We wish our Muslim friends in the U.S. and around the world a joyful Ramadan. Welcomed this week to a local iftar (the evening meal to break fast), we were reminded of the shared values of family, community, and giving that connect us all, and that are celebrated through this rich holiday month.
We were saddened by news of the death on August 3rd of Sister Jackie Hudson of Poulsbo, Washington. Jackie, 76, was a Dominican nun who for decades fought courageously for nuclear disarmament and whose nonviolent civil disobedience resulted in her imprisonment on several occasions. In 2005, talking about the “spiritual commitment to social change,” Jackie said, “we all have something within us that wants to make life better.” She reminded us that “every issue is related” and that “each of us has a piece of the truth.” A friend of our community, we will miss seeing Jackie here in Olympia, but will always be inspired by how bravely she sounded the alarm about U.S. nuclear weapons and by her lifelong dedication to peacemaking.
Finally, while the Rachel Corrie Foundation continues to focus on Israel/Palestine, our attention is drawn this week to the humanitarian tragedy in Somalia where reportedly the worst drought in sixty years has claimed the lives of 29,000 children in three months and where 12 million are hungry. As you read about our successful efforts to support the MAIA Project that brings clean water to the children of Gaza, please think about how to alleviate the suffering of the children in Somalia, as well.
Sincerely,
Cindy Corrie
