 By Michele Carlson, M.A.
For the last two years, Jeremy Simons along with his wife, Amy, and children, has lived in Mindanao, Philippines doing community development and non-violent conflict resolution training with a Christian perspective. Amy Simons is a nurse and helps with community health care programs. I asked Mr. Simons about his decision to move halfway around the world with his family to do this type of work as well as how his family has fared with this adventure. Mr. and Mrs. Simons are a shining example that if you so desire, you can see a need in the world, and then find a way to utilize your talents to improve the world, even while raising a family.
1. What do you do and why?
"I work as a peace trainer, justice advocate, and community development organizer on the island of Mindanao, Philippines. I have been through a metamorphosis in my life from enlisting in the US Marine Corps in college to now promoting active non-violence and alternatives to war. Hopefully, this radical transformation continues in my life, rooted in the teachings and life-force of Jesus Christ, the greatest peace-maker, revolutionary leader and spirit-master in history."
2. Why did you choose to work with Peace Building Community?
"Peace Builders Community (PBC) and I found each other through a series of personal connections that go back two (2) generations. PBC and I align in our holistic vision of peace, or shalom, grounded in a Jesus-centered spirituality that manifests in all aspects of reality; intra-personally, socio-politically, and ecologically-economically."
3. Why did you and your wife decide to move overseas with your children to do this?
"We have always had a desire to serve (and learn from) the poor and marginalized cross-culturally. Through ongoing processes of discernment, we felt the urge to continue doing this overseas. Even when we were in Denver, we chose to live in an inner city community with mostly Mexican and African American neighbors. It was a great experience and we still have many close friends there."
4. What lessons do you think your work gives your children?
"I am appreciative of my own experience growing up overseas as it gives me an outside perspective on the U.S. and a more intuitive understanding of how non-Americans think and feel. I believe my children will also gain that and a real appreciation for other cultures. While there is a lot of talk of diversity and multicultural education in the U.S., it is a relatively abstract conversation. Living in another country (or even in mixed U.S. communities) makes that a lived reality and children more able to engage diverse communities and “walk in other peoples shoes.”
5. What would you like people to know about the conflict(s) that are happening over there (which may not be readily talked about in the media here)?
"Mindanao is the second largest island in the Philippines with 23 million people and is home to two of the longest running armed conflicts in the world that have killed an estimated 200,000 people over the past 40 years. Over the past 2 years, almost a million people were displaced by fighting on Mindanao (apart from the natural disasters like typhoon Ondoy), a humanitarian crisis that has received virtually no coverage in the global media. But more importantly, what people need to know is that in spite of the difficulties there is a vibrant peace movement in the Philippines."
6. How can people here help with peace building?
"International partnerships are VERY important to Philippine peace workers. Standing in solidarity with us in the Philippines provides an important sense of purpose and strength to continue our work. We have been hosting peace learning tours and live Skype calls with groups from North America who can then share experiences, raise awareness and advocate for peaceful resolution to these conflicts. Americans in particular can advocate for a reduction in U.S. military aid to the Philippines and tying future aid to improvements in human rights here."
7. What, if any, progress has you seen from non-violent communication/conflict resolution there?
"I have seen a real strengthening of indigenous people’s cultural identity. I have also literally seen a Muslim religious leader preaching active non-violence from the pulpit in his mosque in response to one of our peace building courses."
8. How can people bring non-violent conflict resolution into their lives?
"The challenge of building shalom/salaam (holistic peace) and harmony in our life is not necessarily about taking a course in conflict resolution or joining a particular movement or cause, though such activities bear the fruit of living peace. Rather, we need to consider embarking on a spiritual journey towards the place where we ground our life-energy in the shalom of God, (Allah if you are Muslim, Panginoon if you are Filipino). That is the essence of the “greater jihad” (as my Muslim friends would say) or “struggle” of incorporating non-violence into our life. It starts by opening and harmonizing our spirituality with the revolutionary spirituality of Jesus, the poor carpenter who revealed God’s loving struggle for the restoration of broken people and scarred ecology. Jesus concretely and historically demonstrated this as the prophet of peace, empowering the rebirth and restoration of all things, starting with our own spirits."
"Even in our time, the spirit of Jesus continues to supernaturally nurture the healing journey toward the place of “abundant life” where God restores the broken pieces of not just our souls, but the entire universe. “Causes” will peter out when they reach their “effect,” and even the most promising “movements” will lose their momentum and stop moving. The key to growing, nurturing, and sustaining peace in our lives therefore requires grounding in a super-natural cause or movement, in other words, in a spiritual reality outside the constraints of time and space."
9. How can people contact you with questions or support you?
"We can be contacted on facebook at Jeremy Simons, www.peacebuilderscommunity.org email Jeremy@peacebuilderscommunity.org. Donations are handled on line or by mail through our U.S. sponsor International Development and Educational Associates (www.ideasworld.org)."
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