How do we respond?

An Irish friend emailed me earlier this week to ask me how I felt about Osama Bin Laden’s death, as an American. He & I were both living in DC on Sept. 11, 2001. He knows a lot of compassionate, intelligent Americans that he met while volunteering with Habitat for Humanity in DC, and I think he was finding it hard to reconcile the Americans he knows with the pictures he saw on tv of people celebrating death. As a pastor, it’s part of my daily work to share the good news that life is stronger than death, in big and small ways. Certainly, Bin Laden caused a lot of suffering and death, and I do feel a glimmer of hope, although cautious hope, that removing his angry rhetoric from the world will lead to less violence.

As I heard the news Sunday night, I couldn’t help but think about the news from Sri Lanka two years earlier, in May 2009, when the Sri Lankan government finally tracked down and killed another man who had inspired countless acts of violence and death, Velupillai Prabhakaran. When I heard that the leader of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) had been killed, I also felt hopeful for the beautiful country where I’d lived for two years. After two decades of war and suicide bombings, maybe they finally had a chance for peace. Maybe Prabhakaran’s death would be an opportunity for the Sri Lankan government to address the legitimate concerns of the Tamil minority, treating them as full citizens with equal rights. It was a moment when long-term peace seemed truly possible, if people could come together to address the reasons so many Tamil young people felt driven to join Prabhakaran’s movement. Unfortunately, the moment was lost as the government rounded thousands of Tamils up in detainment camps. Prabakahran is gone, but without any change in conditions, a new Prabhakaran will arise from the disenfranchised Tamil population. The potential to build peace and bring Tamils and Sinhalese together was lost.

So, as I consider how I feel about the removal of Bin Laden as a threat, my hope is that death will not have the last word. Osama may not be around anymore to incite followers to acts of violence against westerners, but how are we as Americans, or as Christians, contributing to create a climate of peace or of violence in the world? How will we respond differently to our Muslim brothers and sisters now that Osama is gone, along with the fear that he inspired in many of us? This is an opportunity for us as Americans to reach out to Muslims and say we know that Osama didn’t speak for all of you. We have done what we felt was right in holding Bin Laden accountable for the cruelty and murders of 9/11, so now let’s try to seek the path of peace.

This is an opportunity for us as Christians to remember that Jesus offered forgiveness and grace, even to the thief who hung beside him on a cross. We are not called to be a people of vengeance, but people who struggle to find a balance between justice and mercy, always erring on the side of mercy. The Old Testament prophets, as well as Jesus, insisted that to be faithful meant to seek justice, but the justice we seek is not in order to punish or condemn, but to ensure that the needs of the most vulnerable are met. When the orphans, widows and strangers among us are safe and cared for, then justice has been done and we are then freed to be peacemakers and love our enemies. As followers of Christ, we are taught to believe that all people are capable of redemption, that love wins over hate, and to live like we believe this.

I dream of a day where we will dance in the streets because we are no longer at war with any country or group, when we celebrate that life and love have won out over the need to kill in order to seek justice.

Growing an Education Fund

A few weeks ago the youth group at my church was working together to dig up a new plot in our church garden. Varying degrees of delight and disgust erupted every time someone found a worm. As we raked and hoed, several of the youth who are ethnic Montagnard refugees from the mountains of Vietnam began telling stories, including one – which horrified their American peers – about walking to school barefoot on foggy days, when long, fat nightcrawlers covered the roads. The Montagnard youth described how they couldn’t avoid stepping on the worms, and the feeling of worm guts squishing under their feet.
I often pause in amazement at the vastly different childhoods these refugees have experienced when compared to the American-born youth at St. Paul’s Christian Church. Even more amazing is how quickly these young Montagnards have adapted to American life, especially going to school in a new language and new culture. While they still struggle to master the intricacies of English grammar and vocabulary, some have joined the choir or wrestling team, made the honor roll and won citizenship awards, learned to drive, and use email and Facebook with ease. It’s hard to imagine that five years ago, they lived in homes with no electricity and faced frequent harassment. Yet, it is easy to imagine that five years from now they will be doing great things for their families and for the community, given the right opportunities.
Many Montagnard refugees have made North Carolina their home after fleeing persecution in their native Vietnam. In 2002, St. Paul’s Christian Church sponsored four Montagnard men, whose families soon followed. The oldest of their children are preparing to finish high school and look to the future. These families also have relatives back in Vietnam who would like to become teachers or nurses in order to improve life in their village. There’s little extra money for college or vocational training, since their parents are working hard just to make ends meet. Through a new non-profit, the Montagnard Education Fund, young people in both the U.S. and Vietnam can follow their dreams of continuing their education.
The inaugural fund raiser will be the All-Organic Fashion Show, Dinner and Sale on Saturday, April 16 at St. Paul’s Christian Church, 3331 Blue Ridge Rd., Raleigh (www.stpauls.net ). The evening starts at 6pm with a real Montagnard dinner, prepared like a traditional wedding feast over an open fire. From 7-7:30pm guests can shop in an open-air market for Fiberactive Organic’s environmentally-friendly products, most of which are made at least partially by Montagnard women, as well as traditional handicrafts like weaving and bamboo items. The fashion show begins at 7:30pm, featuring 100% organic cotton clothing and re-purposed, re-claimed or recycled accessories, all made in Fiberactive Organics’ Raleigh studio (www.fiberactiveorganics.com ). Call Julie at 612-3765 for tickets and information, or purchase tickets at the door. Tickets for the dinner are $15, and the fashion show is $10 ($5 for students).

I’ll be there, because I believe our community can only grow and flourish, like a well-tended garden, if everyone is given the chance to develop their talents and knowledge. North Carolina is stronger and healthier because of the presence of people with so many different experiences and perspectives. The Montagnard refugees at St. Paul’s Christian Church have taught us so much through sharing their stories, and we want to support their desire to keep learning.