Wednesday, January 21, 2009

A Historic Day

I am not American, but I am still greatly excited and moved by this moment in History. I am so grateful I got to see this day and witness, if only through the TV, Obama's inauguration.
Although there is a monumental task facing Obama and his new administration, his speeches both on the day he was elected and the day he was sworn in speak of hope. This, to me is one of the most profound things about Obama. Despite all that the US and Obama himself faces, He retains a hope and idealism; an idealism not steeped in denial, but in deep belief and conviction.
I was moved that Obama spoke directly not only to Americans but to the whole world. That he did not shy away from speaking to the difficult issues of Bush's legacy but also openly welcomed a new relationship between the US and the other nations of the world.
Whether people voted for Obama or not, I hope that all will recognise the importance of the new hope that this change can bring. Changes not only to the US, but to the whole globe; to poverty, justice, education, health care, economics and politics worldwide.
I am not a naive idealist. I recognise that Obama will fall short, as all Presidents and administrations are bound to do, but I have a firm belief in the power of hope and faith to be a force to be reckoned with.
I am also reminded today that nothing can change without others enacting this hope as well. One man, with all the vision in the world, is not enough. Those of us, like Obama, who believe in and look forward to real change must move to engage as well.
I look forward to many more historic days to come in the next four to eight years.

Saturday, January 17, 2009

“Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.”

– Martin Luther King Jr.


It is one thing to be passionate about social justice and global issues, to read vigorously about many ideas and think you want to change the world.... a whole other idea to actually move to make a difference. While I am completing a university degree that will give me skills to work in the international development sector, I also need to be consistent about speaking out and acting on the issues that I consider important.
Do I actively tell people about the injustices I know about? Do I critique, analyse and make judgments consistently about what I see, learn and read? Does my lifestyle reflect what I believe about justice, simplicity and the environment? Am I so moved and passionate that I can’t help but be vocal to all I meet about the things that matter? Unfortunately, most of the time the answer is no. Why is that? And why do I find it so hard to be vocal about my faith, when God has made such a difference in my life and the hope I have could change so many lives?
I find it easy to condemn others ignorance and apathy, but the reality is that I am often just as apathetic. In fact, if I have knowledge am I not more responsible to act than those that do not know? My life is so comfortable, I am so blessed, that it is hard to get up and move beyond my comfort.
But I must.
One of my goals for this new year is that I move more and make more noise about the things that matter. I want to live up to the old African proverb that says, ‘when you pray, move your feet.’ I want to do this because I see injustices. I want to do this because there is hope. I want to do this not out of guilt, but because I know I’m blessed. I am grateful for all I have but I want the gratefulness to move me.
So this year I will commit to asking the hard questions of myself and those around me. I will commit to challenging my apathy and lack of passion.
I will commit to doing something!

Sunday, January 4, 2009

Hope

A couple of nights ago I spent a while with a friend discussing the times in our lives when we have wanted to walk away from God and stop believing.

My friend’s life has been far from easy.... so many things have happened in her life that are completely unjust, unfair and potentially soul-destroying. She has so many reasons why no longer believing in God or being a ‘Christian’ seems like a justifiable response.

She is a miracle.

Despite what she has faced, she has within her a faith that is miraculous. She still believes in God, she still trusts him, she is part of a church – a spiritual home, she has found love and partnership in a man to share the rest of her life with. She is broken, but amazingly hopeful.

I, too, have had dark moments in my life where I no longer wanted to believe. There are times when I have been so hopeless, that suicide seemed like the best option. I believed God had abandoned me. And yet the only reason I am alive today is that God intervened. I am a miracle.

While my friend shared with me her irreconcilable pain and difficulties, we wondered aloud how we still had hope, how we still saw beauty in life. Why is it that we still cling to God and his promises, despite our best efforts to run the other way? The answer, it seems: only God.

God, in his infinite love, has mysteriously gifted us with faith and hope. My friend cannot explain it. I cannot explain it. Yet, God is. And we are grateful. Our human minds still cannot understand or fathom some things, we never will this side of heaven, I guess. But the only way for me, and my friend, to live is to hold onto the mystery of God and his love. I can’t explain it, and it will seem illogical to the world, but in the face of pain and injustice I will go on believing in hope and love. I will go on believing because I have seen evidence of God in my friend’s life.... and she truly is a miracle.