Hello friends, 

This is Jeni, Mattie's mom. I had surgery on July 20 to remove aggressive and invasive reproductive system cancer. After some time in the ICU, I have been recovering well at home from this procedure, and I am deeply grateful for your support, prayers, and inspirational messages. 

I believe that I am doing well in part because of my great medical team, and in part because of the positive energy  being sent from folks all around the world. And, I know that God is with me through each step of this challenging journey - which is an amazing source of strength. 

In the next couple of weeks, I will begin treatment to continue the battle to beat this cancer. Treatment will most like include daily radiation with concurrent weekly chemotherapy treatments - which will last six to ten weeks or so. Basically, it will be quite a rough fall for me medically and physically. However, I am moving through this with faith and gratitude for each day, and with optimism and energy that I choose from within and that is supported by so many good people. 

While the fall will be quite challenging, I am already looking forward to celebrating Thanksgiving with a new level of energy and gratitude. My "giving of thanks" will be quite a long list this year, and it will include the supporting folks in Mattie's Peace Network. It will also include members of Mattie's Foundation Board of Directors, and some of our key peace volunteers (like Kate Esaia of NJ, Ashely Ardito of RI, and the Jones Family of PA - all of whom have stepped up taken over some of my many day-to-day logistics of running Mattie's Foundation. This gift of support allows me to tend to medical needs without any interruption to our Foundation mission and peace activities. 

I want everyone in Mattie's Peace Network to know that despite some minor changes, our free annual outreach activities will continue this fall and winter -- including our For Our World Campaign and our Mattie's Peace Tree 2015 activity. My hope is that global neighbors choose to participate in these quick, free, fun activities that increase awareness of Mattie's peace message, and that can lead to changes in attitudes and habits that move peace for "possibility to reality" at personal and community levels. Information about these activities can be found below. 

With peace and gratitude,

Jeni ("Mattie's mom" & "Mama Peace").

PS - the photo is me with my newest little grandkin - Ivey McLean Baker. Ivey was born on August 3, 2015 to Jamie-D and Tommy Baker. Jamie-D likes to say she is "Chapter 3" in the Messenger book (Mattie's memoir). She is also an amazing member of the Board of Directors for Mattie's Foundation. Ivey has already joined her brothers, Collin and Chase, as members of Mattie's Peace Club Kids! 

August & September

FOR OUR WORLD CAMPAIGN

For the past five years, we have encouraged global neighbors to share Mattie's "For Our World" poem as they reflect, respond and reach out with peace on September 11. Mattie penned this poem on 9/11/2001 as his personal response to a national tragedy, and as an international passage for peace. This poem is averrable for free on Mattie's website - in English and also in dozens of other languages (both print and video versions). 

Please print a copy of this poem and share it in some way during the coming weeks - at home, at school, at work. 

If you have an additional translation to share with us, we will add it to our website. And, if you would like to share photos or a message about how you are sharing this poem and participating in our For Our World Campaign, we will be happy to post that to the website as well.

CLCK HERE to learn more about our  For World Campaign

or to download our free resources and translations.

E-mail your translations and participation messages/photos
to [email protected].

=========================

October & November

MATTIE'S PEACE TREE 2015

The fourth annual "Mattie's Peace Tree" activity is currently being planned! We are very excited about this year's activity which will have more of a social media presence - including the ability for participants to post their submissions directly to a Facebook page. 

How the activity works: We share "Mattie's peace vision" theme for the year. Participants are invited to express their vision of that peace theme in some way - artwork, photo expressions (of ornaments, people, places, artwork, and more). We provide simple step-by-step instructions for the activity. Then, we post all the submissions we receive - from individuals,  families, schools, and communities -  on our website. We gather all of your creative expressions together, and create one combined peace tree display that celebrates global peace. 

MORE INFORMATION WILL BE POSTED DURING SEPTEMBER.

SUBMISSION DEADLINE WILL BE END OF NOVEMBER. 

 CLICK HERE to view our previous

Mattie's Peace Tree activities...

Mattie's 25th Birthday Campaign

Our Champions (so far...) 

THANK YOU!!!