Thursday, March 25
Three CPTers hiked from Polho to X'oyep (Show-yep') to
join their other team member. The team made plans to stay in this community
of1100 displaced persons through Holy Week.

Friday, March 26
Team members Lynn Stoltzfus and Cliff Kindy traveled to
Polho and Acteal to download e-mail and continue processing with the local
people plans for the Holy Week vigil.

Saturday, March 27
The team planned to visit the "Social Labor" (civic action) camp run by the
military near X'oyep. The camp offers meals and social services such as
health care and haircuts, but its main purpose as a military presence in the
area is thinly disguised. After a half hour conversation, the two soldiers
in the
"casita" (small checkpoint hut on the path above the base) discouraged the
team from going down into the base for
a visit saying it was a bad time because they were having a general review
of the troops.

The team met a Lt. Col. Salazar who was jogging by in
running gear. He had trained at Ft. Benning and Ft. Bragg. Brig. Gen.
Smith, whom the team had talked with the previous week at the "Social Labor"
camp at Majomut also stopped at the hut in his jeep and renewed acquaintance
with the team members.

Palm Sunday, March 28
CPTers began a fast as part of a Holy Week presence near the military
checkpoint on the path outside X'oyep. By doing so, the team hoped to
challenge the militarization of the region, confronting the powers as Jesus
did.

Four CPTers, accompanied by 13 members of the indigenous pacifist group the
Bees (Abejas) hiked up the mountain to a ridge above the checkpoint where
the Mayan indigenous people have erected three wooden crosses. There the
group read the gospel of Jesus' triumphant entry into Jerusalem in three
languages
(Spanish, English, and Tzotzil, the language of the main Mayan group in
X'oyep.)

The group reflected on the questions, "Why did Jesus enter the seat of
power?", and "What are the things that make for peace here today?" and then
prayed together throughout the hour-long
service.

The two military men who were keeping watch on the hill by the crosses when
the worshippers arrived relinguished the area without incident, at the
request of the Bees.

Returning to X'oyep, CPTers noticed preparations already underway for the
community's observance of Palm Sunday. Half an hour later, men and women
lined the courtyard outside the chapel carrying flowers and branches. Jesus'
entry into Jerusalem was re-enacted by a man riding a donkey up to the
chapel, with the people throwing down their branches before him. Prayers
followed.

About 1:30 in the afternoon, CPTers were surprised to learn that members of
the press had arrived in X'oyep to speak with them about the week's planned
events. A press release had been issued but the hope was that the media
would show up at Monday's day-long vigil. The team made brief statements to
three newspapers and a television reporter. Since immigration authorities
are concerned about internationals being in the area, the team feared that
vigil plans might be drastically shortened once a story appeared in the
press.

Monday, March 29
Four CPTers and five Bees climbed the hill again to the
site of Sunday's worship (between the village and the military base) at 9:30
in the morning. After a half-hour liturgy at the Mayan crosses, based on
the story of the Jesus' cleansing of the temple, CPTers Anne Herman and
Cliff Kindy and the Bees proceeded to the checkpoint "casita" (hut) to
continue the vigil.

After brief interactions with the soldiers at the checkpoint, including Gen.
Mejia and other officers, the Bees suggested
moving across the road to another set of three Mayan crosses. The group
continued prayers there for a half hour, then, after further negotiations,
were able to enter the casita itself. The liturgy about cleansing the space
seemed especially relevant.

CPTers Lynn Stoltzfus and Claire Evans, who had remained at the first set of
crosses up the hill, joined the rest of the group at noon to the strains of
the song, "Peace is Flowing Like a
River." After prayers for peace from each of the participants, the group
moved again to the crosses across the road from the checkpoint and continued
their presence until 4 p.m. Plans are to repeat the vigil at the base from
9:00-4:00 each day during Holy Week.

[At Eastern Mennonite University in Harrisonburg, VA, students and one
professor vigiled in support of the Bees. They began their service with a
short overview of the situation, read Mark 11:15-19, sang a few songs,
including "Ta xi xa no" ... "We are marching in the light of God," read
examples of nonviolent action from a chapter in Walter Wink's _Engaging the
Powers_, shared photos of X'oyep and the hill
with crosses, and ended with prayer. The group plans to gather at 5pm each
evening throughout the week in solidarity with Las Abejas.]