Dear friends of IFCO/Pastors for Peace,
As this eventful year draws to a close, I want to send you a special heartfelt greeting on behalf of the Cuban people — and a very special greeting on behalf of Fidel himself, who asked me to convey to you his personal thanks for the very important work your steadfast support makes possible.
We apologize for not being in touch with you more often this year. But I trust that, when you review the highlights of our work in the attached pdf edition of IFCO News, you'll understand why we've been so busy.
I'm sure you shared with us in rejoicing at the end of the Bush administration. But now we are nearly a year into the new administration, and we still have so far to go!
Never has it been more important for us to stand up as a strong national network of people of conscience and faith. And that's what IFCO represents: a broad network of progressive people who are willing and working to put our ethics into action, in many areas of concern.
You can make a tax deductible year end contribution to this important work by clicking on the donate now button on our website: https://npo.networkforgood.org/Donate/Donate.aspx?npoSubscriptionId=4382 .
We’re sure you agree with us that health care is a basic human right that should be available to all.
IFCO affirms our belief in health care as a human right through our support and sponsorship of Health Care—Now!, the project that has taken national leadership in advocating for single-payer health care. (Our beloved and esteemed board member Marilyn Clement, who founded and led this project, is memorialized in the newsletter.)
We're also putting this idea into action through our continuing administration of the scholarship program for US students at the Latin American School of Medicine. There are 114 US students currently enrolled; 33 have graduated; several are already doing their residencies in US hospitals — and all of them are committed to providing medical services in communities that suffer from lack of care.
We know that you share our concern about sustainable solutions for our imperiled environment.
We are addressing this concern through projects IFCO supports and sponsors in New Orleans — the People’s Environmental Center and the new Our School at Blair Grocery — and through the Community Vision Council based in Brooklyn, NY.
We know that you share our hope for justice and peace in the Middle East.
We’re putting our advocacy into action through our sponsorship of Viva Palestina, a project founded by British MP George Galloway, which organized a huge humanitarian convoy of medical aid from the US to Gaza in July.
We know you stand with us in opposing the brutal and unjust US economic blockade of Cuba.
Once again this summer, we actively challenged the blockade with our 20th US/Cuba Friendshipment caravan — a tremendous success.
With the 20th caravan came several tremendous honors. We attended the premiere of a new documentary about our work. We also had the opportunity to meet with President Raúl Castro and former President Fidel Castro. I want you to know that this was a very humbling experience which I understood to be a sign of the deep respect and appreciation that the people of Cuba have for our work, and for your dedicated support and solidarity.
We know that you agree with us that we must respect the sovereignty of our neighbor nations.
That's why, when a military coup took place in Honduras this summer, and the constitutionally elected president was taken out of the country at gunpoint — in his pajamas! — IFCO/Pastors for Peace sent out a series of alerts to our network to mobilize calls and letters to Washington. We organized a Congressional briefing on Capitol Hill. We designed a postcard asking President Obama to denounce the repression and support the restoration of democracy in Honduras — and our network sent more than 12,000 postcards to the White House.
We have repeatedly demonstrated our willingness to ‘lock horns with the Empire.’ You are a valuable and indispensable part of this work, and we are always grateful for your support. You, who through your generous donations make our ongoing work possible, will be supporting an agenda of change and hope and mutual respect.
We wish you all the best in the holiday season, whatever your faith traditions may be. May peace be with you and with all our neighbors around the world; and may the New Year be filled with the blessings of justice.
Sincerely,
(Rev.) Lucius Walker, Jr.
Executive Director
PS - A DVD of the new documentary “People to People” about the Caravans to Cuba will be sent to all donors who request one.
