"We are prophets by the Spirit. We have the job of announcing the Reign of
God with the unifying Word." These words of Bishop Samuel Ruiz of Chiapas
greeted a newly arrived seven-member Christian Peacemaker Team Sunday, May
23.

The Pentecost sermon helped set the tone for the delegation, which will
include meetings with church, human rights and other non-governmental
organizations followed by four days in the highlands region, where thousands
of Mayans continue to live in refugee camps.

During Easter week the CPT Chiapas team participated in a series of prayer
and fasting vigils together with members of the pacifist "Bees" organization
outside the Mexican Army base near the Bees' refugeee camp. The week
culminated with the vigilers entering the base to plant corn as a sign of
the need to plant life in a place where violence has wrought death.

The Pentecost delegation hopes to nurture the corn planted and the peace
desired by the indigenous people of that area.

Delegation members are Duane Ediger, Dallas TX; Matthew Guynn, Richmond IN;
Keith Hess, San Salvador, El Salvador; Lisa Martens, Brandon, Manitoba;
Karen Martin, Goshen IN; Diane Mayer, Boulder CO; and Pierre Schantz,
Elmira, Ontario.

CPT will be sponsoring future delegations to Chiapas on Aug. 1-13,1999, Nov
4-15, 1999 and Feb. 18-29, 2000.