Posts filed under ‘social justice’
We Were So Far Away
Today I blogged over at Canadian Writers Who Are Christian about the Kairos Heart Garden project and the upcoming Truth and Reconciliation closing ceremony.
On April 7th, I received a message from Kairos, an ecumenical organization dedicated to social justice, from whom I get occasional email updates. The email told me that the formal Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) process is coming to a close in Ottawa from May 31 to June 3, 2015. The celebration is to be a legacy for aboriginal and Inuit children who were taken from their homes and placed in residential schools.
I had not known that Inuit children were also involved, but I knew that aboriginal children had been. Children’s author Jennifer Maruno addresses the residential school issues in her book Totem, and how some children ran away to go back home. That hurtful initial step of placing the children in the residential schools, and all that followed, goes deep in aboriginal history.
The Heart Garden
Kairos invited individuals and churches across Canada to plant ‘heart gardens’ and send one to Ottawa for the special ceremony. Kairos intends TRC and the garden as a healing action.
To read more, go here.
While you’re there, read more from Canadian authors who are Christian. You will be inspired, entertained and encouraged.
May the ceremony at Ottawa be just as colourful.
An Easter message from Kairos
From Kairos
We believe in the sure and certain hope of the resurrection. But it’s a faith that can be sorely tested in the pain and the depth of our Good Fridays.
Will the fighting in South Sudan end?
Will the climate heal?…
Click on the video link to hear the message:
Black History Month–Maranatha– Part 2
The chicken was delicious. Everything was good.
Over the yummy Caribbean lunch, we talked with people at our table, several who are members of Maranatha. Dana and her husband, from Toronto, were guests of a member. Dana asked how we, who were not from one of the islands, liked the Caribbean food. I said we’d enjoyed it the year before and this year was no exception. The chicken was especially delicious.
Angie, who sat around the corner from me, said, “You can have more, if you like.”
“Thanks, I told her. Think I’ve had enough and will save a space for dessert.”
Making my way to another table, I asked Sylma Fletcher if I might get a few of her photos for my blog and she was happy to oblige.
Dessert included a celebration cake and plenty of fresh fruit.
Celebration cake; photo credit, Sylma.
One of two pieces reproduced for the service program, and gracious permission by artist Ken Daley to use it on my blog.
The afternoon program began back in the church sanctuary, perhaps a little later than planned, but there had been many people to accommodate in the fellowship hall and the extra time offered a good chance to meet people and chat. For me it included the mother of a child I had once taught in preschool. It’s always a treat to see Chloe and say hello.
Drumming group from Cameron Heights; photo credit, Sylma
First off in the program was the Cameron Heights drumming group under the direction of their leader, Tim. He gave us some history on how these drums were made, which was fascinating. Then the group went through a drumming routine. Who would know that a drum of that size could produce such variety in sound. But then I am not a drummer.
Cameron Heights Concert Choir, under the direction of Mrs. Brenneman; photo credit, Sylma
After the drumming group, the concert choir filed up to the front and Mrs. Brenneman, their leader, told us about the first two African pieces they would sing. After finding their note on the piano, they began singing accapella. The third song was a piece by Bob Marley, African-American singer. The choir performed it, to our delight, and then we were given the opportunity to join them in the four parts. What a wonderful piece and so enjoyable to sing. The tune was in my head for some time after the event.
Peter Braid, MP; photo credit, Sylma
Peter Braid, guest and Member of Parliament for Kitchener-Waterloo riding, spoke about his opportunity to attend this event. “During Black History Month, our community comes together to learn about and celebrate the achievements and contributions of Black Canadians” and how we celebrate our diversity at such an event as this. He thanked Pastor Peter Kuhnert and the Maranatha congregation “for bringing Black History Month to life.”
Braid had the opportunity to be part of the delegation to South Africa, representing Canada, for the funeral of Nelson Mandela, whose “example of courage and hope was an inspiration to many.” He said, “It was an honour for me to represent my constituents and all Canadians at Nelson Mandela’s memorial in South Africa last December… We entered the stadium to the singing and dancing of thousands of South Africans. While there was a tinge of grief in the air, the atmosphere was primarily one of celebration. A rejoicing for what Mr. Mandela accomplished for their nation, and gratitude for his long walk.”
Braid said it rained the day of the funeral, and it was unrelenting, but “Africans consider rain a blessing, and fitting on the day of a funeral.”
“It’s as if the heavens were crying” one South African said to me. “Let freedom reign.”
Braid also brought good news about scholarships to be named after Mandela, a fitting tribute to the man. More information will be available later in the year, he said. “Education is the most important weapon you can use to change the world.”
When he had finished his greetings, Ms. Maedith Radlein, a retired school principal, shared her story of overcoming challenges when she first came to Canada and the ones her children also faced. Although she had already been a teacher, she achieved her Canadian certification and then moved on to be a principal of an elementary school. She spoke of feeling as though she was invisible at times, but after much persistence and learning she was successful. She challenged black youth to be persistent and to believe in their goals and to work toward them.
Claudette P. Smith, author of Stone Markers of Grace: A Lasting Legacy gave a short and entertaining reading from her new book. Then an audience member made an announcement about a new film, The First Grader, available in the library, and the program was complete.
Pastor Peter Kuhnert closed the service with prayer. Attendees left the sanctuary to visit with others, clean up after the meal, and go home. It was another successful event.
I think that Mrs. Smith’s book may be added to the book table next year. Some books of interest in their collection, ones the book club has read and discussed.
Peter Braid wrote on Twitter that day after the event: “As I do every year, I enjoyed celebrating Black History Month with the very welcoming congregation at Maranatha Lutheran Church today.”
With thanks, once more, to the artist, Ken Daley; Peter Braid, MP; and photographer Sylma Fletcher (for LINK) for permission to share their art, photography and words on my blog.
Olivia Chow in Waterloo
Photo credit: Toronto Star, online
Last evening my husband and I attended an event put on by Words Worth Books at the Princess Twin Cinemas in Waterloo, Ontario, for Olivia Chow and her memoir, My Journey. The book, published by Harper Collins, just hit shelves this week.
David Worsley, co-owner of WordsWorth Books, welcomed everyone and gave us a hint of upcoming events including the 30th anniversary plans, followed by Catherine Fife’s warm and insightful introduction and how Olivia has been such a meaningful mentor in her own political journey.
Daiene Vernile, of CTV, conducted the rest of the event similar to a fire-side chat in one of the theatres on such a cold night, but without any fire or fireplace in sight. Although David called this book a powerful political piece of work, so far I have seen only the personal side, but then I have read just the introduction and part of the first chapter. I look forward to reading the entire book.
In the interview, Olivia rose to the challenge of the many questions, both political and personal, for she has not only been a member of a school board, a Toronto city councillor, she is also MP for Trinity-Spadina as a member of the New Democratic Party. A candid woman who speaks with kindness and integrity.
There’s been speculation whether Olivia will run for mayor of Toronto, and while she’s been on Toronto city council and worked at building programs in the city, she is now an MP where she says that bigger changes are made. Among other projects, she was involved with breakfast programs for children and said, “How can you learn when you’re hungry.” She’s not there yet in making a decision.
The current mayor’s name came up more than once, but I appreciated how she deflected the question about how he could do things differently. She answered,”That’s not for me to say.” I appreciated her integrity and said so when she autographed my copy of her book.
Daiene also asked how she had met Jack. Olivia said they had agreed to work together on a fundraising auction. The day they met, working on that auction together, made an impression on both of them. She said for him, she thinks it was”nanoseconds” and for her a bit longer, but soon they were agreeing to meet and getting to know one another.
When asked by an audience member if she still attended to her art, especially sculpting, she answered, “Not so much now.” She said it takes time to do that kind of work, although she did sculpt a bust of her late husband, Jack Layton, after his death. That sculpture is mounted on a piece of pink granite in the place where his ashes are buried and where she planted a small garden around the stone. That speaks endless amount of love to me. Love and sensitivity as well as a way, perhaps, of working through grief, for someone who seemed to be her soulmate. She also speaks with love of her family, and especially her grandchildren.
I could write more and truly wish I’d taken notes, but I was so focused on the conversation, the nuances, and Olivia’s grace in answering the questions, even the difficult ones. I will let you read her book, as I am doing.
Canadian Lutheran World Relief prepares its second shipment of sweaters
If you’ve been reading my blog through the fall, you will remember my post Sweaters For Syria. The project has met with favourable response and then some.
Today we received a message from our pastor with an update from Canadian Lutheran World Relief (CLWR) on its project Sweaters for Syria. Thanks to many Canadian residents, refugees from children to adults who left Syria when the unrest began in their country, and who are now in Jordan, will be a little warmer. CLWR’s message read:
Today we loaded our second sweater shipment for Syrian relief. In addition to our first shipment there are now 47,706 sweaters on their way to the Za’atari refugee camp in Jordan. We will immediately begin preparing our third sweater shipment to depart early in the New Year.
For more information on their projects, go to http://www.clwr.org/index.cfm
Watch a video about the sweater project:
That Stings!
Daily Prompt: That Stings!
Franz Kafka said, “We ought to read only books that bite and sting us.” What’s the last thing you read that bit and stung you?
Recently, after my nineteen-year-old niece’s presentation about her trip to Ecuador with Free the Children, I took a book off my shelf that I had purchased at a rally in Kitchener but had yet to read. That book had been signed by Marc Kielburger, brother of Craig, whose questions and outrage at child labour began the organization, Free the Children. I began to read it.
Free the Children, by Craig Kielburger with Kevin Major © 1998 McLelland and Stewart, 318 pages, trade paperback (original version)
When twelve-year-old Craig Kielburger picked up the newspaper on April 19th in 1995, instead of turning pages to the comics as he usually did, his eye was caught by the article about the death of a child labourer in Pakistan.
He began to ask his mother questions, but she had no answers. Even his school library had little information. He thought of nothing but that newspaper article. “What kind of parents would sell their child into slavery at four years of age? And who would ever chain a child to a carpet loom?” Thus began his search for solutions and the formation of an organization that does work for children worldwide by young people themselves.
In this book, initially published in 1998, Craig writes about his first trip to to India and Pakistan to learn first hand why and how this happens. He learns of the severe poverty and mindset of people who are talked into such schemes by factory owners promising them money for the child’s labour.
I found it hard to comprehend, even as Craig did, the intense poverty he saw around him. He learned by talking with the children that many of the children still had hopes and dreams of what they would do one day when they were finally released. Yet many children would not survive because of the dangers to which they were exposed.
This book is gripping in the realities of poverty. It’s a page-turner that I had difficulty setting down, reading 20 to 30 pages at a time, even amidst the most challenging scenes. Perhaps it was that I hoped for resolution between those pages, but I learned by reading, as Craig learned from seeing and experiencing, that such situations can take generations to change, and yet there was some success in that first trip. But you have to read it yourself and let the scenes grab you.
Yes, it stings, and you won’t soon forget what you have read. Go and get a copy and read it for yourself. See what you think. I know that I will be paying attention to this organization and what it’s doing for children around the world.
To Ecuador with Free the Children–Part I
In April 1995, news broke in Canadian newspapers of the death of a child labourer, Iqbal Masih, in Pakistan. The news so moved twelve-year-old Craig Kielburger, a student in Richmond Hill, Ontario, that he stepped into social justice action that would impact many children around the world, and later cause many more volunteers to join hands with the organization and become involved.
Craig went to the library in search of information and discovered that child labour was common in some places. He had such compassion for this child’s situation that he wanted to do something. What could he do that would make an impact? Could his actions lead to freeing other children from bondage? When he asked his classmates for help, Free the Children was born.
The organization has grown in those seventeen years and is active in countries around the world. It has built momentum in schools, and that’s where my niece, Alex, and her friend Alys come in. They, too, wanted to be involved in such a mission and participate in activities that would help other children. Children helping children, where it all began.
The beginning of this journey is best told in the words of my niece, Alex, and how she came to be on this trip:
“We Day was first brought to my attention through a school club I was involved in called Students Without Borders. It was here I learned more about global issues and social justice, and through our work raising money for various Free The Children campaigns, we were given tickets to participate in We Day. It was here that I really found the passion I needed, and I desperately wanted to go on a youth volunteer trip. So, two years prior to my Ecuador trip, I signed up and began fundraising.”
Initially, her family had concerns about her going to Ecuador, but they were assured that the students would be supervised and kept safe.
After much fundraising—bake sales, yard sales, silent auction and spaghetti dinners— Alex and Alys, high school students from Waterloo-Oxford District Secondary School in Ontario, had finally raised the money they needed. And I might add, they had great support of family, church and community to raise such funds.
Finally, with all the orientation behind them, essential vaccinations and careful packing, Alex and Alys were off to Ecuador. The students who went on the trip would help to build a school, and dig a trench for a water system for a community. They would also have an opportunity to see the Amazon.
And this is the story Alex brought to St. Philip Lutheran recently about her mission trip to Ecaudor. She brought passion and enthusiasm, many pictures and stories. She had our attention.
Alex and Alys, among a large group of youth aged 12 to 21, arrived in Quito this past summer. They took a little time for orientation in their new surroundings, including getting used to the altitude.
Painting of roof tiles
It’s all in the words we use
What have you said or done today that will make a difference for someone? Watch this:
It’s our democracy– go and vote!
Sure, we didn’t want an election again so soon, but since party leaders have acted, the process is in motion. We may be dissatisfied with what’s happening, but we can do something about it. We can vote.
Don’t know who to vote for or what questions to ask? Ask candidates about their positions on such things as poverty, climate, a right relationship with indigenous peoples, nuclear disarmament, or restorative justice. These questions may make them stop and think, but that’s okay.
Our national church, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada ( ELCIC), has put out a resource, not to tell us how to vote, but to help us ask important questions of candidates running for office. The 4-page resource covers the above topics and other social justice issues. I picked up a copy at my church, but it’s also available online for anyone’s use. Go here.
You can also check Vote Compass to see which party you lean toward.
It’s a right, privilege, and responsibility to choose our leaders. Some die for that right. We can vote, so please do your research, show up at the polls and vote!
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