A Poem

Colombia: Marketing Passion
By Duane Ediger

The phrase, “Colombia is passion” presented with a heart, is being used to market the country as a business and tourist destination. The logo was designed by a U.S.-based marketing firm under a Colom-bian government/industry contract. Duane Ediger, a participant in Christian Peacemaker Teams’ Colombia project, suggests another kind of encounter with Colombia inspired by the same phrase.

    Colombia is Passion
 
You who live in distant lands,
long bombarded by biased views,
come and see: Colombia is passion.

  You have read of a war against terrorists.
   Come and visit the survivors among those 
    this war has targeted in San José de Apartadó, 
       asserting their dignity as an unarmed community.

          You have heard news of drug-trafficking guerrillas.
             Come and hold the hands of farmers ripped from their land
             for the sake of international palm kernel oil conglomerates,
          or fumigated for growing food crops cooperatively.

       You have seen generals, judges and presidents
    proclaiming what serves the people’s interest.
   Come and hear people speak for themselves.

Come walk beside those – heads held high
 in the crosshairs, planting just seeds, 
  shouting unwhisperable secrets –
    who live and die carrying 
      Colombia’s passion.
         It is for you.