Set Your Clocks Back

Don't forget to set your clocks back Saturday night when you go to bed! We return to Daylight Standard Time early Sunday morning.

News of Friends

Sara had surgery on Wednesday to repair her shoulder. We hear all went well. Sara, we wish you well and a speedy recovery.

Sound in the Fellowship Room

Since our first potluck meal in our new meetinghouse, years ago now, we've wanted to do something to decrease the sound reverberation. The problem is most acute in the Fellowship Room but is also an issue in the Meeting Room. Finally, with research and product recommendations from Elaine, the Property Committee has moved ahead with the installation of acoustical panels to absorb sound in the Fellowship Room. The committee thought it best to hear and see the effects before moving on to the Meeting Room which it would plan to do when funds are available and with permission from Ministry and Counsel. Thank you to Chris, Rich and Greg, a truly intrepid band of installers, and to Steve Booth for the loan of 10' high staging to work on. See the photo at the very bottom of the newsletter.

Halloween Thank You

The families at the hotel were very appreciative of the donations of costumes and candy. They were so grateful to be able to provide some Halloween fun for their residents and sent a big thank you to the Meeting for our help. See photos below

Facing Our History

Paula Palmer (Friends Peace Teams), Gail Melix (Sandwich, MA, Friends Meeting), and Andrew Grant (Mt. Toby, MA, Friends Meeting) will present findings of Paula’s research into Quaker support for Indigenous boarding schools. The presentation will include readings directly from the Quaker teachers themselves and the Native students and other Native people who wrote about their experiences in these schools, followed by an opportunity to explore these queries in facilitated small groups: What does the Quaker history of running Indigenous boarding schools and the ongoing impact on Native communities mean for Friends today? How can Friends contribute toward healing?

Register here for this hybrid event.

Belize Friends Ministries

October 2022

Dear Friends,

We are well into the swing of school. We are loving the normal school hours. Kids are continuing to show up for church and participate in leadership.

This month, I had an adjustment in medication that did not go well. So I will just tell you one story from the month. But it’s a story that I really love about a kid I really love, so I hope it blesses you.

Last month, one of our Belize Friends kids was attacked with a knife on his high school campus, and, in self-defense, he participated in what became quite a brawl. This is one of the kids that I have been able to serve as a sort of “extra mom,” so they called me in to work through it with him. What started as something really quite scary has become a beautiful opportunity for spreading peace in Belize City. The school’s counselor and vice principal, along with the police officers involved, solicited ideas from the parents and students for how we might resolve the situation so that it is safe for the boys to return to school together, without worrying about retaliation (either from the boys involved or from their family connections or gang associations). I was able to suggest AVP, and I invited Chris to be involved in that, and it looks like the school will have AVP workshops for the teachers and also some students. And possibly more to come in the future.

They also allowed me to participate in arranging and executing a series of “peace talks” among the boys involved in this particular conflict. The school counselor and I facilitated two, and then when they were reconciled, we went to a mediation facilitated by the police, in lieu of the boys all getting charged for assault. It’s been amazing to see boys move from antagonistic attitudes towards what might become real friendship. Beautiful. All the boys are back in school, and from what I can tell, they are all doing well.

Much love, Nikki

Joys and Concerns

• As I mentioned above, the last medication adjustment failed. The side effects were too strong and I have been really struggling to live and work and care for my kids. I threw up a white flag last week and my family went just over the border to Chetumal, Mexico, where there is better access to medication, and I got an injectable form of my medicine. I took the first dose of that last night and so far today I’m feeling better than I usually do the day after taking the pill version… So I am feeling very hopeful. Please, please pray for me and my family as we continue trying to get the medication right. And thank God with me for the encouragement and grace and love I’ve been receiving from you all and the people around me, and for my wonderful doctor who takes my symptoms and side effects seriously.
• I am experiencing a lot of loss and fears of more loss at the moment. There is some conflict in my family of origin, Brian is in DC, my mother was recently diagnosed with congestive heart failure, and, as many of you know, Eden Grace is embarking on a journey with cancer. Please join me in holding all these situations in the light. And please pray that I will be able to keep my spirits high.
• My children continue to be healthy, smart, and kind. They are constant blessings to me, and I couldn’t be more grateful for them. And my kids at school and church are as well. I am continuously blessed by their warm affection and their smiles and hugs, as well as amazed that I get to witness all of their growth and transformation—all of my kids, at home, school, and church. My life is filled with love and I am grateful.

Ways you can support Belize Friends Ministries:

Click here to support my ministry!

Click here to support Belize Friends School.

Click here to support FUM's Covid-19 Solidarity Fund.

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Thank you!

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Bob Bruninga: Energy Choices

Mark writes:

Until a week ago, I somehow had not realized that Bob Bruninga was a Quaker. He was famous amongst hams for creating the Automatic Packet/Position Reporting System [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automatic_Packet_Reporting_System] as well as green energy work having authored Energy Choices: Opportunities to Make Wise Decisions for a Sustainable Future for the Quaker Institute for the Future, https://quakerinstitute.org/books/#EC I had already read his other book Energy Choices for the Radio Amateur, https://home.arrl.org/action/Store/Product-Details/productId/114345 and http://aprs.org/Energy-Choices.html

I made the connection when I read of Bob's passing in my ham radio magazines and did a search for his obituary. That's when I discovered his memorial minute from Annapolis Friends Meeting, https://annapolisfriends.org/celebration-of-the-life-of-bob-bruninga/

Just thought that you might be interested to know.

Halloween Photos

Acoustic Panel Install Team

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