Faith Expedition to study indigenous coffee region of Mexico.

A Faith Expedition to Mexico has been announced by the Brethren Witness/Washington Office, to visit an indigenous coffee cooperative and learn first-hand about organic coffee farming and the hardships faced by small-scale farmers. This Faith Expedition is in partnership with Equal Exchange, and Witness for Peace. The trip will take place Jan. 24-Feb. 3, 2009.

The group will stay in the homes of coffee farmers in the area of Chiapas, and will learn about the economic, political, and historical context of Mexico and the state of Chiapas. Topics will include the 1994 uprising in Chiapas, low-intensity conflict, and human rights abuses against indigenous people.

Participants will learn how to "connect the dots" between global economic forces and local social hardships, for example, how the global price of coffee affects the livelihoods of poor farming communities around the world. Other features of the trip will include a visit to an indigenous women's artisan cooperative, and the opportunity to learn about the role that faith and Liberation Theology has played in the lives of people in rural Chiapas.

For more information about cost and how to apply, contact the Brethren Witness/Washington Office at 337 North Carolina Ave. SE, Washington, DC 20003; pjones_gb@brethren.org or 800-785-3246. The deadline for applications is Nov. 1, when an application form with nonrefundable deposit of $150 is required.

Source: 9/25/2008 Newsline Extra