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Showing posts from November 6, 2007

Kids with lanterns, old churches

Back in Alkmaar, The Netherlands... Peace work at IFOR is both active and challenging for me, as I need to interact with people from all over the planet, people who are interested in getting involved with the organization. I've just finished the Fall issue of our quarterly publication IFOR in Action and have already begun work on the next edition. As for off-time, I recently shared with Katie O an experience I had that exemplifies what life is like outside the office here in Alkmaar. One evening I had taken a walk along a loop that traverses the Centrum Alkmaar and passes through the "old quarter." By chance, I came upon what appeared to be an endless procession of children parading on the sidewalk. I think every kid in town must have been there, and half of the adults, who were lined-up along both sides of the streets observing. Each child was carrying a short stick with a colorful lantern dangling from one end, and each group of children had a unique lantern theme: