A call for peace: People from all walks of life attend Mennonite-led vigil in Downtown Albuquerque

Dec. 19—About 70 people of various faiths congregated outside Democratic Sen. Martin Heinrich's office in Downtown Albuquerque late Tuesday afternoon, asking him to support a permanent cease-fire in the Gaza Strip.

"Many of us are guided by the same principles, especially this time of year," said Jen DePaolo, a member of the Albuquerque Mennonite Church. "A lot of our holidays and traditions we celebrate (focus on) shining a light in the darkness and pursuing peace wherever it's possible.

"We've come together in the name of those traditions."

The event, titled "Peace on Earth and Goodwill to All," was part of a nationwide movement known as Mennonite Action, where hundreds of North American Mennonites came together with other like-minded people of various faiths to demand that their respective representatives call for a cease-fire in the Middle East.

"We decided on (Heinrich's) office because we're his constituents," DePaolo said, adding that New Mexico's senior senator has been "intransigent" regarding the war in the Gaza Strip.

"We believe it's important for him to hear from people of faith and to hear that our faith will not be used or distorted to justify immoral and unjust actions," DePaolo said.

'Peace is the way'

During the event, people stood on all four corners of Gold and Fourth SW holding signs with messages such as "People of faith want a cease-fire for Christmas," and singing songs from the Taizé tradition and Christmas carols like "Silent Night."

In between songs, people came up to speak, including Holly Baldwin, a Quaker who led a two-minute prayer.

"We know that war is not the answer, that peace is the way," she told the crowd. "We find that peace in ourselves, we build that peace in ourselves and in our collective community when we pray together silently."

Alan Wagman, who is Jewish, stood and worshiped with dozens of others while wearing a black kippah and black T-shirt that read "Not in our name" on the front and "Jews say cease-fire now" on the back.

"I am opposed to any state that privileges one ethnicity or religious group over the others," he told the Journal.

For others, like Albuquerque resident Sima Tubbeh, a Palestinian born in Jerusalem, the event was a chance for her to help, as she said, "Do whatever we can on our end to stop this."

"I considered this country my home, (in) all honesty, up until this moment," she said. "I'm not a proud American citizen anymore."

Franciscan Sister Joan Brown informed the crowd that Christmas festivities were being canceled in Bethlehem due to the Israeli-Hamas war.

"Because how can we celebrate when so many are suffering and dying and bombs are exploding continually and consistently?" she said. "So, (instead) it's a time of fasting that we're engaged in and longing for peace and longing for the Prince of Peace and longing for peace to be born."