Starting Thursday, November 18th, the Fellowship of Reconciliation will again be at Fort Benning, Georgia, at the annual vigil in front of the School of the Americas. We invite participants to explore ways that international solidarity can make the difference countering the expansion of U.S.militarism in Latin America and spread the word about theFOR’s Peace Presence in Colombia, which offers a unique opportunity to share the lives of courageous peasant farmers striving for a life in peace and dignity.

Applications to join our accompaniment team in Colombia are currently open. This will be the focus of our workshop on Friday, November 19th, 8:00-10:00 PM, in Convention Center Room 210.

We will also be inviting everyone to join FOR and organizations from throughout Latin America and the United States in a continental campaign to end foreign military presence in the hemisphere. The timing of this SOA vigil is particularly important. During the last 18 months, the Obama administration has embarked on a surge of U.S. military expansion in Latin America — supporting Honduras’ military coup, occupying Haiti after January’s earthquake, arranging to deploy 7,000 marines to Costa Rica, gaining access to over seven military bases in Colombia — even while we struggle with the domestic economic crisis. As the White House prepares next year’s budget, we are distributing postcards to tell President Obama that it is time that “We want a budget for our communities, not guns in Latin America.”

If you are coming to the SOA vigil, make sure to look for us. We welcome volunteers to help FOR with our tabling. Contact Susana Pimiento at 512-542-1769.