The Other Side of Death Valley

My overwhelming experience of Rwanda, and her people, is that whilst they have passed through the deepest of death valleys, they have and are climbing out - together. The people refuse to be defined and destroyed by the hatred and fear that has left a permanent scar.

We are pressed on every side by troubles, but not crushed and broken.
We are perplexed… but we don’t give up and quit.
We are hunted down, but God never abandons us.
We get knocked down, but we get up again and keep going.
(2 Corinthians 4:8,9)

I'm not suggesting it has been, or ever will be any easy journey for people to put aside the fear invoked by memories of past betrayal, distrust and pain. But there comes a time, when for the sake of a future, people of different beliefs and cultures must be willing to look for common ground upon which hope can be built. Rather than perpetuate and celebrate the discontinuities that exist between all humanity - claim, celebrate and develop the small but powerful similarities.

Rwanda is, I think, a thumbnail portrait of the world. The labels are different, but more and more we are allowing the labels "Christian" and "Muslim" to define and separate us. And in the process of gaining supremacy more and more innocents are dying.

The future of our world may well be in the willingness of the members of these two 'superpowers' to honour one another. It begins with genuine dialogue (not pre-planned lecture), it will include justice and it is underwritten by a committment to forgiveness.

Religion & Reflection

It can take time and distance to reflect and sort through lessons learnt!

As I heard the stories of betrayal by friends, family and church and I saw the evidence of the complicity of the Christian church (and other faiths), I was once again reminded of the saturating seduction of power. The things people will do, or not do, to protect reputation: the betrayals rationalised so as not to get involved and words carefully chosen and spoken to sanitise and desensitise.

The accounts of the church's involvement in the 100 day Rwnada massacre reveals that at best the church turned a blind eye, ignoring the murder; at worst it became a partner in the mechanics of genocide, all so that the church would be protected.

I wonder sometimes if we are so busy protecting our religion, and our God, that we fail to protect humanity (and not just in Rwanda).

I believe I know and have a personal relationship with the living God. But at the moment when protecting my faith, or my religion, becomes more important to me than accepting, loving, protecting and honouring humanity - of whatever race or religion - that is the moment that I lose the right to claim faith.

We're on the Move - Soonish

That day in the year that is marked on all Salvo Officer's calendars has come and gone and 'Salvo Santa' left a couple of parcels under our tree. On opening our parcels we found the confirmation that come January 8, 2009 we are on the move back to Australia.

Our new home will be in Preston, Victoria (just outside the city of Melbourne) where Sandy and I will be responsible for The Salvation Army Preston Corps (church). As well as heading up the leadership team at this suburban church Sandy will be joining the staff team at The Salvation Army's Officer Training College as a Lecturer, and I will be developing a new role as an Overseas Development Consultant.

But that's all in January of next year - until then we continue at the most exciting Corps in New Zeland, The Meeting House - Mt Albert.

Stand Up Against Poverty

From October 17 to 19, people all around the world will be invited to Stand Up and Take Action, to be a part of the growing global movement determined to stamp out poverty and inequality.

Last year, more than 43 million people all over the world stood up and spoke out sending a clear and powerful message to governments: Keep your promises to end poverty and achieve the Millennium Development Goals.

Waitangi

One of, if not the most significant event in New Zealand history was the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi on the 6th of February 1840 (don't quote me on the year, please). On that day the British and Maori agreed to live in peace as one nation. From this comes the national priority of bi-culturalism and the intentional effort of cultural inclusivity.

So yesterday I had the privilege of walking the 'sacred' grounds of Waitangi, the place where the treaty was signed [http://www.waitangi.net.nz/]. It is one of those places that I believe to be 'holy ground'. As you walk through the rain forests filled with silver ferns and hear the bell birds singing and the brook rushing by you can't help but feel that something special happened here.

People speak softer, and behave reverently as they walk through the doors of Te Whare Runanga - the fully carved Maori Meeting House, which is representative of all Iwi (regional tribes) in New Zealand.

Holidays are great opportunities to look around, and in these last few months before returning home to Australia, (more about that next week!) I am taking the opportunity to see everything I can and reflect on the last three years here.