Peacemaker (bus)


Peacemaker II
Peacemaker II bus
Overview
Type RV/Private
Powertrain
Engine 500hp Detroit Diesel 60
Dimensions
Length 42ft 6in (12.95 m)
Height 13ft 6in (4 m)
Curb weight 20 tons

The Peacemaker bus is a heavily customized Aerocoach bus owned by the Twelve Tribes religious group. It regularly tours the US & Canada, attending events & concerts and offering free medical care with its "Peacemaker Medical" team of emergency medical technicians and first responders.

Peacemaker 1 bus in Island Pond, VT
Peacemaker bus and first aid tent at Camp Oswego Phish concert
Peacemaker Medical team at World Trade Center Ground Zero

History

The Peacemaker, originally named Oseh Shalom (Hebrew עוֹשֶׂה שָׁלוֹם "peacemaker"), was conceived in 1987 as an outreach to the Grateful Dead concertgoers: "In 1987, a young man named Daniel in one of our communities began to talk about the Grateful Dead scene and how he felt that there were many there who were searching for life. At first we didn’t know what to think about it. Most of us had come from different walks of life, although many of us had been part of the ’60s Movement and had at least a little familiarity with the Grateful Dead. But Daniel was very persistent in his desire to reach out to the Deadheads, so we took on his faith."[1]

In the "A Bus Called Peacemaker" publication distributed on Dead Tour, Twelve Tribes community member "Anak" described the process of fusing two buses together to create a bus with "character": "A couple of months later the "cocoon" was prepared (a 100-year-old barn was bisected to fit a bus) and the "caterpillar" went in for the metamorphosis. The next three months was a labor of self-sacrificing love by some truly spiritual men who spent 16 to 20 hours a day in a practically unheated barn in northern Vermont in January, February, and March. This left very little time for their families, very little time for sleep, and no time for themselves, which, truly, I cannot come close to describing here in a way that would give justice to what they were willing to do for the sake of their brothers and for the sake of those whom they hadn't even met. Those who would, through their efforts, experience the love that I described earlier. The truth is that they did it for you. Without knowing you, these men received faith that there were people whose lives were in great need, some in obvious need and others in less obvious need, but all equally in need of redemption, and restoration, and a place to experience love and express love."[2]

The Grateful Dead's performance in Pittsburgh, PA at the Civic Arena, on April 3, 1989 sparked a riot by Deadheads, ultimately leading to the arrest of 21. The bus and members of the Twelve Tribes community were in attendance offering free medical care to the concertgoers. The crowd was rather unfriendly to the police who were trying to keep things under control. The tension rose until someone in the crowd threw a beer bottle at one of the officers, splitting his head open. At that point the lieutenant and his riot team arrived. The scene was getting more tense and the lieutenant brought his megaphone over to one of the people from the "Peacemaker" bus and asked him to talk to the crowds to calm them down. Community member "Gladheart" (Dicky Cantrell) spoke up telling everyone to be "peacemakers." While he was speaking, everyone from the bus came out and started playing music and dancing between the police and the angry crowds. Before long, most of the crowd was happily clapping to the beat and the mayor and all the police stood back in awe. The chief of police said truly "You are peacemakers!" and from that day on the name stuck.[3]

A writer for High Times magazine described one 1990 Grateful Dead "lot scene" from the vantage point of the "Peacemaker" bus: “The sun was setting as the concert began. Shrouded in darkness, the scene took on an ethereal quality. The wall-to-wall vendors on the back lot looked like a Turkish bazaar. Dust kicked up, dogs skipped along, drums beat, sufis danced. Dazed by a combination of the scene and our own altered states, we quickly sought solace inside a magnificent red-and-white-bus owned by the Yahshuas, veteran Deadheads who have steered towards spirituality over the years. A black man named Amasiah (I mention this only because I saw so few blacks at the concert site) told me how the Yahshuas help Deadheads in need. He spoke of Deadheads freaking out on acid, and how the Yahshuas were the only people there who knew how to handle such problems. I couldn’t get over the image of the Yahshuas spending hours picking glass out of Deadheads’ feet… Every ten minutes, the Yahshuas lead a circular, hand-holding dance that resembles the Jewish hora. In the group’s publication, someone wrote: “We have found the way. No, not LSD or even legalized pot. We have met the one who does make a difference. You can read about him in the Bible, yes, but we call him by his Hebrew name — Yahshua.” Interesting stuff, but we wanted to get their view on the scene we were watching through their bus window…"[4]

From 2005-2007, a second Peacemaker bus dubbed Peacemaker II was built in Lancaster, New Hampshire.[5] Its first appearance was in April 2007 at a Yellow Deli reunion in Chattanooga, TN. From there, both "Peacemaker" buses embarked on a West Coast Tour that traveled from The Morning Star Ranch in Valley Center, CA to Vancouver, BC. The buses crossed the country through the Twelve Tribes midwest communities and then embarked on an East Coast tour.[6]

Features

The Peacemaker II, designed by former member Benabiy of Levi, is painted in a 2-tone maroon and cream pattern. It can sleep up to 24 with convertible bunks and 2 overhead lofts. It is finished in cherry, ash and other hardwoods, modeled after a wooden ship's interior. It has a stainless steel bathroom with shower in the front and a kitchenette in the rear. The front destination marquee bears the bus' name: "Peacemaker". Painted on the rear is the phrase: "We Know the Way, We'll Bring You Home."[3]

Present Day

In 2012-2013, the Peacemaker II followed the Bob Dylan concert tour, distributing what the group refers to as "a memento pamphlet of Dylan's songs and insights". Currently, the bus is scheduled to appear in the Great Lakes region at various tall ship events alongside the Peacemaker (ship).

References

  1. ↑ Skinner, Wade (2002-11-11). "After All These Years article". Twelve Tribes web site. Retrieved 2013-04-22.
  2. ↑ Clinton, Larry (1990-03-12). "http://twelvetribes.org/publication/bus-called-peacemaker publication". Twelve Tribes web site. Retrieved 2013-04-23. External link in |title= (help)
  3. 1 2 "Peacemaker Bus article". Twelve Tribes web site. 2013-01-16. Retrieved 2013-01-16.
  4. ↑ Bloom, Steve (June 1990). "'High Times magazine article". High Times magazine.
  5. ↑ Martin, Dale (2006-01-06). "Twelve Tribes Community makes a two-to-one bus" (PDF). "Great Northwoods Journal. Retrieved 2013-05-01.
  6. ↑ "Merrymakers Caravan web site". "Merrymakers Caravan web site. April 2007. Retrieved 2013-04-31. Check date values in: |access-date= (help)

External links

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