The Words of the Jones Family
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The Words of the Jones Family |
Building on the momentum of September's International Day of Peace forum in the Peruvian Congress, a number of Ambassadors for Peace traveled throughout the nation to share UPF's peace vision during the month of October. Weekend trips to Oxapampa, Cerro de Pasco, Puno and Trujillo were filled with interviews, marches, rallies and programs explaining UPF's peace principles.
Dr. Trevor Jones, President of UPF-Peru, together with Vice President Rev Dr. Orestes Sanchez, was invited to Oxapampa, a city in the Amazon jungle where the local brotherhood of Christian ministers had organized a three-day meeting promoting family values. After a 12-hour night bus ride across the Andean Mountains on twisting roads that skirted huge chasms, they arrived early on a Friday at 7:00 am and two hours later were interviewed by a local radio station. They were fully involved every day, giving interviews, lectures and presentations in the local Town Hall together with a Congressman, the assistant Mayor and other community leaders. On Saturday they marched for peace with many families from the Evangelical churches. Early on Sunday morning they participated with other local dignitaries in the ceremonial raising of the flags of Peru and Oxapampa before sharing some final words in the closing meeting that evening.
The same weekend Ambassador for Peace Sr. Cesar Aguayo traveled to the mountain city of Cerro de Pasco (4,330 meters above sea level) to speak to university students about the Day of Peace and the work of the UPF. The students were very inspired by the presentation and asked for UPF to hold more meetings in their city.
The following weekend Dr. Jones traveled to the Andean city of Puno to meet with local Ambassadors for Peace. In this mountain city situated next to Lake Titicaca (the highest navigable lake in the world, at 3,812m) UPF has celebrated the Day of Peace every year since 2008. The regional secretary general, Dr. Cesar Caceres, explained more about the local activities, and in the evening meeting the Ambassadors for Peace pledged to do more for peace in their city.
A few days later Dr. Jones was in the coastal city of Trujillo, the second city of Peru. He was warmly received by the local representatives of UPF, Mr. and Mrs. Wilson Chavez, and during another busy weekend he took part in two peace marches and was presented with Municipal Memorandums recognizing the work of UPF from the mayors of La Esperanza and Victor Larco. Other district mayors had been appointed as Ambassadors for Peace in September when the local branch organized meetings for the International Day of Peace. One Trujillian Ambassador for Peace -- retired Police Coronel Elidio Espinoza -- has formed his own political party and plans to run for office in the near future.
The month closed with a meeting of Ambassadors for Peace in Lima where guest speakers shared their desires to contribute more for peace in the coming months. Mr. Manuel Arana, the keynote speaker, gave an excellent PowerPoint presentation on the vision of a "New Man in the New World" which included references to the vision of UPF and the work of its founder, Dr. Sun Myung Moon.