERS URGENTLY NEEDED Saturday October 10th, 2015, 10AM-4PM

!ALL HANDS ON DECK!

…to pack and load the PeaceWorks 68th Material Aid Shipment to Nicaragua

!United Presbyterian Church 525 East Front Street Plainfield, NJ 07060 973-543-4724 !Contact: Jim Sagurton james.sagurton@gmail.com

!For the past two decades, PeaceWorks has sent twice-yearly shipments of donated goods to our partners in Nicaragua. We are fortunate to work with local NGO’s that translate our good intentions and assistance into life affirming services and projects. Join us in donating and/or packing goods for our next shipment! !

Do you have any donations? *medical equipment (no medicine, please) *sporting equipment *gently used or new clothes *fully functioning electronics & computers *tools & garden supplies *notebooks, pencils…school supplies *kitchenware & luggage *bicycles *sewing machines !

peaceworks.org

September 2015 NewsletterFall Winter 2015 Events copyFelipa Joya Cruzall new peaceworks small68th shipment