Remember that old bumper sticker, “War is not healthy for children and other living things?” Conflict and violence damage lives along with the systems that sustain them—the farms, markets, wells, schools and hospitals we depend on every day.

This week in Nairobi, Kenya, 200 youth are participating in an ecumenical peace summit. Their goal is to learn and practice peace building in response to the post-election violence that occurred in Kenya in 2007 and early 2008. The 200 youth include Muslims, Methodists, Anglicans, Presbyterians, Catholics and Lutherans from across Kenya as well as Rwanda, Uganda, Democratic Republic of Congo, Tanzania, United States, and South Africa.
The event’s sponsors are the Kenya Evangelical Lutheran Church and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. A generous grant from ELCA World Hunger is making the whole thing possible. You can follow the activities, view the slide shows, and check out a daily newsletter at http://peacesummit2009.wordpress.com

Give the blog a look, and be proud that Lutheran churches are equipping people for peacemaking!

Anne Basye