Presbyterian Peacemaking Program shares the story of a peacemaker

Peacemaker Story

Kathy traveled to El Salvador while in seminary, a very intentional time of action and reflection of finding balance in nurturing ones inner life while building spiritual practice (shalom).  She also participant in an accompaniment program in Nicaragua, helped establish the San Rafael Don Morte Clinic and planted olive trees in the West Bank.

Along the way Kathy nurtured partnerships and continued to build connections with others, leading her to participate, plan, worked behind the scenes at the Peacemaking Conferences.  The Peacemaking conference has nurtured three generations of the Runyeon family as they educated themselves and those around about injustice, violence and what people can do to work for peace at home and abroad.

Over the years activism has involved and evolved in an intellectual approach, looking at and issue from different vantage points, education, art, spiritual discipline, intergenerational and uncovered that activism can also be lively, creative and fun.  Looking to the future Joan and Kathy’s hope and dreams for the Presbyterian Peacemaking Program, are to continue producing outstanding resources which they have used in their own and in their congregations, introduced them to many other people and have found them very useful in opening dialogues and for studying scripture.

Advice for peacemaking for the long haul

Joan: Hang in there, peacemakers do not have to change everything, they just need to keep trying and take care of you.

Kathy: Enjoy the journey, take advantage of opportunities, stretch yourself, stretch your family, make new friends and keep at it.