It takes a village…

You’ve no doubt heard the phrase, “it takes a village to raise a child.” The idea of course is that building a safe and positive environment for our children to grow up in is everyone’s work. 

Several years ago, when our policy was to remove children from First Nations communities so they could be “properly educated” the devastating effect it had on the children who were forcibly taken from their villages, and the residual effect on communities without children made for one of the darkest times in our nation’s history. Without children to give their lives purpose and joy, parents turned to abusive substitutes. Children came home (or didn’t) unable to communicate the trauma they suffered, and grandparents were left without a hope for the future. There had to have been a better way. One lesson we’ve learned though is that it takes a child to build a village. 

In September, we were shaken awake to the trauma suffered by millions of refugees crossing dangerous waters to flee war torn countries. The turning point for many was the image of a lifeless body dressed in red and blue, spit out by the relentless ocean that had taken his life. While we might like to blame the ocean, we became unable to ignore the fact that millions were on the run, seeking safely, searching for home and praying they might have a safe place to raise their children again, and our complacency in it. 
Preachers everywhere were reminded of the call of Jesus to love our neighbours as ourselves. Many countries responded with generosity. A colleague in a little town in Germany writes, “We have already around 250 refugees in Feuerbach. In Stuttgart there are about 10 000. By December we will have around 1000 refugees in Feuerbach, so my ministry will change into a ministry for refugees.” 

In Pictou County, CAIRN was born by Pictou United Church, and Pictou County Safe Refuge began with Trinity United Church. Both initiatives have drawn deeply on the enthusiasm and support from the wider community. Finally, there is a reason to work together to make lives better. Naturally, the lives of the select few families who will end up in our towns will be safe and free from war, and there will be the option for new life. More than that though is the opportunity for our communities to rally around the children, to give us purpose and joy and to invite us into an alternative to war.  

The call for disciples to embrace the neighbour is a call for social action. It is a call to live what we believe and respond as refugees hope and pray that we will. It’s pretty clear that we will not look back on this time with regret, rather, with pride. Of course it is not enough, but it is something. What an opportunity for transforming our own lives! 

A faith for today invites action directed toward the needs of today. I give thanks for the generosity and purpose people are experiencing through this chapter in our county’s history and as minister of Trinity United Church, I am proud.