[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 127 (Friday, October 8, 2004)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1842]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 CONGRATULATING THE BRUDERHOF COMMUNITY

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                           HON. BILL SHUSTER

                            of pennsylvania

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, October 6, 2004

  Mr. SHUSTER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the Bruderhof 
Community in their recent efforts to spread peace. The ``community of 
brothers'' is pursuing its goal of acceptance through construction of 
the ``Peace Barn,'' a sanctuary for those who need silence and a 
gathering place for those who seek progress.
  In the wake of September 11, 2001, a shadow of grief was cast over 
America. Nearly every citizen felt the reins of instability tugging at 
the society we once thought to be impregnable. With the strength and 
ambition that typifies the character of Americans, however, the 
Bruderhof Community turned devastation into promise by contributing to 
the Flight 93 Memorial and building a ``Peace Barn.''
  Just two days after the terrorist attacks, the Bruderhof Community 
mobilized to realize its goals. In an effort to contribute to the 
Flight 93 memorial in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, the community children 
have produced hand-made benches with the names of those who lost their 
lives engraved into the backs upon the request of the families. To 
date, the group has produced 27 benches and has no plan to stop. 
Additionally, by merging its resources and gathering its members, the 
Bruderhof children have created a refuge for reflection and a hall for 
meetings out of an old, neglected, and weathered barn. Now, the Peace 
Barn functions as a place of encouragement, healing and sharing.
  Since its inception, the barn has welcomed scores of visitors seeking 
peace. Grieving families are comforted by the photograph-adorned walls 
that inspire memories of the lives that were lost on Flight 93. 
Holocaust survivors are heartened by the optimism and goodness that 
pervade the atmosphere in the barn. Curious travelers are impelled to 
spread the message of peace throughout their relative communities.
  In a world wrought with terror, the achievement of world peace is a 
formidable task. The Bruderhof Community has espoused the idea that the 
pursuit of peace needs to start small and diffuse gradually. With every 
welcoming hand that is extended to visitors and every memory that is 
triggered through the photos on the wall, hopefully the Bruderhof 
vision for the future will materialize.
  On September 11, 2001, our Nation lost the ability to take peace for 
granted. With the construction of the Peace Barn, the Bruderhof has 
initiated a trend that all of America should follow.

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