There’s something holy about connecting with someone from a different ethnicity or nationality. In spite of all the factors that separate us – language, culture, experience – whenever I share a moment of connection with a person from another background, when we’re able to transcend what makes us different and relate to each other as equals, in those moments it feels like something sacred has broken through into everyday, ordinary life.
I think in some way these moments feel holy to me because they are a reversal of the pride and control exhibited by the story about building the Tower of Babel. In that story from Genesis, the people decide that they have what it takes to build a tower that reaches all the way to heaven, and so to humble them, God makes them all start speaking different languages – and suddenly they can no longer understand each other, and their great plans fall apart because they can’t communicate well enough to build something together. When we are humble enough to recognize that no single person or culture has all the answers, then I think God reverses that sense of division just a bit – we are able to see our inherent unity, our common roots.
It seems to happen most often in kitchens, or around tables. Kitchens are the place where women tend to let their guards down, to relax and to feel most comfortable being themselves. To ask questions that you might not ask in the formal dining room or in front of guests. Guests don’t often get invited into the kitchen – the kitchen is for family, for servants, for those who are close enough to see the dirty dishes and the scraps and the mess that we hide from those we’re trying to impress. I knew that I was no longer a guest in the Kulasegaram home when they let me start coming to the kitchen to sit and talk while they cooked dinner. I don’t know how long I had been coming to their home for dinner by the time I was invited into the kitchen, but I do remember that when I first started my weekly meals at their house, I would arrive and be seated at the table to eat while the rest of the family sat back and watched me eat. That’s the expectation for a respected guest in Sri Lanka – they eat first, while the others wait. So, when I finally made it into the kitchen, to help cut vegetables and prepare the meal, and when we all sat around the kitchen and ate our meal at the same time, I felt like family. It was in the kitchen that we spoke honestly about our fears, our hopes, our faith; where a Hindu family adopted a soon-to-be Christian minister as their sister and daughter.
It was also in a kitchen in rural northern Namibia that Meme Marta, who had picked up two American divinity students – strangers to her – earlier that evening to come and stay in her home, told us about how AIDS had impacted her family, about adopting her young niece, about what it felt like to have her husband working in mines hours away most of the month. It was where my African-American classmate Ravyn and I tried to explain that yes, we were both really American, even though one of us was black and the other was white. And after we ate the meal that we had helped Meme Marta prepare, she prayed the most beautiful prayer that she had written for Raven and I before she even met us. A holy moment.
It happens a lot in hospitals, too. Squeezing the hand of my friend Sutha as she went into labor with her first child, without any painkillers, in the public hospital in Jaffna, Sri Lanka. I just happened to be in the hospital visiting another friend’s sister when I saw Sutha in the hallway, in need of a hand to hold.
Or sitting in on a pre-natal check up with one of my parishoners in Raleigh, a refugee from Vietnam, and holding her beautiful, shy 2-year-old daughter. Indescribable moments of connection that transcend language, education, economics and background. Divine moments that make presence and shared experience more important than any barriers that humans can construct.
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Compassion on the Ground
For nearly 2 weeks this June, I had the priviledge to explore Bosnia and Herzegovina with eight fellow Disciples of Christ seminarians. We were guided by my dear friend and long-time mentor Amy Gopp, Director of Disciples' Week of Compassion - and by her Bosnian colleague Dzevad, who works for Church World Service. It was a powerful trip, full of stories, sounds, sights, smells, tastes, songs and people that are now ingrained in my heart. I'm going to try to describe some of our experiences, bit by bit. Here's the first installment...
Day 1 (June 12) – Sarajevo
Last night on the way from the airport to our hotel, as we drove over the hill and caught our first view of the city spread out in the valley below us, the taxi driver proudly proclaimed, “This is my Sarajevo.” Our drive had taken us past the section of Sarajevo marked as the Serbian part of the city, and the driver seemed to be saying that his Sarajevo was not one which made distinctions between Serb, Muslim and Croat, but rather the heart of the city where all people come together. This is the place where Catholic cathedrals, Orthodox Christian churches, Muslim mosques, and Jewish synagogues co-exist side-by-side. It’s a place that I am quickly falling in love with.
Today we walked the city with our new Bosnian friend Dzevad, a local employee of Church World Service. We visited museums describing the local history, we drank strong cups of sweet coffee, we admired the colorful scarves and shining copper items in the shops of the winding Turkish quarter. We ate ice cream in the shadow of a minaret and waited to hear the Islamic call to prayer. We soaked up the atmosphere as we admired the beautiful mountains surrounding the city on all sides. These are the very mountains that held the city prisoner for nearly four years, as snipers fired on the city below and launched shells which killed around 11,000 residents, including 1,500 children. In spite of the bullet holes still marking the sides of so many buildings, it was hard for me to imagine looking to those spectacular mountains and feeling fear. What made it real was hearing Dzevad’s personal stories about life during the siege, as we wandered through the city. He pointed out the spot where a mortar shell had fallen on people waiting in line for bread, killing dozens in an instant. Places like those are called Sarajevo rose
s, because the scars in the pavement have been filled in with red wax as a memorial to the victims. As we stood beside a memorial fountain dedicated to the children who died during the war, a young girl rode around on her bicycle. In the tourist shops, they sell empty shell casings that have been engraved with hearts and flowers. Out of pain and death, the city is rising again. The ruins are being rebuilt. I hope that those residents of this resilient city can still look up at the mountains and see something beautiful and enduring, even after all they have been through.
Day 1 (June 12) – Sarajevo
Last night on the way from the airport to our hotel, as we drove over the hill and caught our first view of the city spread out in the valley below us, the taxi driver proudly proclaimed, “This is my Sarajevo.” Our drive had taken us past the section of Sarajevo marked as the Serbian part of the city, and the driver seemed to be saying that his Sarajevo was not one which made distinctions between Serb, Muslim and Croat, but rather the heart of the city where all people come together. This is the place where Catholic cathedrals, Orthodox Christian churches, Muslim mosques, and Jewish synagogues co-exist side-by-side. It’s a place that I am quickly falling in love with.
Today we walked the city with our new Bosnian friend Dzevad, a local employee of Church World Service. We visited museums describing the local history, we drank strong cups of sweet coffee, we admired the colorful scarves and shining copper items in the shops of the winding Turkish quarter. We ate ice cream in the shadow of a minaret and waited to hear the Islamic call to prayer. We soaked up the atmosphere as we admired the beautiful mountains surrounding the city on all sides. These are the very mountains that held the city prisoner for nearly four years, as snipers fired on the city below and launched shells which killed around 11,000 residents, including 1,500 children. In spite of the bullet holes still marking the sides of so many buildings, it was hard for me to imagine looking to those spectacular mountains and feeling fear. What made it real was hearing Dzevad’s personal stories about life during the siege, as we wandered through the city. He pointed out the spot where a mortar shell had fallen on people waiting in line for bread, killing dozens in an instant. Places like those are called Sarajevo rose
s, because the scars in the pavement have been filled in with red wax as a memorial to the victims. As we stood beside a memorial fountain dedicated to the children who died during the war, a young girl rode around on her bicycle. In the tourist shops, they sell empty shell casings that have been engraved with hearts and flowers. Out of pain and death, the city is rising again. The ruins are being rebuilt. I hope that those residents of this resilient city can still look up at the mountains and see something beautiful and enduring, even after all they have been through.Wednesday, December 26, 2007
Prayers for Peace
We are just ending the advent season which celebrates the birth of the Prince of Peace, and moving into a new year full of hope and potential. This is the time of year when all things seem possible, when we are reminded of the power of God to defy expectations.
This is also a time of year when I remember with great joy my time living in northern Sri Lanka, where the Christmas season was full of carol singing and community events, lots of time spent with friends and in church. Things in Sri Lanka are not going so well now, with the conflict going full-force again. After around 25 years of on-and-off fighting, many wonder if they will ever see peace.
The following letter was written by Dan Muthuveloe, a Sri Lankan expatriate living in England, who recently spent some time in Jaffna (northern Sri Lanka) in the midst of the current conflict. Following his letter describing the situation for people living in Jaffna is an excellent prayer guide, both for this particular conflict or for other places in our world that face ongoing violence. As we start a new year, I am hopeful that peace really is possible. I pray it will come soon.
Diane
********************************
My experiences in Jaffna - Summer 2007
I would like to share with you my experiences of Jaffna from a Tamil point of view. I am sure what I have to say could be matched by equally harrowing stories from other parts of North and East such as the Vanni, Mannar, Sampoor, Vaharai etc, and perhaps from the South by Sinhalese and Muslims who have also suffered pain and loss.
During the three months I spent in Jaffna recently, I met with many ordinary people. Many of them related to me their harrowing experiences and tales, which made me listen to them spell bound, speechless with no words of comfort or encouragement to give in return. I could only sigh. I was amazed at the capacity of people to cope with tremendous anxiety, fear, deprivation and the dehumanising infringement of their right to the pursuit of happiness and a quiet life.
After my return from Jaffna I have been pondering about the dire situation I left behind. I vowed to return. Not because I am able to do something for them, but purely because I wanted to be there and be with them and feel the fear and anxiety and humiliation they feel day in and day out. They have no advocate. They have no political voice.
There were days when I could not eat. Not because the food was not palatable. On the contrary the food was delicious as only the Jaffna cuisine could be. I had no appetite after hearing sad story after story of pain from crushed hearts.
Killings and abductions occurred daily. I have seen dead bodies by the road side. They were mostly young men who have been shot and killed. It is usually reported the next day in the Uthayan News paper that persons of unknown identity are thought to have been the killers. Friends and neighbours are scared to befriend the bereaved family for fear of their lives in case they also become victims of the killers. I was told that the victims were young men who were active politically, either when in University or as journalists or as activists during ‘Pongu Thamil’ celebrations and other political demonstrations. The killings did not appear to be random but targeted. Many of the abducted are given up for dead because so few of them return alive. The killings of these young men have left a growing number of young widows and fatherless children. The ‘recent’ widows number over a thousand. Last month alone 57 men were killed in the Jaffna peninsula. Wives and mothers are anxious each morning when their husbands and children leave home until they return in the evening.
The sound of gunfire, shells and aerial bombing can be heard daily. It is not only a constant reminder of the ongoing conflict but causes our hearts to sink. The children are petrified. Some shake with fear. Scattered through out the main trunk roads are sentry points where one is checked for identity cards. If you are riding a motorcycle or scooter, the army may take your bike from you for their use. You will be very thankful when the bike is returned without damage.
Cordon and search operations occur at any time of day or night. The trunk roads [Palaly Road, KKS Road, Pt.Pedro Road and the A9] are closed to civilian traffic twice a day for three to four hours. While I was there the nightly curfew was from 7 pm to 4 am. People are at home by 6 pm and do not venture out. Killings, abductions and robberies take place under cover of the curfew.
The people in Jaffna have no dignity or self worth or confidence as evidenced by the cringing posture and body language and the gibbering apology for their existence when stopped by the army.
The A 9, the only road to the rest of the country, has been closed for over a year. This has caused great hardship to the people. Food and essential items have to be shipped to the peninsula. While I did not see starvation I certainly saw malnutrition and failure to thrive and growth retardation in young children. Cement was four times the price in Colombo. There is hardly any construction work going on in Jaffna.
The declaration of High Security Zones by the army has resulted in several communities being evacuated from their homes and villages. They have been languishing in temporary housing for the last 14 years. They are referred to as I.D.Ps- Internally Displaced People. They are the forgotten people of this prolonged conflict.
The people in Jaffna are indeed subjugated and held captive in what amounts to an open prison. They cannot leave the peninsula unless they have an exit permit from the Grama Sevaka and the Army. Hundreds could be seen at the different army camps trying to obtain their permits to get to Colombo to find a new life.
The population of Jaffna in 1981 was 800 thousand people. Today it has drastically dwindled to 250 thousand persons and the numbers are continuing to haemorrhage. The number of army personnel in Jaffna is 60 thousand. Hence for every four civilian persons in Jaffna, there is an armed soldier with an automatic gun or machine gun.
The recurrent heartfelt cry that I heard in Jaffna was the sense of hopelessness and the feeling of desolation. Hopelessness because the people of Jaffna had put hope in their politicians through the democratic process. They had hoped in the freedom struggle through the efforts of the ‘boys’- the freedom fighters to some but terrorists to others. They had hoped in every new Prime Minister and President for an equitable solution for all time. They had hoped in the IPKF. They had hoped in the CFA. They had hoped the Norwegians would broker a deal for all time. The International community, the United Nations, the European Union and the Co-Chairs have not done enough to stop the genocide.
I could sense a feeling of desolation, a feeling of being abandoned and lonely and forlorn without friends. A feeling of utter hopelessness filled my heart as well. We have put our trust in men and horses and chariots with no avail. Our hopes have been dashed time and again. We as Tamils and as Sri Lankans as peace loving people have stood back in horror, feeling utterly helpless and alienated.
Our Response
A call to Prayer and Intercession - for Peace with Justice and Reconciliation
Though the Call to Prayer is from a Tamil Christian perspective, because that is what I am, the Call does not exclude any one. The problems in Sri Lanka transcend race and religion. We are all affected one way or another, some more than others. We, what ever our background, have a common interest and a common burden for our country. We are all children of God, we could all cry to God. Our God hears and responds to all our prayers. You are welcome to join us what ever your faith is, Buddhist, Hindu, Christian, Catholic or Muslim.
1] Pray for the cessation of hostilities.
Pray for Peace diplomats.
Pray for the defusing of anger and revenge.
2] Pray for the return of the sanctity of life.
Pray that killings and abductions will cease.
Pray that there will be no need for any more violent deaths
3] Pray for the return of civil rule and democracy.
Pray for the return of dialogue.
Pray for tolerance and respect of other points of view.
Pray for the spirit of generosity, to live and let live
4] Pray for Just Peace.
Pray that fear and apprehension and anxiety will be no more.
Pray for the Liberty and the Freedoms of each person in equal measure.
5] Pray for ALL aid workers, politicians and journalists.
Pray for their safety.
Pray for their important work.
6] Pray for ALL war widows and their dependants
Pray for ALL orphans.
Pray for ALL the war disabled and maimed
7] Pray for ALL Refugees- Internally Displaced People
Pray for Ourselves
We all have a High Calling. It is a duty and obligation that is expected of us. We cannot shun it. We are called to stand in the gap and intercede and pray for the world around us. We need to pray as though we ourselves are in trouble and are part of the problem- the terrible situation that continues to prevail in Sri Lanka. That will be true intercession.
Oh, that God may grant each of us a heart felt heart cry that will flow to heaven’s throne. Let us ask God to first change our own hearts and attitudes so that we can respond to His Call to Prayer.
Pray for Peace and Goodwill
The Christmas message is ‘Peace on earth and good will to man’
It’s a message that heralded the birth of Christ who was described as the Prince of Peace. Christ himself said that the peace he gives is not as the world gives.
Peace is a fundamental human right. Every human born on this planet has a right to a peaceful existence. Yet we rob each other of peace by our own actions that stems from a heart that is uncaring.
Oh! That God will change our uncaring attitudes to our fellow humans.
Let us in this season of peace, pray for peace and good will among all in Sri Lanka.
May God help us and the people of Sri Lanka to empty ourselves of all the distrust and fear of each other and once again believe in each other’s good will. God can restore this in all our hearts as we pray earnestly.
Pray for Human Rights
The 10th of December was the World Human Rights Day. Sri Lanka has the highest incidence in the world of killings and abductions that go uninvestigated. Yet Sri Lanka has declined to allow the UN body to have an office in Colombo, claiming that it has its own mechanisms to monitor Human Rights violations.
Let us pray for the integrity, honesty and duty of care of all the agents of the State of Sri Lanka that they may exercise righteous governance.
Let us remember and pray for the following people who have suffered.
1] Over 3000 Tamil people were arbitrarily arrested and sent to Boossa Detention Camp near Galle. Several have been released. There are still many kept incommunicado under the PTA laws.
Pray for the frightened Tamil people.
2] Pray for the open prison – the Jaffna peninsula –the subjugation of the innocent people by military rule. The ordinary civilian population is subjected to very harsh conditions- restriction of movement, curfew, lack of food and essentials, indiscriminate stops and searches, abductions and killings.
3] Pray for the Internally Displaced People [IDP] evacuated from their homes and agricultural lands by the army in the so-called recently liberated areas of Mannar, Sampoor Vaharai and Batticoloa. Let us not forget the I.D.P.s following the creation of the High Security Zones and the Muslims displaced from Jaffna.
Our God is one whose heart is for the poor and disadvantaged. We could call on Him to have mercy in our time of need. He will heal the broken hearted. He will set the captives free and set at liberty them that are bruised.
Pray for the Sanctity of Life
Kfir planes have been continuing to bomb towns and villages in Vanni – Mullai- tivu, Puthukudiyirruppu, Alampil, Killinochi, Tharmapuram indiscriminately causing death, destruction and disruption of the lives of ordinary people. Students sitting for public exams last week had to rush out to get into bunkers and bomb shelters while doing public exams.
In the month of November 2007–
27 Tamil persons were killed in the Vanni by Claymore mines by the Deep Penetration Unit of the Sri Lankan Army and by bombings by the Sri Lanka Air Force.
21 Tamil persons were shot and killed in the Jaffna peninsula.
The following incidents are examples of what is happening on a daily basis in the army occupied Jaffna peninsula.
A youth, S. Inthirakanthan aged 23, shot and injured at home during curfew hours by armed men on motor bikes, in Kalviyangkaddu, while watching TV with his family, succumbed to his injuries at Jaffna Teaching hospital on Monday 10th December.
A civilian, Velupillai Sivayoham who went missing was found dead on Monday10th December, with assault injuries on his body near the well of the Heroes’ Resting Home at Ellangkulam, Uddupiddy..
Sivayogarasa, a father of two and a resident of Polikandi went missing at 6.30 am after leaving home. He was beaten to death and his body was found dumped.
On Saturday 8th December gunmen shot dead Singham aged 70,an elderly trader, at his house, in Chaavakachcheri around 7:30 a.m.
The body of Sooriyakanthy Thavarasa a Red Cross worker, who was abducted on Friday 14th December was found on Sunday the 16th. He was the third Red Cross worker to be killed this year.
In the recent bombings in Colombo, 20 innocent people lost their lives. A further 16 people were killed when a bomb exploded in a bus with civilian passengers in Kebithegollewa.
In the battlefields around Vanni, in this undeclared civil war, both warring sides claim killings on a daily basis.
Oh that we may all feel the value and preciousness of each life whether Sinhala or Tamil, whether soldier, para-military or terrorist or freedom fighter. A life that is so easily snuffed out but none of us could give back. Oh Lord, give us back the respect and sanctity for each other’s life.
Please pray for the family and friends of the victims of all those who lost their lives in the recent weeks. May the God of all comfort, comfort the bereaved and bereft and bring a speedy end to the callous and wanton destruction of lives.
Pray for the freedom of the Press & the Media
Seven media organisations including Free Media Movement (FMM), Sri Lanka Tamil Journalists Movement and Working Journalists Association staged a protest demonstration and march on Monday 10th December. Eleven journalists and media personnel have been killed in recent times.
Let us remember the assassinated journalists Taraki Sivaram, Mylvaganam Nirmalarajan and Nadesan.
Pray for the safety of all journalists.
Pray that the people in the south will not be kept in the dark about the oppression of the Tamils in the North and East. . Pray for the freedom of the press. Pray that the media will be responsible and truthful and play an important role in national reconciliation and peace with justice for all.
We invite you to join the Call to Prayer and pray with us for a speedy resolution to the conflict and for Peace with Justice and Reconciliation
This is also a time of year when I remember with great joy my time living in northern Sri Lanka, where the Christmas season was full of carol singing and community events, lots of time spent with friends and in church. Things in Sri Lanka are not going so well now, with the conflict going full-force again. After around 25 years of on-and-off fighting, many wonder if they will ever see peace.
The following letter was written by Dan Muthuveloe, a Sri Lankan expatriate living in England, who recently spent some time in Jaffna (northern Sri Lanka) in the midst of the current conflict. Following his letter describing the situation for people living in Jaffna is an excellent prayer guide, both for this particular conflict or for other places in our world that face ongoing violence. As we start a new year, I am hopeful that peace really is possible. I pray it will come soon.
Diane
********************************
My experiences in Jaffna - Summer 2007
I would like to share with you my experiences of Jaffna from a Tamil point of view. I am sure what I have to say could be matched by equally harrowing stories from other parts of North and East such as the Vanni, Mannar, Sampoor, Vaharai etc, and perhaps from the South by Sinhalese and Muslims who have also suffered pain and loss.
During the three months I spent in Jaffna recently, I met with many ordinary people. Many of them related to me their harrowing experiences and tales, which made me listen to them spell bound, speechless with no words of comfort or encouragement to give in return. I could only sigh. I was amazed at the capacity of people to cope with tremendous anxiety, fear, deprivation and the dehumanising infringement of their right to the pursuit of happiness and a quiet life.
After my return from Jaffna I have been pondering about the dire situation I left behind. I vowed to return. Not because I am able to do something for them, but purely because I wanted to be there and be with them and feel the fear and anxiety and humiliation they feel day in and day out. They have no advocate. They have no political voice.
There were days when I could not eat. Not because the food was not palatable. On the contrary the food was delicious as only the Jaffna cuisine could be. I had no appetite after hearing sad story after story of pain from crushed hearts.
Killings and abductions occurred daily. I have seen dead bodies by the road side. They were mostly young men who have been shot and killed. It is usually reported the next day in the Uthayan News paper that persons of unknown identity are thought to have been the killers. Friends and neighbours are scared to befriend the bereaved family for fear of their lives in case they also become victims of the killers. I was told that the victims were young men who were active politically, either when in University or as journalists or as activists during ‘Pongu Thamil’ celebrations and other political demonstrations. The killings did not appear to be random but targeted. Many of the abducted are given up for dead because so few of them return alive. The killings of these young men have left a growing number of young widows and fatherless children. The ‘recent’ widows number over a thousand. Last month alone 57 men were killed in the Jaffna peninsula. Wives and mothers are anxious each morning when their husbands and children leave home until they return in the evening.
The sound of gunfire, shells and aerial bombing can be heard daily. It is not only a constant reminder of the ongoing conflict but causes our hearts to sink. The children are petrified. Some shake with fear. Scattered through out the main trunk roads are sentry points where one is checked for identity cards. If you are riding a motorcycle or scooter, the army may take your bike from you for their use. You will be very thankful when the bike is returned without damage.
Cordon and search operations occur at any time of day or night. The trunk roads [Palaly Road, KKS Road, Pt.Pedro Road and the A9] are closed to civilian traffic twice a day for three to four hours. While I was there the nightly curfew was from 7 pm to 4 am. People are at home by 6 pm and do not venture out. Killings, abductions and robberies take place under cover of the curfew.
The people in Jaffna have no dignity or self worth or confidence as evidenced by the cringing posture and body language and the gibbering apology for their existence when stopped by the army.
The A 9, the only road to the rest of the country, has been closed for over a year. This has caused great hardship to the people. Food and essential items have to be shipped to the peninsula. While I did not see starvation I certainly saw malnutrition and failure to thrive and growth retardation in young children. Cement was four times the price in Colombo. There is hardly any construction work going on in Jaffna.
The declaration of High Security Zones by the army has resulted in several communities being evacuated from their homes and villages. They have been languishing in temporary housing for the last 14 years. They are referred to as I.D.Ps- Internally Displaced People. They are the forgotten people of this prolonged conflict.
The people in Jaffna are indeed subjugated and held captive in what amounts to an open prison. They cannot leave the peninsula unless they have an exit permit from the Grama Sevaka and the Army. Hundreds could be seen at the different army camps trying to obtain their permits to get to Colombo to find a new life.
The population of Jaffna in 1981 was 800 thousand people. Today it has drastically dwindled to 250 thousand persons and the numbers are continuing to haemorrhage. The number of army personnel in Jaffna is 60 thousand. Hence for every four civilian persons in Jaffna, there is an armed soldier with an automatic gun or machine gun.
The recurrent heartfelt cry that I heard in Jaffna was the sense of hopelessness and the feeling of desolation. Hopelessness because the people of Jaffna had put hope in their politicians through the democratic process. They had hoped in the freedom struggle through the efforts of the ‘boys’- the freedom fighters to some but terrorists to others. They had hoped in every new Prime Minister and President for an equitable solution for all time. They had hoped in the IPKF. They had hoped in the CFA. They had hoped the Norwegians would broker a deal for all time. The International community, the United Nations, the European Union and the Co-Chairs have not done enough to stop the genocide.
I could sense a feeling of desolation, a feeling of being abandoned and lonely and forlorn without friends. A feeling of utter hopelessness filled my heart as well. We have put our trust in men and horses and chariots with no avail. Our hopes have been dashed time and again. We as Tamils and as Sri Lankans as peace loving people have stood back in horror, feeling utterly helpless and alienated.
Our Response
A call to Prayer and Intercession - for Peace with Justice and Reconciliation
Though the Call to Prayer is from a Tamil Christian perspective, because that is what I am, the Call does not exclude any one. The problems in Sri Lanka transcend race and religion. We are all affected one way or another, some more than others. We, what ever our background, have a common interest and a common burden for our country. We are all children of God, we could all cry to God. Our God hears and responds to all our prayers. You are welcome to join us what ever your faith is, Buddhist, Hindu, Christian, Catholic or Muslim.
1] Pray for the cessation of hostilities.
Pray for Peace diplomats.
Pray for the defusing of anger and revenge.
2] Pray for the return of the sanctity of life.
Pray that killings and abductions will cease.
Pray that there will be no need for any more violent deaths
3] Pray for the return of civil rule and democracy.
Pray for the return of dialogue.
Pray for tolerance and respect of other points of view.
Pray for the spirit of generosity, to live and let live
4] Pray for Just Peace.
Pray that fear and apprehension and anxiety will be no more.
Pray for the Liberty and the Freedoms of each person in equal measure.
5] Pray for ALL aid workers, politicians and journalists.
Pray for their safety.
Pray for their important work.
6] Pray for ALL war widows and their dependants
Pray for ALL orphans.
Pray for ALL the war disabled and maimed
7] Pray for ALL Refugees- Internally Displaced People
Pray for Ourselves
We all have a High Calling. It is a duty and obligation that is expected of us. We cannot shun it. We are called to stand in the gap and intercede and pray for the world around us. We need to pray as though we ourselves are in trouble and are part of the problem- the terrible situation that continues to prevail in Sri Lanka. That will be true intercession.
Oh, that God may grant each of us a heart felt heart cry that will flow to heaven’s throne. Let us ask God to first change our own hearts and attitudes so that we can respond to His Call to Prayer.
Pray for Peace and Goodwill
The Christmas message is ‘Peace on earth and good will to man’
It’s a message that heralded the birth of Christ who was described as the Prince of Peace. Christ himself said that the peace he gives is not as the world gives.
Peace is a fundamental human right. Every human born on this planet has a right to a peaceful existence. Yet we rob each other of peace by our own actions that stems from a heart that is uncaring.
Oh! That God will change our uncaring attitudes to our fellow humans.
Let us in this season of peace, pray for peace and good will among all in Sri Lanka.
May God help us and the people of Sri Lanka to empty ourselves of all the distrust and fear of each other and once again believe in each other’s good will. God can restore this in all our hearts as we pray earnestly.
Pray for Human Rights
The 10th of December was the World Human Rights Day. Sri Lanka has the highest incidence in the world of killings and abductions that go uninvestigated. Yet Sri Lanka has declined to allow the UN body to have an office in Colombo, claiming that it has its own mechanisms to monitor Human Rights violations.
Let us pray for the integrity, honesty and duty of care of all the agents of the State of Sri Lanka that they may exercise righteous governance.
Let us remember and pray for the following people who have suffered.
1] Over 3000 Tamil people were arbitrarily arrested and sent to Boossa Detention Camp near Galle. Several have been released. There are still many kept incommunicado under the PTA laws.
Pray for the frightened Tamil people.
2] Pray for the open prison – the Jaffna peninsula –the subjugation of the innocent people by military rule. The ordinary civilian population is subjected to very harsh conditions- restriction of movement, curfew, lack of food and essentials, indiscriminate stops and searches, abductions and killings.
3] Pray for the Internally Displaced People [IDP] evacuated from their homes and agricultural lands by the army in the so-called recently liberated areas of Mannar, Sampoor Vaharai and Batticoloa. Let us not forget the I.D.P.s following the creation of the High Security Zones and the Muslims displaced from Jaffna.
Our God is one whose heart is for the poor and disadvantaged. We could call on Him to have mercy in our time of need. He will heal the broken hearted. He will set the captives free and set at liberty them that are bruised.
Pray for the Sanctity of Life
Kfir planes have been continuing to bomb towns and villages in Vanni – Mullai- tivu, Puthukudiyirruppu, Alampil, Killinochi, Tharmapuram indiscriminately causing death, destruction and disruption of the lives of ordinary people. Students sitting for public exams last week had to rush out to get into bunkers and bomb shelters while doing public exams.
In the month of November 2007–
27 Tamil persons were killed in the Vanni by Claymore mines by the Deep Penetration Unit of the Sri Lankan Army and by bombings by the Sri Lanka Air Force.
21 Tamil persons were shot and killed in the Jaffna peninsula.
The following incidents are examples of what is happening on a daily basis in the army occupied Jaffna peninsula.
A youth, S. Inthirakanthan aged 23, shot and injured at home during curfew hours by armed men on motor bikes, in Kalviyangkaddu, while watching TV with his family, succumbed to his injuries at Jaffna Teaching hospital on Monday 10th December.
A civilian, Velupillai Sivayoham who went missing was found dead on Monday10th December, with assault injuries on his body near the well of the Heroes’ Resting Home at Ellangkulam, Uddupiddy..
Sivayogarasa, a father of two and a resident of Polikandi went missing at 6.30 am after leaving home. He was beaten to death and his body was found dumped.
On Saturday 8th December gunmen shot dead Singham aged 70,an elderly trader, at his house, in Chaavakachcheri around 7:30 a.m.
The body of Sooriyakanthy Thavarasa a Red Cross worker, who was abducted on Friday 14th December was found on Sunday the 16th. He was the third Red Cross worker to be killed this year.
In the recent bombings in Colombo, 20 innocent people lost their lives. A further 16 people were killed when a bomb exploded in a bus with civilian passengers in Kebithegollewa.
In the battlefields around Vanni, in this undeclared civil war, both warring sides claim killings on a daily basis.
Oh that we may all feel the value and preciousness of each life whether Sinhala or Tamil, whether soldier, para-military or terrorist or freedom fighter. A life that is so easily snuffed out but none of us could give back. Oh Lord, give us back the respect and sanctity for each other’s life.
Please pray for the family and friends of the victims of all those who lost their lives in the recent weeks. May the God of all comfort, comfort the bereaved and bereft and bring a speedy end to the callous and wanton destruction of lives.
Pray for the freedom of the Press & the Media
Seven media organisations including Free Media Movement (FMM), Sri Lanka Tamil Journalists Movement and Working Journalists Association staged a protest demonstration and march on Monday 10th December. Eleven journalists and media personnel have been killed in recent times.
Let us remember the assassinated journalists Taraki Sivaram, Mylvaganam Nirmalarajan and Nadesan.
Pray for the safety of all journalists.
Pray that the people in the south will not be kept in the dark about the oppression of the Tamils in the North and East. . Pray for the freedom of the press. Pray that the media will be responsible and truthful and play an important role in national reconciliation and peace with justice for all.
We invite you to join the Call to Prayer and pray with us for a speedy resolution to the conflict and for Peace with Justice and Reconciliation
Sunday, August 19, 2007
Meme Martha
The most memorable part of the trip, for all of us, was definitely our homestay with families in rural northern Namibia. This is Owambo country, where tribal councils (see photo on left) and kings still mediate many disputes and make decisions. The modern and traditional co-exist here, with many of our host families living in a mixture of new cement buildings and stick-and-thatch huts within their family homestead.
This is also a place where the African "culture of care" we had heard so much about came to life. Our guide, Paulos, had told us that long before we arrived our host families had been praying for us and preparing for our visit, and we found this to be obvious in the way they welcomed us, in the signs that my host mom had posted that said, "welcome my student daughters, feel at home," in the hand-woven basket one family made for my classmate Jason with his initials in it, in the devotion and prayers that my host mom had written out in English to read through with us on our first night with her. We were welcomed with a genuine and generous warmth, even though we were strangers.
We stayed in pairs with different families around the small town of Oniipa. Raven and I were adopted into Meme Martha's family, along with her 5 year old son and 9 year old niece (her husband works in a mine in a distant part of the country). We cooked with her, and she took pride in introducing us to Owambo culture, especially the foods - Mehangu porridge, black-eyed-pea-like beans, a fermented flour-based drink. We visited her mother's homestead, where 
we watched the strong Namibian women pound Mehangu flour with ease (Raven and I were not quite so graceful wielding the heavy pounding stick), and where Kuku (grandmother) presented us with the light pink strands of beads worn by women of their tribe.
we watched the strong Namibian women pound Mehangu flour with ease (Raven and I were not quite so graceful wielding the heavy pounding stick), and where Kuku (grandmother) presented us with the light pink strands of beads worn by women of their tribe. Throughout our time there, we could feel the powerful bonds of family and community which permeate the African lifestyle. When Meme Martha's brother and sister-in-law died, she took in her young niece. Neighbors came by to ask for or offer favors (like one who came to recharge her cell phone, since her own house doesn't have electricity). One of our speakers in Namibia told our group that even with such high unemployment and poverty, few people in the country starve because as long as one relative has an income, he or she will support any extended family members who are in need.
Meme Martha also gave me a great insight into our Western notions of hunger and abundance. She began asking me about traditional American foods, and whether we have many farms in the U.S. When I explained that the vast majority of people get their food from supermarkets, not from their own farm or garden, she was surprised. She was even more shocked to find out that we can't even go to a neighboring farm to buy a goat or cow. She then asked, "But what about people who don't have any money - how can they eat?" For a culture where even the poorest family grows Mehangu flour for porridge and bread, and where those without money can depend on relatives and neighbors for food, our Western system must seem pretty backwards.
I'm grateful that I was able to experience the abundant African hospitality and community for a few days in Oniipa.
Thursday, August 16, 2007
Namibia
After spending the first part of my summer in India and Sri Lanka, I was not prepared for what I found when I arrived in Africa for the first time: well-maintained, paved roads; water you could drink right out of the tap; modern buildings downtown that made you feel you were in a European town…
Arriving in Windhoek, Namibia with 16 fellow theology students/professors was a bit of a shock. This was not the Africa we had heard about on the news or from Bono. Where was the poverty? We found it the next day when our tour guide, Urbanus, led us to the top of a hill overlooking the city and began to explain the history of Windhoek. He pointed out the upscale neighborhood where all of the wealthy (and white) residents live. He then began to describe how, under apartheid (Namibia was under the control of South Africa for decades), people were forcibly uprooted from their homes and segregated into settlements based on race and tribe. Black residents were resettled in Katatura, which means “the place where we do not want to live.”
We later drove down the hill, past the wealthy subdivisions, into Katatura. There, we saw endless rows of makeshift tin shacks, clinging at precarious angles onto sloping hillsides, as far as we could see. Bumpy dirt roads twisted through the sea of tin and cardboard, with no grocery stores or public transportation nearby. This is the Africa we had been expecting. This is the Namibia with an unemployment rate of somewhere between 35% (the official figures) and 75% (our guide’s estimate). This is the Namibia where over 20% of the population is HIV positive. This is the Namibia that is classified by the World Bank as a “middle income” country, but which has one of the highest rates of income disparity (gap between rich and poor) in the world. This is the legacy of colonialism and apartheid, which determined people’s opportunities, education, neighborhood, and even gravesite based solely on the color of their skin.
The tour also included visits to the clean, shady cemetery where whites had been buried under apartheid (now, those who can afford it can be buried there – but few blacks can afford the fees, even today), as well as the dusty cemetery for blacks, littered with broken headstones – most of which only have a number, not a name. Even in death, the grip of racism continues to separate people. The cemeteries really had an impact on our group, making us feel a deep sense of hopelessness. 
Luckily, our next stop was a meeting with Bishop Kameeda, head of one of the branches of the Lutheran Church in Namibia. During the struggle for independence, the church had been a prophetic voice speaking out against the oppressive policies of South African rule. Now, the church is turning its attention to the oppressive forces of poverty and unemployment that continue to keep many black Namibians from flourishing. We were all inspired by the Bishop’s passion to help those in need, and although his proposal for providing monthly income grants to all Namibians is somewhat controversial, our hope was renewed for Namibia’s future.
Africa is more than its unemployment and HIV rates. It’s more than its infrastructure and water supply. Over and over again during our two weeks there, it was the spirit, strength and warmth of the people that gave us a real sense of why we came to Africa, and ensured that we will never forget our time there. I hope to share more stories of the people we encountered with you soon…
Thursday, July 26, 2007
Home
I'm back home in Tennessee for a few days before joining my VDS classmates on a new adventure in Namibia. I'm looking forward to traveling with friends this time - 6 weeks of traveling on my own got a little lonely.
I've posted some photos with some of my previous entries...enjoy!
I've posted some photos with some of my previous entries...enjoy!
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
Matale
As I read over my last post, I wondered if I'm making too much of a distinction between the ethnic groups here. The Tamils in Sri Lanka have certainly faced particular difficulties because of their ethnic background, and the "Indian" Tamil estate workers especially. But there are also many very poor Sinhalese villagers as well. And repeatedly during my stay here in Sri Lanka, people (of various backgrounds) have reminded me that they don't feel any anamosity towards the other ethnic group. They have repeatedly told me that they all want peace, and that they can all get along.
One of my Satyodaya field visits was to an area outside of Matale called Luckyland, also a former plantation area that is no longer functioning as a large tea estate. Now, it's more of a quiet hilltop village, where Tamils and Sinhalese live side by side. All of them say that their main problem is a lack of jobs in this remote area, now that the tea plantations have been divided up into small plots.
This village also faces problems from a lack of good infrastructure. Residents have to trek long distances up and down steep slopes in order to carry water to their homes. (I had a hard enough time climbing up the slopes to visit their houses without carrything anything). The main water source sits a 9-12 kilometer hike uphill from the homes, although there are a few smaller wells closer to the houses that they can use when it's not the dry season.
After Satyodaya helped the residents organize themselves into a Community People's Organization, the first thing the CPO decided to do was install a water supply system. They said they had been asking the government for help with this for nearly 20 years, with no results. So, they decided to do it themselves. I think they did manage to get some funding for it from the government with the collective voice of the CPO. And Satyodaya also helped to provide some of the initial funding. So, the villagers began the labor-intensive work of digging trenches for the 12 kilometers of pipes down from the water source, and mixing cement and installing spouts along the way at each house. After nearly a year of work, they are almost done and expect to have water supplied to each house within 2 weeks of my visit. Each household will pay a minimal fee each month to pay a caretaker, who will be responsible for maintenance.
When I visited on a Sunday afternoon, there were several villagers mixing cement near one house...men and women, Sinhalese and Tamils, working side by side. The majority of the villagers here are Sinhalese, but they elected a Tamil man as the president of their CPO. These hardworking, generous people seemed to have a strong sense of fellowship with one another. They also warmly welcomed me, and at each home I visited I was sent away with something - kitul (like hardened molasses) from their palm trees, jambu (a small red fruit) from their garden, papaya to take back to one of the Satyodaya staff who has been ill...
They may have a lot of poverty and structural problems to overcome in Luckyland, but their sense of community and shared identity is much stronger than in many much wealthier places.
One of my Satyodaya field visits was to an area outside of Matale called Luckyland, also a former plantation area that is no longer functioning as a large tea estate. Now, it's more of a quiet hilltop village, where Tamils and Sinhalese live side by side. All of them say that their main problem is a lack of jobs in this remote area, now that the tea plantations have been divided up into small plots.
This village also faces problems from a lack of good infrastructure. Residents have to trek long distances up and down steep slopes in order to carry water to their homes. (I had a hard enough time climbing up the slopes to visit their houses without carrything anything). The main water source sits a 9-12 kilometer hike uphill from the homes, although there are a few smaller wells closer to the houses that they can use when it's not the dry season.
After Satyodaya helped the residents organize themselves into a Community People's Organization, the first thing the CPO decided to do was install a water supply system. They said they had been asking the government for help with this for nearly 20 years, with no results. So, they decided to do it themselves. I think they did manage to get some funding for it from the government with the collective voice of the CPO. And Satyodaya also helped to provide some of the initial funding. So, the villagers began the labor-intensive work of digging trenches for the 12 kilometers of pipes down from the water source, and mixing cement and installing spouts along the way at each house. After nearly a year of work, they are almost done and expect to have water supplied to each house within 2 weeks of my visit. Each household will pay a minimal fee each month to pay a caretaker, who will be responsible for maintenance.
When I visited on a Sunday afternoon, there were several villagers mixing cement near one house...men and women, Sinhalese and Tamils, working side by side. The majority of the villagers here are Sinhalese, but they elected a Tamil man as the president of their CPO. These hardworking, generous people seemed to have a strong sense of fellowship with one another. They also warmly welcomed me, and at each home I visited I was sent away with something - kitul (like hardened molasses) from their palm trees, jambu (a small red fruit) from their garden, papaya to take back to one of the Satyodaya staff who has been ill...
They may have a lot of poverty and structural problems to overcome in Luckyland, but their sense of community and shared identity is much stronger than in many much wealthier places.
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