Moving beyond Preaching Hospitality and Compassion

"Refugees and asylum seekers are among the most powerless, marginalised and dislocated people in the world, clearly a high priority for those who follow Jesus. Christian mission and ministry stands or falls on its response of hospitality to such groups." (Professor Ross Langmead)

I have watched as many of my Facebook friends have posted, shared, reposted and critiqued items relating to the Australian Governments asylum seeker and refugee policies and practices. Many of you have spoken passionately and with conviction about how wrong it is that Australia locks desperate and frightened people up. You've commented with anger about the deaths at sea and you have spoken with frustration about the apparent apathy of Australia and her people. Some of you have asked the question, "what can we do?"

Well here is something that all of us can do. Here is an opportunity to channel the words into actions. Here is a chance to combine faith and action, to go beyond the words and to "love, not in word or speech, but in truth and action". This is a way that all of us that have preached compassion and hospitality can practice it.

Welcome to My Place for Dinner is an opportunity for us to show hospitality to asylum seekers and refugees during Refugee Week, 15-21 June 2014. (Wouldn't it be radical to go beyond that week?) We have an opportunity to rise up and show love and hospitality to those fleeing the trauma of conflict, crisis and poverty in their birthplace to face uncertain futures here in Australia.

Check out the webpage see how you, your Corps (Church) or Home Group could be part of this. Welcome To My Place. [Imagine if there were stories of 1,000 'ordinary Australians' hosting refugees and asylum seekers for dinner in their homes.]

It is a human right to be free to move between borders, to make a home within a country, and to leave and return as one pleases. This is decreed in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights Article 13 (1&2)

Not Happy Prime Minister

Six months ago, on behalf of the Australian government (and people) I promised people

in Chavakchcheri and Chnakannai that in 2014 we would begin to work with them to get clean, safe water into their homes, and that they would have access to improved sanitation - I did so because the Australian government told me the project was approved and the funds were available and that I had their word that Australia would transform their lives.

Do I now have to break that promise Mr Abbott, because you have broken yours?

The Federal Government's announcement of the $625 million reduction (2013/14 only) to the aid budget has confirmed the fears of Australian NGOs and the fact that this government does not keep it's promises. Mr Abbott and his government have walked (or danced) away from his commitment to boost funding to Australian aid and development NGOs, compromising their capacity to deliver assistance to some of the world's poorest and most vulnerable communities.

The cuts, part of a four year, $4.5 billion slashing of Australia's aid, will undermine the Government's own priorities for the sector. World Vision Australia CEO, Tim Costello points out that: “These cuts will directly affect our programs on the ground, programs designed to aid people with the very basics of a better life: clean water; and better access to health services as well as educational and vocational opportunities. These are all in line with the government’s own priorities of health, education, women and girls. They are already being delivered efficiently by NGOs working on the ground, which in the Government’s own words, are one of the most effective agents for the delivery of assistance.”

For me, in my area of influence the numbers are:

Those of you that have read earlier blogs will remember that I was advised that these cuts could mean that a Water and Sanitation project planned for Northern Sri Lanka may be cancelled. Well, we still wait for confirmation of that decision. We are told that now that the big decisions of budget cuts are made that we will know soon, meantime we wait!

Raththi is a Cow who Makes School Possible

Karunawathi (42) and her husband struggled to provide for their three children. They owned no land and their poverty and vulnerability were exploited by owners of large cultivation lands.

“They gave us their land to cultivate and since these were mostly over grown with shrubs and bushes we had to clear it ourselves. We had to bear all the expenses from clearing the land to harvesting. The harvest was ours but it barely gave any profit after all that we spent in preparing the land,” says Karunawathi.

“In slash and burn cultivation the profit comes in the second year. Because the land is already cleared, it saves time and money for the farmer. But the owners would not give us the land for the second year. They cultivate it themselves. No landowner gives a once cleared land. So we go in search of new land that needs clearing and fall into the same vicious cycle,” she says. “It was a struggle,” says Karunawathi, “Every day we worried about ways to provide for our children. Sometimes we cut firewood and sold a bundle for 20 rupees (15 cents) to give them one meal. But we never wanted to stop their schooling.”

“After World Vision began work in our village and my children received sponsorship a big burden was lifted off our shoulders. We didn’t have to worry about their schooling anymore. They received sufficient school supplies every year,” she smiles.

“Then we received a milking cow under the animal husbandry programme. It was a great blessing on our economic situation. We have named her Raththi. It is because of this gift we are able to stand on our feet now,” she says.

Through its economic development programme World Vision has distributed milking cows to the poorest of the poor families in Padhiyathalawa to support them with a home-based income. Every family is requested to gift the first female calf to another needy family in order to ensure the sustainability of the programme. [This is one component of the income generation programs, which I am privileged to be involved with, that is running in a number of other communities throughout Sri Lanka with great success.]

Today Karunawathi has two cows and four male and female calves. She has already gifted the first female calf from Raththi to a needy family. World Vision also linked them with Milco – a government-owned company with a wide network of milk collection, production and sales centres.

“With the income we receive, we were able to build a new safe house for our family. We used to live in a small thatched house that was the size of a play house. Because we have a stable income at home, my husband is able to go out for work and he is working in a government cultivation land now. He comes home once a month and I am able to manage the things at home with Raththi’s help,” she smiles, “I’m not only able to take care of my children, but I’m even able to save for their future.”

[Kathika: Newsletter of World Vision Sri Lanka]