by David Evans
“Charity [love] never faileth,” the Apostle Paul writes, after noting that it also “beareth all things” ( I Cor. 13:7,8 ).
“Fine,” you say, “but a bridge in Minneapolis didn’t bear all things any longer. It failed. Dozens of people and their vehicles plummeted into the Mississippi River. What’s Love never failing got to do with that?” (more…)
by Evan Mehlenbacher
I’ve been troubled by the on-going war in Iraq with no apparent end in sight.
Most every day the front page of my local newspaper highlights more deaths in the war zone. Soldiers fight and are attacked, suicide bombers are committing mass murders in public places, guerilla warfare rages uncontrolled, and hundreds of thousands of refugees are fleeing the cities with their families to seek safety in remote regions of their country. The human carnage and displacement of children, mothers, fathers, and neighbors is seriously heart rending.
I don’t have a brother or sister enlisted, but I know of many families with children and relatives in the Mid-East fighting this war. My heart goes out to every one of them, regardless of what side they are fighting on.
There has to be a better way to resolve conflict in this world than through killing and war! My heart knows this is true.
So what can we do to prevent wars? (more…)
Just last night I finished writing a thirty-page paper on Islam and how it’s lived in Diego Suarez. Besides the plethora of ‘Diego-Suarez’s,’ ‘Qur’ans’ and ‘Muslims,’ the next most common words were ‘harmony’ and ‘peace.’ This project’s theme was overwhelmingly about harmony. My last three weeks were spent taking notes on harmony. Harmony, harmony, everything was about harmony. “And there has never been any conflicts between your mixed religious student population?” No, never. “Why is it so peaceful here between Muslims, Christians, and traditional religion believers?” People looked at me like I was crazy. One guy’s answer was a correction of my question: “Peace is not constructed. It’s automatic. It will continue until the end of the world.” (more…)
Three weeks ago I flew into Diego Suarez, the fourth largest city in the fourth poorest country in the world. My mission? To learn about Islam. We had one month to complete our independent study projects - mine was spent interviewing the primarily Muslim-dominated community, taking photos for the photo essay portion of it, reading the Qur’an, and becoming fast friends with a Muslim girl named Laho that I had met on the second day. Why Islam? Because I knew hardly anything about it, probably much like you right now. (more…)
So, most of the pictures I’ve taken here have been of scenery. In fact, if you go through all my photos you might think I was visiting ghost towns - I guess I just have difficulties taking “people” shots. The people though, the wonderful people I meet here every day, are by far the most beautiful part of my experience here. One thing about being in Tibet is that people actually smile back when you look them in the eye - something that’s broken a big stereotype that I’ve always had of China.
By Julie Furbush
“Ça va être en anglais, est plus lente, c’est d’accord?”
I warn the family. It was going to be in English and would in no way reach the supreme speed at which the graces before Malagasy dinners were usually said - a blur of manas and kos and a final confident Amen. Annie my host mother winks, closes her eyes, and clasps her hands in prayer, waiting for my turn to provide the grace. I begin, Our Father, which art in heaven. Hallowed be his name, and smile. Loving this prayer and the given chance to share it, at the same time giddy at how the seven bowed heads around me were silent, giving me space. The air, the time before spoons went clunking, was mine. I was the only one who knew what I was saying - I was the only person there who spoke English - and I continued. (more…)
