Merry Christmas!
The year has slipped by so quickly! November and December are
always busy times because of Mindanao Week of Peace and then Christmas.
Suddenly it's Christmas Eve and I haven't even started my Christmas
greetings yet!
This year, Mindanao Week of Peace started on November 30 with a
Walk for Peace in the morning (see attached photo), and ended on
December 6 with a Prayer Vigil for Peace in the evening. There were
various activities in between and we were pleased that all were well
attended. It seems that every year more and more people are realizing
that the way to achieve peace here in Mindanao is through dialogue
between Muslims and Christians.... most of all the DIALOGUE OF LIFE...
living side-by-side, working together, etc.
Going back a month... Ramadan (the Muslim month of prayer and
fasting) ran from the end of September until the end of October, and
even as we (the Interfaith Forum for Peace Harmony & Solidarity) were
preparing for Mindanao Week of Peace, we visited a couple of mosques at
sundown, when the fast is broken, to bring gifts of fruit for the
Muslims. (See attached photo.)
I'm also still connected with the literacy program for
out-of-school youth and have spent the last week attending parties at
all the different centres... I've become quite the party girl! At one
party I was asked to say a few words, so I asked the children, "What are
we celebrating?" "CHRISTMAS!" was the reply. I asked, "What is
Christmas?" "When Jesus was born!" Then I asked, "And what does Jesus
bring to us?" I'm thinking... PEACE, LOVE, JOY, JUSTICE..... Then,
the smallest kid of all screamed out, "FOOD!!!" And I thought to
myself: Yes, this little boy knows better than all our world leaders
how to achieve peace, love, joy and justice.... it'll only happen when
everyone has enough food. (Attached too are some of the party photos.)
Anyways... I find that it really helps to stop for a moment and try
to look at things through the children's eyes every now and again. I
hope that everyone there has a child or two to help them keep things in
perspective.... and most of all, children to help them get really
excited about Christmas!
Merry Christmas and all the best in the New Year.... 2007... can
you believe it?!?!
Peace, Christine Gebel OLM
No comments:
Post a Comment