Pastors for Peace is a small non-profit organization with offices in New York City which has sponsored 17 caravans to Cuba, transporting donated goods in both directions and developing friendships with Cuban people. Pastors for Peace is working for a foreign policy based on ending the US government’s travel ban and blockade of Cuba.
In June and July the caravan originates at 14 separate departure points beginning in Canadian provinces and in northern states in the US. Vehicles carrying 100 people will travel south stopping in some 120 towns and cities to discuss the harms being done by the US blockade of Cuba and to gather up some 60 tons of humanitarian aid which has been donated for Cuban people.
One route of the caravan with some 16 people will pass through Jefferson County, stopping at the Rolling Ridge Retreat House on Mission Road, June 25. You are welcome to come to a potluck supper with the caravan members to hear them share their vision for friendship between peoples of the US and Cuba and for challenging the blockade of Cuba.
- Potluck supper will occur at 5:00 pm
- Presentation of the Caravan’s mission by Lisa Valenti at 6:00 pm
The featured speaker who is traveling with the caravan on this route is Lisa Valenti. She has traveled to Cuba over 20 times and is the founder and president of the national US Cuba Sister Cities Association, President of the Pittsburgh Matanzas Sister City Project, National Co-Chair of the Cuba Action Committee of WILPF, and founder of the Pittsburgh CUBA Coalition. She also serves as a consultant and most recently facilitated the University of Pittsburgh’s Semester at Sea to go to Cuba bringing the largest number of US students (over 700) ever to go to Cuba. She has traveled extensively as a public speaker on the US blockade of Cuba throughout the US as well as Canada, Mexico, Britain, Belgium and the Netherlands. Lisa has been an active participant on each of the Pastor’s for Peace US-Cuba Caravans. She explains, “It’s what I do to put my deepest prayers for peace into action.”
Driving directions to the Retreat House from Charles Town are as follows: Take Route 9 east toward Leesburg, Virginia, cross the Shenandoah River and continue about a mile until Mission Road, turn right and continue 6.5 miles until a gravel road to the left, take this road about a mile until a sign at the Retreat House lane. Telephone Vivian Headings, 304-725-4172 for further information.