Reflections
from the Field:
A Shepherd’s
Field That Is..
The past few months have been ones of challenge coupled with
hope.
In the midst of recent Judicial Council rulings, a country
at war, families wondering about food for the next meal while
Congress debates how to cut food stamps, I'm trying to immerse
myself in the wonder
of Advent. It’s hard to hold on to expectations and yet be open
to the unexpected; to find hope in the ambiguity of visions not
yet realized.
I have been privileged as your organizer to be with people
of struggle and hope in recent months. I have seen and heard glimpses of
hope through the power of stories, lived human experiences, as raw as a
newborn birthed along side animals in a stable.
From a massive peace march and the arrest of 370 peacemakers
calling for an end to the War in Iraq and Afghanistan in
Washington, DC, I traveled to the hills of Tennessee. There I spent time
at the Highlander
Center for Popular Education and networked with others who
share the belief
that answers to problems facing society lie in the experiences
of ordinary people. A few weeks later, I joined with other
people of faith to become
trained nonviolence facilitators with the Fellowship of Reconciliation.
Recently, I concluded my travels with the Gulf Coast Solidarity
Tour, a 31 person delegation of social justice advocates
from around the country
coordinated by the Southwest Workers Union. In many of these
places, I was “outed” early as a person of faith. I kept hearing “I
didn’t know the church cared about these issues.” I thought
how different this was from the stories of our faith I learned; Wesley’s
profound commitment to the poor, and MFSA’s presence with workers
and the marginalized.
In this time of Advent, let us not lose sight of the star,
the greater vision of who God is calling us to be as a church and as the
Methodist Federation for Social Action.
Recently I came across a writing of a German theologian Joseph
Ratzinger, now known as Pope Benedict. He writes in Memory
Awakens Hope: "Advent’s
intention is to awaken the most profound and basic emotional memory within
us, namely, the memory of the God who became a child. This is a healing
memory; it brings hope. The purpose of the Church’s year is continually
to rehearse her great history of memories, to awaken the heart’s
memory so that it can discern the star of hope.”
Many people in the world will be without a place to lay their
head this Advent season. During my recent experience in Gulfport and New
Orleans, I heard first hand stories from people who continue to experience
the devastation of hurricanes now in less visible ways. Sharing their stories
became a source of hope.
While in Louisiana and Missippi, I listened to people tell
their stories of loosing everything, wondering if they would make it through
the night, facing the reality of not knowing if their families survived.
Throughout all the stories there was a thread of hope. This hope was not
in things or institutions but rather a hope experienced in the coming together
as people. This hope saved their lives.
My friends this is a time to “rehearse” our hope as people
of faith, to live out hope in our communities, churches and
world. This is a call to move beyond charity to justice.
And while we yearn for justice,
let us not be content in waiting for but acting on the justice
and peace we seek. We can do no less.
Action Alert:
On the Gulf Coast, several organizations, led by the people,
for the people, are organizing to meet the needs of the people.
Visit the following web sites to take action now:
Work in solidarity with these groups to rebuild the Gulf for
the people:
Common Ground Collective (free health clinic in Algiers, a
mobile health clinic, home clean-up and repair services, and legal support):
http://www.commongroundrelief.org
People’s Hurricane Relief Fund & Oversight Coalition (Grassroots
network of Gulf Coast residents, organizations and supporters
committed to community directed reconstruction. Adopt blocks
or houses in the afflicted
areas): http://www.communitylaborunited.net or http://www.katrinaaction.org or http://www.colorofchange.org
Saving Ourselves (serving the needs of the rural communities
and those forgotten): http://www.sosafterkatrina.org.
The People’s Institute for Survival and Beyond (Grassroots effective
community and institutional change network highlighting how
race and racism function as a barrier to community self determination
and self sufficiency
though training and organizing): http://www.pisab.org/
|