By Christine Sheller
Iowa Peace Network again held its Annual Open House and
Alternative Gift Fair this December.
Saturday, December 3rd, persons in the Des Moines’ peace community
gathered at the Des Moines Mennonite Church, where the IPN office is located, for
refreshments and fellowship, fair trade shopping, and to hear Dr. Maria Corona, Executive Director, Iowa Coalition Against Domestic Abuse (ICADV), speak.
Items from Equal Exchange such as chocolate bars, French Roast
Coffee, olive oil, peppermint tea, and black tea were available. Guatemalan handcrafts were available as well,
for Christmas shopping. Items included
colorful quilted potholders, cloth covered picture frames, Christmas ornaments,
colorful aprons, and handbags among other things. Iowa Peace Network sold its items as well,
including Leckbands’ dove pottery, packs of Christmas cards from Syracuse
Cultural Workers, and other things.
Donations were also gathered for Heifer International and Church World
Service. People could take a card and
give in someone’s name, to a person on their Christmas shopping list.
The Open House and shopping opened at 1:30 pm, and cookies,
coffee, tea, and hot chocolate were all available complimentarily for shoppers. At approximately 2:30 pm, persons gathered in
the sanctuary to hear Dr. Maria Corona speak.
She used a Powerpoint presentation.
It was an excellent presentation, a sentiment shared by many. She used research in her presentation. She shared about the need to be wholistic in
the approach to eradicating domestic abuse, including healing the abuser so
they no longer abuse. She shared about
success in the Latino community in Marshalltown after a sharp increase of teen pregnancies
in 2008. Community leaders started a
mentorship program, and it made quite a difference. There was time for comments and questions.
Dr. Corona admitted they don’t have all the answers, but they are working
hard. IACDV works across Iowa, and she
shared how many shelters there were for women.
She also shared about how it is very complicated for a woman in a
domestic abuse situation because leaving the abuser means sometimes leaving the
breadwinner, and there is research that shows that more women are killed after
they leave the abuser, than when they stay. Those are just a few things shared. About
an hour was spent with hearing from Dr. Maria Corona. IPN also welcomed Isabel Martinez Santos, who
accompanied Dr. Maria. She is on staff
with ICADV, and IPN connected with her through Iowa International Center,
having read that she had received a Passport to Prosperity award from Iowa
International Center. Iowa International
Center helped IPN connect with Isabel and Maria.
Shopping and fellowship continued after the presentation
until 4:30 pm. IPN thanks all the people
who helped make this event happen and run smoothly, including the pastor and
other persons from Des Moines Mennonite Church, the IPN Joint Oversight
Committee, the Iowa International Center, Dr. Maria Corona, Isabel Martinez
Santos, and other friends!
Christine Sheller is coordinator and editor at Iowa Peace
Network. She is an M. Div. graduate of
Bethany Theological Seminary, and is based both in Des Moines, and remotely in
Eldora, Iowa.
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