Copyright © 1999 NLThomas
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Tuesday, November 30, 1999
Four CPT members visited Rancho Nuevo, a permanent military installation near San Cristobal asking to speak with the General. A Captain staffing the entrance attempted to contact the General but explained he would not be on base until January. The Captain explained that Rancho Nuevo is a training camp, and that in general soldiers are in Chiapas for the benefit of the population, offering medical, dental and other services.

After about one hour, the team exited the base, knelt outside the entrance and prayed for a laying down of weapons. A soldier videotaped the team as they read scriptures proclaiming the unbreaking of God's reign, sang Advent hymns, and lit a candle on which was pasted the passage from Isaiah 2:4 -- beating swords into plowshares.

Wednesday, December 1, 1999
Cliff Kindy, who had been maintaining a presence in Acteal, rejoined the team in San Cristobal. He reported that on Sunday he was prevented by soldiers and two civilians from attending the Presbyterian church in Acteal Alto- part of divided Acteal where supporters of the ruling PRI party live.

Kindy also reported that earlier that morning he and another international had refused to show their passports to soldiers at a checkpoint. The soldiers are there, according to the nearby sign, to check for drugs, guns and explosives. Under Mexican law, however, it is not legal for them to check travel documents (passports), which is a function reserved for the Mexican Immigration department. The soldiers started cursorally searching all the passing vehicles for drugs and guns, and after about 30 minutes checked Kindy's bag also. Eventually he was allowed to leave without showing his passport.

Friday, December 3, 1999
CPTers joined Mexican nationals and other international workers in prayers for peace at the Ecumenical Bible School in San Cristobal. Discussion was centered on the Beatitudes (Matthew 5): being persecuted for righteousness sake and the Kingdom of God belonging to the poor.

Saturday, December 4, 1999
The team traveled to the autonomous (Zapatista) community of Polho. Three members traveled together to again challenged the soldiers at the checkpoint, refusing to show their passports. They were not allowed to leave with the vehicle they had been traveling in. After about an hour, the CPTers forced the issue by walking away, confusing the soldiers who had not given them permission to leave.