Sri Lanka 2008

The Meeting House (The Salvation Army - Mt Albert) Mission Team are counting down to their departure for Sri Lanka on June 28.

Amongst the five members of the church travelling to the Pearl of the Indian Ocean are two teachers, a nurse/community worker, and two Salvation Army officers.

During our time in Sri Lanka we will be conducting training programs at childrens homes, an orhpanage (pictured), schools, attending a camp for teenagers and engaged in development and support ministries in tsunami rehabilitation areas.

Look out for more information and updates.

God Caused the Cyclone to Punish Those That do Not Believe and Follow

During a session at High School last week my daughter was asked to discuss the big question: "Where is [the Christian's] God in Myanmar?" "Where is God in the earthquake in China?" One of the responses was that God used the cyclone as punishment and warning. (An opinion I do not share!)

It's a question asked in one form or another after every natural disaster, or whenever some one we love is diagnosed with illness, or injured in an accident. It's not a question asked only by the athiest or the 'trouble maker' who sees an opportunity to debunk Christianity and God. Although 'they' do love the opportunity.

Unless I am really strange then Jesus' Followers like me ask the question too. How can God allow that much pain and suffering? Where is God? I have my own answers, but I do wonder:

If God is the 'creator, preserver and governor', if God is the architect of the weather, and the earth, then didn't God create the cyclone and the earthquake? Isn't God ultimately the cause of the chaos, the deaths, the injuries, the grief and pain? And if that's true then why?

The discussions at shool did not attempt to answer the huge question of why? But some of the things that were said included the opinion that God is in the gifts of money that are given, God is in the people that respond. God is experienced in the faith, hope and love that are evident in those that give water and an outstretched hand.

The school discussion may not have satisfied all questions, (but then academics haven't got the answers either), but the overwhelming response was that in the storms of life, God is there - often through friends, family, and even strangers who make themselves available to reach out to others.

Scary Relations

So you don't get on well with your neighbours? You're not really very good at making, or keeping friends? You are too shy to introduce yourself to any one, let alone a person of the opposite sex?

Don't sweat it! A British scientist just told me (via the BBC) that within the next 40 years Artificial Intelligence (AI) will be sufficiently advanced to be able to 'birth' robotic partners and friends. You will be able to design a robot that is sufficiently like you, or has the personality and physical attributes that you want in a partner. These 'humanoids' (my word not his) will be so human that they will be able to satisfy all physical (yes, even that!) and emotional needs.

And perhaps scarier still is this man's opinion that by this time humans will be so used to this interactive technology that we will not think it weird to engage in a physical relationship with these creations, so much so that we will use the phrase "some one" rather than "some thing" when we refer to them. (Interaction with a robotic dog or dinosaur is already nothing unusual for our children!)

This seems to me to be the ultimate in selfish individualism - the final solution to broken community and the ultimate catalyst for virtual community. Not too long ago it took 'a village to raise a child' soon we can leave it up to our AI partners, teachers and nannies. It makes some of the science fiction movies (such as Spielberg's AI, or Columbus' Bicentennial Man) seem not so far fetched.

Humanity is created for realtionship and community - just because we find it hard to relate; just because it's hard to live together; just because I'm shy - doesn't mean we should settle for another 'man-made' replacement. This is scary...

LESSONS FROM THE RED SHIELD APPEAL

People want to tell their story! I am humbled by how many times complete strangers told me their stories as they gave a donation. Some of the stories were pretty intimate too.

Whilst I am happy to be available to hear the stories, and thrilled that people still esteem the Sallies enough to know they can trust us, it also means that there are a lot of lonely people out there who just need someone to listen. They didn't want much, just a few minutes of our time, and a non-judgemental listener.

Once it was family, community, church that cared and listened, today, more often than not we pay professionals (psychologists, counsellors, life coaches) to do the same thing. Whilst I have nothing against these professionals, I think that if we need to reclaimed the importance of family (and friends).

One Story:

As I stood in my flouro yellow high viz Red Shield vest, my bucket silent but pleasantly weighty, I pretended not to watch and listen as a man, pointing in my direction knelt down to his two young boys. As he dug in his pocket for his wallet, and fished out two notes, he spoke to them about their grandpa.

"That guy is from the Salvation Army", he said. "Do you remember I told you your grandpa was in the war? Well he was hurt real bad, and it was a Sallie man that picked him up and carried him to a hospital where he was saved. The Sallies did amazing things for people in the war".

With big eyes and timid smiles the boys came to me, placed their donation in my bucket and taking a little Red Shield "thank you" sticker from me they walked away proudly wearing their stickers on their shirts.

I don't really like making those first moves to set up the collection point (especially when it’s wet and cold). But people like that, and the opportunity to listen make it worth while.