While Lakan Sumulong watches, a group among PAR Seminar participants in Sumacher, evaluate the possibility of an inclusive development initiative in their home village — starting with coffee. Sumacher, Tinglayan, Kalinga. 21-24 February 2016.
As I conclude my specially-appointed time for worship, I’m focusing my prayers today for the communities in Kalinga who welcomed Peace and Reconciliation (PAR) Principles and Practices. We were invited to visit and share hearts and minds with the Kalinga First Nation in 2010. I’m praying that PeaceBuilders Community and Coffee For Peace would grow in our understanding of the cultures of the various tribes in Kalinga as we apply indigenous wisdom in peacebuilding and inclusive development.
Right now, I’m praying that the long-term inclusive development program,consisting of a series of short-term activities, would be blessed by the Creator:
1. May the current training of key PAR leaders from among the Kalinga youth be blessed until they are able to run this peacebuilding and inclusive development initiatives in their province;
2. May the series of inclusive development seminars among local farmers and community leaders we have been doing in the past few years, starting with coffee plantation, be practiced effectively while we’re developing local, national, and international solidarity markets and partners;
3. May the post-harvest processing plant in Tabuk that our partners are starting be operational soon so we can sustain the quality and quantity of our products.
Next step: God willing, this coming April, a technical team made up of —
:: a coffee agriculturist
:: a development communications professor
:: a landscape architect
:: a social business marketing expert
:: a justice-peace theologian, and
:: two community development consultants
will travel to these places to share hearts and minds with elders and leaders of various Kalinga communities.
This 5-minute video captures some highlights of our journey with PAR Kalinga.
