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Section of the Americas
April 10, 2012
In This Issue
Follow the World Conference
Update on Bolivians traveling to Kenya
New Spanish publications
FWCC on Facebook: a new look
Quaker Youth Pilgrimage
Quick Links
 
Greetings!

 

As I write this I am surrounded by preparations for the Sixth World Conference of Friends. So many last minute details, both in the office and at my house. And I know this flurry is multiplied by 1,000 Friends around the world, from over 100 yearly meetings and groups of Friends in 42 countries. I can see why we only do this every 20 years or so. But meeting face to face is still an important way to knit together the global family of Friends, even as we recognize the rising costs (financial and environmental) of international travel. I am grateful for this opportunity for so many Friends to be together.

 

Part of the business of the Section of the Americas at the World Conference will be to choose a new theme for our local gatherings in the coming year. What theme will replace "Being Salt & Light: Friends Living the Kingdom of God in a Broken World"? I look forward to finding out. These "New Light" gatherings will be another way of bringing the World Conference home to Friends throughout the Americas. What will be the common thread stitching us together?

 

In friendship,

Robin Mohr

Robin Mohr

 

WC logoFollow the Sixth World Conference in Kenya starting next week  

When the Sixth World Conference of Friends begins on Tuesday, April 17th, the conference website will be updated in as close to real-time as possible with full coverage of the event, including the texts of speeches, video, photos, blogs etc. Bookmark this page now and check back regularly.

 

You can "Like" the conference on Facebook or follow @Kabarak2012 or @FWCCAmericas on Twitter for more updates. Search for the tag #FWCC2012 for all online updates.
 


 

Update on Bolivian Friends Traveling to the World Conference

Good news!

 

All 15 Friends from Bolivia have been re-booked on flights that will get them to Kenya for the World Conference of Friends! While they now face having to take five flights over several days to get to Kenya, it is a blessing that they will be able to attend.

 

As you may already know, this is due to the fact that Bolivia's largest airline, Aerosur, suspended all domestic and international flight operations pending bankruptcy proceedings, leaving thousands of passengers stranded, including the 14 Quakers from Bolivia.

 

There is also more good news in fundraising efforts to cover over $11,000 in new travel expenses associated with ensuring the Bolivian Friends get to the World Conference.  Yesterday, we sent out an e-appeal, and in just the past 24 hours, we have received more than $3,000 in on-line contributions - from Friends in the UK, USA and Canada - toward the Bolivian Friends' travel expenses. We expect more funds to come in, on-line and by mail, as word of the need spreads.

 

We invite you to help offset these unexpected costs.  Make a gift online or send a check to FWCC, 1506 Race St., Philadelphia, PA 19102. Please be sure to note that this is a special contribution for Bolivian Friends Travel Expenses.   

 

Whether or not you are able to make a financial contribution, we ask for your prayers for all the travelers across the globe who are beginning to leave home and to journey to Kenya for this historic Sixth World Conference of Friends. We are carrying all of you with us.

New pamphlets bring both historic and contemporary Quaker voices to Spanish-speaking Friends
A trilogy of writing selections from the 17th century and a collection of contemporary Latin American Quaker essays are the newest pamphlets to be produced for our website Voices of Friends.
Fell booklet
Three writings from Margaret Fell Fox have been translated into Spanish by D. Pablo Stanfield of North Pacific YM: "Preface to the Epistles of Margaret Fox, written by herself" (c. 1700); "A Relation of Margaret Fell - Her Birth, Testimony & Sufferings for the Eternal Truth of the Lord in Her Generation" (publ. c. 1695); and "The Testimony of Margaret Fox, concerning her late husband, George Fox: together with a brief account of some of his travels, sufferings, and hardships endured for the truth's sake,"  from the Journal of George Fox (Publ. 1694). 

Read this publication online now.

The second pamphlet on the life and faith of Friends in Latin America is composed of essays written by Friends who participated in a series of workshops offered by FWCC on writing as ministry, held in South and Central America in recent years. They are part of a larger selection of essays from the forthcoming book "De Encuentro al Ministerio: La vida y fe de los Amigos Latinoamericanos," to be published by Editorial CALA in La Paz, Bolivia with joint support from Northwest Yearly Meeting of Friends and FWCC. The pamphlet of selections from this book will be ready for download on the internet soon.

Both pamphlets will be published in print in the coming year in various locations in Latin America, for ease of distribution. 
Chiquimula 2006Check out our new look on Facebook!  
The new Facebook design for organizations shows a timeline of key events in the history of FWCC.  Check our page on a regular basis for the most up to date news. 

Have suggestions or photos for our timeline? Share your ideas with us.

Like us on Facebook

 

QYP at Firbank FellPilgrims to journey through England, the Netherlands and Belgium this summer
Eighteen young Friends ages 16-18 from the Section of the Americas will take part in this summer's Quaker Youth Pilgrimage, including several from Latin America.  They will join a similar group from the Europe and Middle East Section for a month-long pilgrimage to Quaker sites in Britain, the Netherlands and Belgium. Click here for an overview of their itinerary.

The Quaker Youth Pilgrimage of FWCC has taken place every two years for over fifty years.  The location alternates between the Section of the Americas and the Europe and Middle East Section. Plans are underway for the next pilgrimage hosted by the Section of the Americas to take place in South America.