Hello Faith Pals
I trust you are all well, soldiering on during these chilly nights, crisp mornings and glorious sun shine!
I was attempting to tidy up some papers last evening. I always think it will be a quicker task than it actually is! From one box, a poem fell out. Seems appropriate to copy it, due to what is happening in the world regarding race relations. I don’t know about you, but I had mixed reactions to Saturday’s protest. I don’t have a problem with the wish to protest (and if conditions were better, there would be no reason to protest)-but I did have reservations regarding the timing. We follow a Saviour who reminds us that all lives matter. I hope that those who went to the protest do not become infected by covid-19. I hope they self-isolate for 14 days, to be on the safe side, protecting themselves and the wider community. I also think that if the protest had been scheduled for a later date (ie when we were covid -19 safe) then more people would have gone to the protest, groups (including church groups) would have been organized to attend etc. I am not downplaying the horrendous conditions First Peoples’ have experienced-there is no excuse for being treated as second class citizens, and we need to examine and change what happens in police custody, here in Australia, as well as in other places in the world. We feel for George Floyd’s family-how could we not? Anyway, here is the poem, which was written by an African child and reportedly nominated by the United Nations as the Best Poem of 2006:
‘Are you calling me coloured?
When I was born, I black.
When I grow up, I black.
When I go in sun, I black.
When I scared, I black.
When I sick, I black.
And when I die, I black.
And you white people.
When you born, you pink.
When you grow up, you white.
When you go in sun, you red.
When you cold, you blue.
When you scared, you yellow.
When you sick, you green.
And when you die, you grey.
And you calling me coloured??’
On a different note, last time I mentioned the film/book Heaven is for Real. Maggie has sent me the youtube details if you want to watch the film:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9x9lROBr2xQ&pbjreload=101
‘If we could read the secret history of our enemies, we should find in each man’s life sorrow and suffering enough to disarm all hostility.’
-Longfellow.
This quote reminds me of one of my favorite ones, a North American First Peoples’ one:
‘Never judge another until you have walked a full moon in his moccasins.’
We never know what has happened in someone else’s life to make them the way they are. Sometimes it is because they have not felt loved, valued.
We are ‘to love one another.’
Finally, something to make you laugh. I was told we are not having enough fun these days.
This one came from my previous congregation.
‘On board a ship, a magiciangives a nightly performance with all sorts of magic tricks. High on a shelf at the back of the room is a parrot that interrupts each performance by calling out, ” Faker, fraud, I know how you do it.” The magician is not amused. One day, there is an explosion and the ship is blown to pieces. There are two survivors: the magician and the parrot together on a life-raft. For three days they sit in silence and stare at each other. Finally the parrot says, ” All right, you win. I give up. What have you done with the ship?” Blessings and love to you all, Barbara
