On June 1 a group of students from the Mennonite Brethren school in Cali, Colegio Americas Unidas, visited our school in La Mesa. This was due in part to our visit to Cali last November.
They drove all night from Cali, then had a couple of hours to rest before meeting the student body. Most of the students were members of the mediation team.
Principal Guillermo gave them a warm welcome.
After introductions there was a time of recreation.
Then we had a forum on restorative justice.
Ruth, who has been studying on Saturdays at the School of Peace in Bogotá, gave the first presentation.
Chet Miller-Eshleman, MCC volunteer in Cali (and good friend of ours), gave the second presentation.
Afterwards Principal Guillermo divided the students into groups to talk about ways to apply restorative justice at school.
Some of the groups had very animated discussion.
Then they came back and presented their ideas.
It was a great morning of interaction.
In the afternoon we showed the visiting students around town.
Here Felipe, a senior mediator, and member of the church youth group, chats with two students from Cali.
Francisco Mosquera, director of the Mennonite Brethren peace office in Cali, led an evening discussion about conscientious objection.
The night ended with some impromptu singing led by Mateo, one of the seniors at Colegio Americano Menno.
Two weeks later a group of Youth Venture participants came to town.
One of the activities was mini-conversations with the members of our English club.
The leaders of the Youth Venture team, Rhiannon and Jason, were back in Colombia for their third time. We think they'd make great long term workers here in La Mesa when we finish our term.
It was lot of fun for everyone!