Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT) announced the publication and release of a new book, 118 Days, that details the hostage crisis suffered by the organization and its team members in Iraq, beginning in the fall of 2005. CPT, founded by Quakers and Mennonites in the 1980s, deploys teams to advocate for peace in conflict zones around the world. The book is edited by Tricia Gates Brown, of Nehalem.

In this compelling book, Brown has compiled twenty-three chapters which give insight into the ordeal of Harmeet Singh Sooden, Jim Loney, Tom Fox and Norman Kember, who were kidnapped on November 26, 2005. Some were veterans of dangerous conflict zones, other were not.

This book gives the reader first-hand accounts of what led them to this moment in time, where their paths crossed with those who did not understand the intention of their work. Read about the daily lives of CPT delegations and their full-time team organizers, who risk all on their personal path to peace. And of course, this story of hope, friendship, fear, courage, and forgiveness tells about the daily sacrifices of these four men, including the rich, textured life of Tom Fox, the CPT co-ordinator who found a new calling late in life and left his musical career behind only to die in the streets of Baghdad under circumstances unknown; his bullet-ridden body was found two weeks before his colleagues were freed from captivity.

118 Days is a work of inspiring depth, weaving a strong narrative into the headlines that have too often receded into the background of daily life, and bringing them back into view and into perspective. Advance reviews may be seen at the book’s Web site 118days.org, including reviews from Archbishop Desmond Tutu and one from Judy Rebick, Canada’s foremost feminist scholar, who said the book was “one of the best I have read.”

Tricia Gates Brown, who has been a reserve member of CPT since 2003, donated approximately 500 hours to the project over the course of two years. Her favorite aspect of the story is how Muslim friends around the world went to such great lengths to advocate for the release of the CPT hostages because of the work CPT has done in Iraq and Palestine. CPT has become well-known in the Middle East after decades of nuanced peace-work in the region. Brown also deeply appreciates how CPT, throughout the hostage crisis, steered attention away from their own circumstances and toward the plight of thousands detained without charge in Iraq. Said Brown, “118 Days is an incredible story of peacemaking and reconciliation-the kind of story people rarely get to hear.”

The book can be purchased at Ekahni Books in Manzanita or Jupiter’s Books in Cannon Beach.