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The last point has much to do with the first in that the most recent talk called for a demilitarized zone within Colombia in which the talks would take place, and that will not be repeated. It is interesting, in part, because the FARC has always maintained that they would only negotiate within Colombia, but that seems to have been laid aside now with talks likely happening primarily in Cuba (although most details are still to come). The FARC have not officially made a statement regarding the peace talks, but they have previously promised to put an end to kidnappings (a pre-requisite given earlier remarks from Santos), and after a sharp increase in rebel attacks between July and August, they have dropped drastically since last week.

There is, of course, no guarantee that this will bring about peace in Colombia, but I do think people here want it to. According to the latest Gallup poll, 60% of polled Colombians are in favor of a political solution to the problem. Support for a military-only solution to the conflict is at 37%. (This leads me to wonder what the option is for the other 3%, but I digress...). In a podcast from February 2012 from the Washington Office on Latin America about the 10th anniversary of the failed talks, one point brought up was that in some ways those talks failed because everyone believed they would. That is to say, folks never really bought into the process (and were not brought into it well enough), and that along with a host of other reasons played its role in their demise. And I bet that is true.

Even now, folks have only tentative hope. I do not know what a Gallup poll would say if they asked not what people favor, but whether they believe that whatever they favor will work. It has been too long since there was peace here. There is really almost no living memory of it. There are, however, many living memories of its failure, and of the ways in which some peace talks have resulted in increased violence - either during the talks as a means of influencing events, or in the aftermath of their breakdown. Having little hope makes sense, and yet making sure they do have hope  is incalculably important.

So what we ask of you right now is to pray not just for peace but also for hope. Pray for the willingness to imagine peace - not just an invented peace but a real, lived, true peace. Pray that the vulnerability that will be necessary to achieve such a peace is still possible and that the sacrifice of opening their hearts to such a hope will be rewarded. Pray for the peacemakers - yes, always - but pray for the hope of peace as well.

To read a good (and short) analysis of the prospects for peace from Adam Isacson, an expert on Latin America and particularly Colombia, click here.

If you are interested in more details about the proposed structure of the peace talks, the text of the peace talk agreements to end the conflict can be found here in translation. And for an overview timeline of the peace process in Colombia, click here.

It is with gratitude to each of you, and with heaviness in our hearts that we share with you our plans to leave Colombia this September to stay in the United States. Though we will be visiting churches through December to speak about the Colombian context, the work of the IPC, and the partnership between the IPC and PCUSA, we will not return to Colombia in 2013. Both the Presbyterian Church here and in the US were gracious enough to extend to us the invitation to return, and though we would love to do so, we feel a great need to be closer to our families and allow them the chance to get to know Nora - particularly while her grandparents are still well.

This has been a very difficult decision, and while our prayers have led us in this direction, we will never cease to miss being among you. What eases are minds is the knowledge that we will continue working with you all, from a distance, as our commitment and care for Colombia could not possibly end simply because we no longer live here. Certainly our daughter is the most dear reminder of all we love in this beautiful country - most of all the people who have been so kind to us over the past three years.

We will leave in early September, though the date is not yet finalized, and we will move to Louisville, Kentucky. Richard will begin work as the Coordinator for the Young Adult Volunteer Program of the PCUSA which we hope to bring to Colombia in 2014. Mamie hopes to find work, and we are grateful for your prayers as she searches. Nora will simply miss you all terribly as you are all she has ever known.

Once again we thank you for all the ways you have helped us, guided us, taught us, laughed with us, shared with us, and transformed us. We welcome you in our home as you have always welcomed us into yours. We look forward to visits here or there and continued service together in new ways.

Blessings of grace and peace to you all,

Mamie, Richard, and Nora Elena