In the 1890s, William "Bill Pickle" Gilliland was working as a janitor at Penn State. On the side, he was supplying alcohol to the 1,400 students who lived in a small, boondocks town where saloons were banned -- State College, Pa. Then, in 1911, Pickle met Frank Buchman, founder of the Moral Re-Armament, who befriended the bootlegger. The unusual friendship between the two men influenced Pickle to become a Christian, to stop drinking, and to convince students to do the same.

Clementine Lue Clark

I was born to Jamaican parents, a Chinese father and Black mother. I grew up in Jamaica being called “de chinney gal” or “Miss Chin.” Then I moved to the United Kingdom and was treated very much like a West Indian immigrant with all of the stereotypes that entails. Now I’m living in the United States happily married to a White American, learning each day about what it is like to be in an interracial marriage. (I’m learning it’s like any other marriage.) In Boston, where I live surrounded mostly by educated people, being in an interracial marriage is quite normal. I have the privilege of rarely thinking about it.

Dando continuidad a una serie de cuatro Círculos de Paz para mujeres en Kenia (octubre 2007 y mayo 2008), un grupo de 23 mujeres participaron del primer reencuentro de Círculos de Paz en el Centro Pastoral de St Mary en Nakuru, el 17 de agosto. Los Círculos de Paz son parte del programa Creadoras de Paz de Iniciativas de Cambio. Son pequeños grupos locales que trabajan en base al material diseñado especialmente para lograr amistades profundas y un mejor entendimiento entre las participantes y sobre sus capacidades de construir la paz. El reencuentro reunió a las graduadas de los talleres para hablar sobre el impacto que los Círculos de Paz han tenido en sus vidas y para discutir nuevas ideas.

Following a series of four women's Peace Circles in Kenya (October 2007 and May 2008) a group of 23 women took part in the first Peace Circles re-union at the St Mary's Pastoral Centre in Nakuru on 17th August. Peace Circles are part of the Creators of Peace programme of Initiatives of Change. They involve small local groups working through material specially designed to deepen friendships and understanding of each other and of their peace-building capabilities. The reunion brought together graduates from the workshops to talk about the impact of Peace Circles upon their lives and to discuss new ideas.

In May and June 2008 the third Creators of Peace circle in the Solomon Islands took place in the capital Honiara.

On 27 June, 1908, 100 years ago, a young American Frank Buchman experienced a spiritual awakening which led ultimately to the worldwide movement now known as Initiatives of Change. It also issued in other extraordinary consequences – including directly contributing to founding of Alcoholics Anonymous. From Los Angeles, Jay Stinnett researches the link:

‘Peace circles’ where quiet conversations influence, educate and inform women’s judgment as they mother the next generation and the birth a new nation.

The first of the two Creators of Peace workshops ended yesterday, the 13th May 2008. Eleven women from around Kenya, from various professions (Ngo sector, women’s organizations…) attended the three day session.

From Sudan to Sydney, women are addressing the underlying issues of division and dysfunction in families and communities. Jean Brown, an international coordinator of Creators of Peace International, writes:

‘Peace circles’ where quiet conversations influence, educate and inform women’s judgment as they mother the next generation and the birth a new nation.