H4PJ Blog

Lynn Walters: H4PJ Director of Programming

This afternoon, my husband and I went to a protest against the Israeli attack on Gaza. There were around 1500 people, mostly Muslim. I was thrilled to see so many people protesting the violence on both sides. However, there were far too few Christians and Anglo-Americans.

How can we have peace on earth if we cannot join with our brothers and sisters of different races and faiths to achieve it?

What is happening in Gaza is not an isolated incident. Israel’s continuing blockade finally cut off food aid from the UN and other organizations in November and gas for the generators needed to power the city. As one sign I saw said, “Empty stomachs know no peace". We cannot stand by and expect that such actions will create peace.

We cannot honestly confront Iran for providing arms to Hamas or Hezbollah while we provide arms to Israel.

Peace will not come without justice for the oppressed. Justice will not come if we do nothing.

Lynn

Lynn Walters: H4PJ Board Member

I just read that we are now at 4000 American deaths in Iraq. Last week was the fifth anniversary of the start of the war.

In 2003, when my husband and I marched for Peace in Dallas, I couldn’t imagine war would start, let alone continue for over five years. Each time we participated in the vigils which mourned the first 1000 dead, the 1st year, then 2000 dead, 2nd year…surely, it would end soon.

But, now I know from experience as well as history, that peace work is a journey. I used to think it was only the absence of war. Now I realize that the makings of war are continually fed by injustice.

I pray that we can end the war and bring peace and justice to Iraq before the 6th anniversary.

Lynn

Tim Seelig: Director of Art4PJ

Who knew?

Who knew when the idea first cropped up last October of H4PJ possibly participating in Song of Peace www.songofpeace.org that it would turn out to be one of the highlights of many peoples’ lives?

Who knew that we would ever be able to hold our “first annual” event at the Morton H. Meyerson Center?

Who knew that we would have a legend, Dr. Maya Angelou, as our keynote speaker and first recipient of the Voice of Peace Award?

Who knew that we would fill the hall to overflowing – from one end to the other, and top to bottom – and literally raise the roof with 2,000+ people singing for peace?

Who knew that we would have such an overwhelming outpouring of support for this event?

Who knew that when all was said and done, we would have over 400 people on the backstage security list? These were all people who had volunteered their time, their talent and their hearts to make a difference. This included the 200+ singer Voice of Peace Chorus, New Texas Symphony Orchestra, Male Chorus from the First Baptist Church, Hamilton Park, stage crew, box office crew, security, store volunteers and much, much more. Did you read that? There were over 400 people who volunteered and even paid money themselves to make the event the incredible success it was.

Well, I can tell you for sure that we at H4PJ didn’t know. We did not have a clue that so many people would want to be a part of this event – and become a part of H4PJ as well.

When we began, we didn’t know we would have an incredible sculptor (Deborah Ballard) give of her time to craft a bronze award for Dr. Angelou. We didn’t know we would have 9 year-old Dalton Sherman give a speech that would bring the house down. We didn’t know we would have the opportunity to sing Happy 80th Birthday to Dr. Angelou as Samantha Rush from Rush Patisserie rolled out the huge cake with the award replicated in sugar on the top! We didn’t know that Shawn Northcutt and Paul Taylor would work their video magic and that Gary Floyd and Denise Lee would bring the audience to their knees in tribute. We didn’t know there would be an incredible new brochure for H4PJ created by Brand-Agent and gorgeous stage design by Daryan Design. We didn’t know there were be an overflow chorus and the gorgeous sounds of New Texas Symphony Orchestra and Russ Rieger on the Meyerson organ. We didn’t know there would be people fly from all over the U.S. to be a part of the event.

All of that was serendipity.

But most of all, we didn’t know (at least for sure) that the afternoon would be life changing for all of us. There is never a guarantee of such things – they are things we hope for, of course, and plan for, but can never guarantee. This time it truly happened.

The “first annual” Voices of Peace event was beyond all of our wildest imaginations. If you were there, please write us your experiences. If you were not there, don’t tell anyone! Just make your plans to be at the 2nd annual Voices of Peace – March, 2009.

Tim