Peggy Revell
One man’s dedication to peace, anti-violence, and social justice is the topic of a new book created in memory of the late Gene Stoltzfus, who called Fort Frances home during his final years.
“Create Space for Peace” is a compilation of Stoltzfus’ articles, speeches, and letters—as well as tributes from family and friends—which highlight the decades of his life spent as a peace activist around the globe.
“I knew from the very beginning that there needed to be a book,” Dorothy Friesen reflected on why she put together a book filled with her late husband’s writing since he passed away last March.
“But every time I would take out Gene’s blogs, I just sort of dissolved in tears,” she admitted.
Eventually, a “team” assembled themselves, explained Friesen, including their colleague from the Philippines, Marilen Abesamis, who helped edit, a friend from Singapore who helped create the digital platform to promote the book, and Madeleine Enns and Harold Neufeld of Winnipeg who helped with proofreading.
“It’s been a really amazing experience that is sort of meant to be because everything dovetailed,” she added.
The book isn’t biographical but instead includes stories, thoughts, and reflections of Stoltzfus’ life—his memories of being born during World War II, reflections on working in more than 30 countries in 40 years, how he and others “created space for peace” in the midst of violence and conflict, and his Christian faith which led him on this path through life.
Choosing what exactly to use was difficult, Friesen noted. Although Stoltzfus didn’t write very much until his retirement in 2004, from then onwards he had a weekly blog, as well as speeches, personal correspondence, and other miscellaneous writings.
“We maybe used a 20th of what there was,” Friesen said. “We had to just keep reminding ourselves this is just a ‘flavour’ just so people can sense the spirit of Gene.”
Stoltzfus was born in a Mennonite community in Aurora, Ohio in 1940. During the Vietnam War, he registered for the draft as a conscientious objector and ended up working with the International Voluntary Services in Vietnam until resigning in protest against the war.
Following that, he worked with various social justice and anti-violence organizations, such as the Mennonite Central Committee program in the Philippines and the Urban Life Centre.
Then in the mid-1980s, Stoltzfus become the founding director of Christian Peacemaker Teams, an organization centered around the question: “What would happen if Christians devoted the same discipline and self-sacrifice to non-violent peacemaking that armies devote to war?”
Since its formation, CPT members have been present in conflict zones around the world—such as Haiti, Colombia, Bosnia, Iraq, and the West Bank—to work with local peacemaking organizations, serve as non-violent witnesses, and support the peace process.
While Stoltzfus and Friesen retired to the Fort Frances area in 2004, he still devoted his time to promoting peace through non-violence activism, including local issues and speaking engagements and activities around the world.
Meeting Stoltzfus was a “blessing and pleasure,” said Al Hunter of Manitou Rapids, who emceed the local launch for the book held Sunday afternoon at St. John’s Anglican Church here.
More than 40 people came out to celebrate Stoltzfus’ memory and work as a peacemaker, and to hear excerpts read from the book.
Together, Stoltzfus and Hunter shared many laughs and talks over the years, Hunter told those on hand, recalling how when he first started the Oshki Aa-yaa’aag Mino Bimaadiziiwin (Good Life for Young People) Foundation, Stoltzfus was with them as they made their annual summer walks through the Treaty #3 area—although his bike was put away in the back of the truck.
“He was such a wonderful human being,” said Hunter.
“Gene was one of those people, like all of us, who travelled, walked, prayed, lived this creed, this way of life that for him was about creating peace, and bringing love and happiness and understanding wherever he went,” he recalled.
“That’s what he brought to me, that’s how he touched me.”
For Friesen, her favourite part of putting together the book was discussing with other people the deeper meaning of Stoltzfus’ life and what they wanted to put forward with the book.
“Because I think the first year after a death, a partner of 35 years, you’re going back and re-looking at things,” she explained.
“And this was a way to do that with other people’s perspectives also involved.”
The project also was a way that Friesen could work through her own grief—and a way for her to work with other people so she wasn’t isolated for the past year.
She also hopes the book can help explain why Stoltzfus and others who believe in non-violence activism, social justice, and peacemaking believe what they believe.
“I think for people that really care about what’s happening on the planet—and we’re all in our small space doing our little thing—sometimes we don’t have the words to say what we care about, or we can’t get it across to our friends and relatives and neighbours,” she reasoned.
“And I think this book can help people do that.”
Friesen recalled how a friend—a “peace guy”—gave this book to his son-in-law, who thinks he “is nuts.”
“But [the son-in-law] read the book, and he called me up and he said, ‘You know, this is easy to read, I understand it. I couldn’t put it down, I finished it in three sittings,’” Friesen remarked.
“He said, ‘I think I understand a little bit more about what my father-in-law is trying to do.’”
The most important thing Friesen hopes people will take from the book is an inspiration to live their own lives fully, deeply, and engage “what’s at their core.”
“That’s what Gene did, that’s why he enjoyed life because he found what his core was and then he just worked at it,” she reasoned.
“And if the book can inspire people just to do that, I would be very happy.”
Locally, the book is available at Betty’s here in Fort Frances and Cloverleaf in Emo.
A website—www.createspaceforpeace.info—also has been created.
