General News

Jonathan Woolson has returned to Fredonia with his wife, Laura, and daughter, Allegra. Their second daughter, Francesca, was born at home in Fredonia on June 19th, 2005 and she is a healthy 10lb. baby. He’s doing freelance work from home; layout and design for computer books, designing webpages and training and consulting. He’s also a stay-at-home dad (with much support from Faith). Allegra is a clever and joyful four-year old. She likes giraffes, computer games and books. Laura has started an acupuncture practice in downtown Fredonia. She practices a holistic style of acupuncture called Classical Five Element Acupuncture. Jonathan and his family live at 10 Spring Street in Apartment #1 in Fredonia. Their number is 672-9674 or 672-9777. Call and say “Hi”.

BOLIVIA REPORT 11/10/2004 by Eric Kaiser

My purpose for traveling to Peru & Bolivia was to work and worship with Bolivian Friends (by teaching in the schools and attending services in the churches), and to improve my knowledge of their culture. During my trip, I did enhance my knowledge of their culture, but I still don’t know why the women wear bowler hats. I learned, for example, that Bolivians don’t take government very seriously, because it tends to change every nine months on average.

While in La Paz, I attended services both Sundays we were present, and immensely enjoyed the gospel-style singing. The fact that my Spanish was inadequate to comprehend much of what the preacher was saying on the first Sunday did not greatly diminish my understanding of what the sermon was about: the conviction of the carnal spirit!! (Bolivian Friends are evangelical.) The second Sunday was slightly more confusing, due partly to the absence of visual aids. I actually got very little of it, partly also due to the fact that I had recently been sick and was having a hard time concentrating. There was a mix-up when it came to teaching. I was scheduled to help teach English on Wednesday through Friday of the week we were there, (Monday was All Saints Day and Tuesday was Day of the Dead so there was no school on those two holidays). Unfortunately, I was sick on Wednesday, so I couldn’t teach then, and someone overlooked that Yearly Meetings in Bolivia take place in November, so there were no English or Computer classes at the school nearest us (on Calle Max Paredes) while I was going to be there, and the teachers were unprepared to have me attend any other classes.

In addition, to get to the other school (Emma Canaday) a guide was needed, as it was difficult to find. Unfortunately, no one was available to take me there. With perseverance, I did manage to teach some English while I was there. I taught English for a couple of hours Thursday evening at 7:30, to a scholarship student/teacher named Loida Cutipa. We talked and taught each other our native languages, but mostly it was me helping her understand when to use certain words, and what the proper grammar was in each case. The next day, Friday, at 3:30, we had another English session, for an hour and a half, clarifying more rules and words, but mostly practicing our English in conversation.

While I was there, I was able to meet in fellowship with Bolivian Quakers several times. I connected with Bernabe, the BQEF director in Bolivia, mostly during meals. In fact, I connected with him so much, that he offered to let me stay at his house for a couple of months, to learn Spanish and help teach English! But I also connected with youth about my age. In the schools, youth ages twelve to sixteen were slow to engage, but reluctant to see me leave. I especially connected to scholarship students, during a three-hour-long session on the last Saturday we were there. It was a Bolivian foods potluck (the students brought all the dishes), and people always get along with one another very well if food is present. It’s a great conversational topic, for starters. During this “Meeting for Eating”, I learned about peoples lives, their likes and dislikes, and poured out my own. When I revealed that I like to sing, I was persuaded to share it with them, and I did, in a rendition of Scarborough Fair, after which they said I had a nice voice. Although the trip to Bolivia was frustrating to the extent that I was sick for the last half week of it, and was unable to teach as much as I had hoped, it was a learning, growing, living, and ultimately rewarding experience. I’m grateful to the Friends whose support made this rich experience possible.

Respectfully submitted, Eric Kaiser

Zulema Chino

Zulema is studying at the Normal, the state-run teacher training institute, for a career in Physical Education. She’s now in her second year and hopes to finish in two more years. Zulema is 19 and has two brothers, one two years older and one four years younger. Her father makes about $80 a month as a teacher. The family are members of Los Andes Church of Santidad Yearly Meeting. A graduate of the Quaker school Emma Canaday, Zulema wants to make sure that her work as a teacher includes both a spiritual and a professional aspect. Fredonia Monthly Meeting, NYYM, has sponsored Zulema’s scholarship, for $500 per year. They are the first meeting to make such a commitment. Please let us know if you or your meeting would perhaps be interested in making a similar commitment.

MORE NEWS

Last summer we had a small welcoming visit with Ted and Deborah First, as they became members. Deborah comes from a diverse ethnic background and a family love of music. Ted came from a German “WASP” background. They walked into the Meeting at State College, Pa. 30 years ago and found their spiritual home. They have been active in 1st Day Schools, prison visitations, and helping build meeting construction projects. Sally Lawson went to her first religious education meeting for Friends General Conference this April. The attenders were very welcoming. They have so many projects and work that’s in front of them, it is humbling. Sally is feeling her way with this new commitment and hopes to make some real contributions in the future. Please do talk to her about the RE Committee and this time at the Burlington N.J. Conference Center.

Spirit moves in me

Never always changing sea

Spirit moves in me