The road is not finished yet

Week 2 of our holy::ground online Lent retreat, using Brian McLaren's book: ‘we make the road by walking. Chapter 28: A New Path to Aliveness, based on Matthew 5:17-48 about Jesus not abolishing but fulfilling the Law and prophets.  I was struck by one image ....

If tradition could be compared to a road that began in the distant past and continues to the present, Jesus dares to propose that the road is not finished yet. To extend the road of tradition into the future – to fulfil its potential – we must first look back to discern its general direction. Then informed by the past, we must look forward and dare to step beyond where the road currently ends, venturing off the map, so to speak, into new territory. To stop where the road of tradition currently ends, Jesus realises, would actually end the adventure and bring the  tradition to a standstill. So faithfulness doesn’t simply allow us to extend the tradition and seek to fulfil its unexplored potential; it requires us to do so   (p163)

I have been on a fairly long journey this past week. Sunday Flight from London to Manila, via Singapore.  Then Monday a flight to Roxas in the north of Panay Island (Western Visayas) Then on Wednesday, a  6 hour journey in a van to Cataclan   the North West tip to catch a Catamarang to Boracay where we held our three day Tearfund workshop at the Eco Village Conference Centre near Puka Beach  in the north of the island.

On Saturday afternoon we went back to Tambisaan Jetty and a boat to Caticlan.   We then embarked on a 8 hour van journey to Iloilo City,  where we stayed overnight  and continued on Sunday morning to the Port to catch a FastBoat to Bacolod and then a van to Cadiz  in the North of Negros Occidental. (arriving about 4pm). I took a number of (instagram) pictures on the journey and have been meditating on them in relation to the passage.  

PICTURE ONE: St Catherine's Church, Mambusao  

 On the road from Cataclan to Iloilo, we stopped at a small town called  Mambusao and I had a brief reflective moment walking around the Town Square and standing outside St Catherine’s church. The cement was decomposing, the paintwork peeling, but the most heavenly music was coming from within, behind closed doors  …. elusive  hymns at twilight  

Maybe the church symbolises the traditional institutional approach to religion – outwardly strong, steadfast certain    but as you approach you realise it is crumbling and inaccessible. Moral certainly and a universalising theology looks initially attractive and clear, providing solid certainty in an unstable world. And it has an other worldly sound to it   But the walls are crumbling and the future uncertain….. and the doors are locked to strangers. Life seems to be happening in the Town square 

And the road goes on to new places and new experiences….. 

PICTURE TWO:  Boat on the Sibuyan Sea

I had another reflective moment on the fast boat to Bocalad. On the waters of the Sibuyan Sea  where everything was more fluid, unstable and fast-paced.  You can watch a clip on Facebook here  

Morality does seem to be changing so rapidly and feels unstable. My colleague was sitting inside the boat feeling nauseous in the choppy seas. Faith and certainly seem to be at sea in a postmodern world. Morality is more fluid, more liquid. Remember Don Cuppit’s  ‘Sea of Faith’ ?    or some would suggest that it’s more ‘faith at sea’ these days…. It's certainly more liquid...

PICTURE THREE: Motor Tricycles in Cadiz  

Traveling in a small Tricycle a colourful motorised motorcycle and sidecar in Cadiz.  They carry visible signs of faith   ‘God Is great’  Jesus is Lord, ‘Trust in God’  ‘God will provide’ …..  bumper sticker theology.

But I like these local, contextual, colourful forms of transport – each region has their own like the local Jeepneys…. Converted from jeeps after WW2, they make for an exhilarating ride.

I’ve been reading a book as I travel on Contextual Theology by Clemens Sedmak  Doing Local theology: a Guide for Artisans of a New Humanity (MaryKnoll, 2002) 

All good theology is contextual:   Theology is done locally. In order to be honest to the local circumstances theology has to be done as local theology, as theology that takes the particular situation seriously. Local theology can be done with basic theological means. It can be done by the people, and it is done with the people.’   (p3)

Very little theology is universal and good theology demands local application. It goes beyond book knowledge  and is based on real, every day experience.  

That makes theology local, colourful adventurous. It lives in the vernacular,  like  ‘treasures in earthen vessels’  always based on the somewhere we are living and embedded in the here and now.

PICTURE FOUR:  eating Balut in Cadiz

In holy::ground we do what we call kitchen table theology, where we discuss scripture around the table.  Anyone can contribute. This is part of  'extending the road of tradition into the future'.  Sedmak talks about the need for ‘little theologies’ (not just 'bumper sticker' theology) and describes a model of local theologian as 'village cook'.   Doing local theology is like cooking with local ingredients. In Cadiz we were invited to try the local delicacy in the market where the locals eat Balut - steamed Duck Embryo – I decided to give it a miss…….. not all local theology can be stomached by outsiders.  

a new kind of hero

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Jesus ….turned our normal status ladder and social pyramids upside down. He advocates an identity characterised by solidarity, sensitivity and non-violence. He celebrates those who long for justice, embody compassion and manifest integrity and non-duplicity. He creates a new kind of hero, not warriors, corporate executives or politicians, but brave and determined activists for pre-emptive peace, willing to suffer within the prophetic tradition of justice (Brian McLaren  We make the road by walking p 158-159)   

Today I met some of these heroes as we been visiting the Tearfund team in Roxas, Philippines

The team was set up in the wake of  super Typhoon Haiyan (the local name is Yolanda)  which cut a path across eastern and central Philippines on Nov. 8, with some of fastest wind speeds on record. It killed or left missing more than 5,000 people and displaced an estimated four million. A major international relief mission helped survivors, many of whom would remain dependent on aid for months….

Now a year on we were meeting the team of Community Enablers, the ‘foot soldiers’ of Tearfund's disaster response team, who present the rebuilding  programme  to the community ,  and help identify the neediest. They do lots of technical project management stuff to do with base surveys and validation  and implementation and monitoring and evaluation. They keep an eye on the quality and quantity of the work.  

Mixing ‘professional excellence’ with ‘spiritual passion’, they are the hands of the Tearfund team, the relational bridge between ‘donor’ and ‘beneficiaries’.      

They listen to the stories of devastation and heartbreak and turn them into slow painful action to rebuild what has been broken. They are nearly all women. ‘We are good listeners’, says Ann one of the more experienced Community Enablers ….‘and sometime good advisers’

A team of 10 who go out in pairs as good news bringers to each sector or ‘Barongai’ where Tearfund has decided to work (a bit like the short term mission in Luke 10).  ‘Following Jesus where the need is greatest’ 

They are helping to reconstruct CORE housing  -   270 houses in total. We saw a half dozen buildings in various stages of construction and met some of the beneficiaries and their family members who were helping the construction.  It’s a team effort 

These community enablers, what Paulo Freire called ‘animateurs’ or informal educators and social activists,  are indeed ‘living boldly and freely in this new identity as salt and light’ (McLaren p159)

 photos by Patrick Goh

CMS website

Some of the goodies available on the CMS website with Asia links to them. No Particular order. Follow the links.  

 

SONG  We give to you

Six CMS people got together to create a new worship song - this is the result. And its to support Jigsaw in the Philippines 

 

Local heroes of Asian mission

In India, a recent gathering of remarkable people in mission showed the way forward for mission in Asia, says Helen Harwood's article on the Pune conference in India .

Issue 43 - July 2009 - South India

In this edition of Audiomission Jeremy Woodham talks to the Reverend Moses Jayakumar, the general secretary of the Church of South India and mission partners Hugh & Debbie Skeil tell us about their work at the Christian Medical College and Hospital in Vellore,

  

There is a photostream in Flikr from CMS people  Lots of pics from Becky and Shemila in Sri Lanka  Plus the IDP crisis there and some fiundraising events   

    Bangalore Interviews

A 5min video.  Find out more about a CMS Short term team that went to Bangaloret from the Centre for Youth Ministry Students ...

 CMS - Praxis - Philippines Experience

Jigsaw Kids Ministries - The work of CMS mission partners Kate and Tim Lee (9mins)

And some Photos Stories 

ART   He Qi: art of mission 

Watch the development of renowned artist He Qi's (CMS Artist in residence in 2008)  large-scale commission for CMS: 'The Mission of God

EMERGENCY  China earthquake: love in action

Chinese Christians responding to disaster with ActionLove, the social development arm of Asian Outreach, a CMS partner

And Finally some Misison Opportunities 

Mission Service opportunities:   Teachers – various subjects

Nepal, Asia, required as soon as possible
Region: Asia, Role: Education, Time commitment: 1-2 years, Time commitment: 5 years +, Country: Nepal

MISSION TRIPS   Short term team opportunities 2009...

We give to You - downloadable

Patrick, a colleague of mine has helped to launch a new song - 'we give to you'  in aid of a CMS Project in Philippines - Jigsaw Ministries 

The Story Behind the Song: 

A little over a year ago a group of us decided to combine our love of music and our passion for mission and create a worship song. Stephen Sim from Singapore wrote the melody and the rest of us recorded our parts individually, just on our computers at home; then we mailed or emailed the tracks to each other and mixed them. We’re really happy with the result and we hope you will be, too.

For a small donation (£1 recommended) you can download the mp3 and score of “We Give to You.” All proceeds will go to Jigsaw Kids Ministries in the Philippines, which aims to share the love of Jesus with Manila’s thousands of homeless children.

Please send this link to your friends: www.cms-uk.org/song
The more downloads (and donations) we get, the longer we can keep this worthwhile project going.

Patrick 

Asia Stories November 2008

Holy Land: Living Stones      

The Holy Land Trip was a very great success, the group had the chance to hear lectures about End Time Theology, Reconciliation, History of the Conflict and meet with Israeli human rights activist. Their trip to Hebron was the biggest highlight and meeting Parliament member from Hamas and Fatah was of a great advantage as they asked many questions. The last day, we met a group of Messianic Jewish Soldiers who talked about their experiences, hopes, fear and passion. Over all the group was very satisfied, happy and encouraged to see that there is hope in the Holy Land. All of the did urge us to make similar trips so that people can get a taste of the reality and meet the living stones.

Painting Magi in Bethlehem  

Even the elusive Banksy sought out the Palestinian artists who helped Frederica Venn to repaint a mural of the Magi in Bethlehem. Have you heard the one about the Englishwoman, a couple of Palestinians, Banksy and the three Easterners? No, neither had we.

Artist and former CMS 'Make a difference' volunteer Frederica paints us a picture………..
For more on this story see CMS website

AFGHANISTAN – Aid worker killed

Gayle Williams, 34 SouthAfrican /UK citizen working with SERVE, among disabled Afghans. Shot in Kabul whilst walking to work by 2 men on a motorbike Sun 19 Oct 2008. A member of Hillsong London and well known to 2 members of CMS staff, Nicole and Zoe, who appeared on BBC TV to give a very moving interview about her.

Cyd Mizell, a 49 year old American woman was kidnapped from a residential neighborhood as she was on her way to work in Kandahar, Afghanistan on Jan 26th 2008. She worked with Asian Rural Life Foundation. From Southwestern Baptist Church, Texas. Still missing (presumed killed?)

‘About 30 aid workers, including Afghans and foreigners, were killed and 92 abducted across Afghanistan from January to September 2008, according to a separate report Ban Ki-moon presented to the Security Council on the situation in Afghanistan on 23 September’. Irin News 

Philippines: ‘world to rights’ Manilla tour  

Sept visit to  Tim and Kate of Jigsaw Kids ministry


The privilege of working here with Jigsaw means we not only get to travel to these areas but we are welcomed by the local people and join in with their lives. We started by visiting one project in a squatter dwelling (Shanty town area). 

The building was bustling with 50 or 60 toddlers playing with toys scattered everywhere. I imagined Zara my daughter being there, she would have loved it. The group was run by a team of about 6 Jigsaw workers, themselves from the squatter area. After open play the children were led in circle games and sang Christian songs with actions. Everyone was then seated on the floor and a white sheet appeared held by two helpers across the room. We were suddenly the audience of a puppet show. The children absolutely loved it and so did Mike and I.                      (Extract from the Dave's BLOG)

PAKISTAN: Waking up to Quetta quake

Quake victims 2 in a bed in Quetta Hospital

With the death toll now at 200 and 15,000 made homeless, local Christians and CMS partners are already responding to the Balochistan earthquake. The shaking in the Quetta home of Joan and Nigel at four o’clock and again at five o’clock in the morning was a bit disconcerting. But, mindful of the stories of an earthquake in 1935 – that killed over 30,000 people in the city but spared the Christian hospital where the Bulls are based – they went about their business. Later they heard that the earth tremors were the effects of a major earthquake just 34 miles away. The hospital decided to send a first response medical team to the Ziarat area and Dr Ron, veteran of working in the region, went with them. CMS was quickly checking on the situation and a grant of £10,000 has been sent to Quetta Christian hospital to cover initial costs.

MONGOLIA: Alternative Medicine Encounter 

 

a good listening ear !

Rev. Park, a Korean methodist pastor who has been serving Children Fellowship in Ulaan baatar for 13 years, lead our team with intensive schedule. Ram from Nepal, Mehgan and Catherine from Korea led by Rev. Simon, visited Mongolia from 25th Sept to 2nd October.  Cooperation between peoples in UB is regarded as a model case. Koreans form a big group, and others are mainly included in an umbrella organanisation: Joint Christian Service International. 

JCS shares the office and resources to reduce duplication of facilities and investments involved in project work. Alternative medicine proved to attract both young and aged people in local parish and outback region. The team heard not a few positive echoes from them. This service formed a room for intimate communication including diagnosis, recipe, care of health. According to the exploration during this trip, the service could be continued with confidence.

Stories from the web August 08

  Gruesome violence hits Orissa again
Deadly attacks on Indian Christians follow the murder of a right wing Hindu leader though police say Maoists to blame

29th August 08   Read More

  Eyewitness: Georgia
Just three days after Russian tanks rolled into Georgia, one CMS partner was heading into the conflict zone: Merab of Zarebi, an Orthodox humanitarian charity. He reports here in his own words the frustration and fear of the Georgian people and his own personal view of the situation       29th August 08   Read More 

   The human face of Jigsaw

Mind-numbing statistics about children living and working in the Philippines are a powerful catalyst for Kate and Tim's caring work there.

5th August 08  Read More

   “You build hearts and souls”

The Chinese government’s top earthquake relief official is thrilled with the response of CMS partners Asian Outreach and their social arm ActionLove. David Wang, former president of Asian Outreach, visited him at his Beijing HQ.     1st August 08  Read More