COLOMBIA REFLECTION: Groceries, peacemakers, and war
January 19th, 2008
in:
CPTnet
19 January 2008
COLOMBIA REFLECTION: Groceries, peacemakers, and war
by Irene Erin Kindy
Last week in the Opón river, I chatted with Aurelia* about the ocean, daily life, children and travels. She wondered how much my ticket to Colombia cost. I guessed around $700.00 U.S. She was quiet and then said softly, ''That’s about a year’s worth of groceries for us.'' I was quiet then too. My airplane flight equal to one year's worth of groceries… Within the context of global economic inequality, I can't blithely walk away from that statement, thinking only that I work to confront the horrifying nature of war through the peacemaking work I do here.
The Colombian conflict is increasingly connected to violence birthed by economic desires. The desire for land displaces those who have lived on it and worked it for years in Garzal. Miners in the mountains of the department of Bolivar struggle to continue their small-scale gold mining in the face of death threats, deceptive promises, and a desired take-over by the multinational gold company Anglo Gold Ashanti. Most small farmers wonder if they will be able to sell their products at a gain rather than a loss in order to maintain their lives and livelihoods.
Are we who travel the globe ''making peace'' in this context so blinded by the privileges we have? Minimally, it seems we must ask ourselves whether we have a response to the question framed by the juxtaposition of a year's worth of groceries and a plane ticket. Do we make the best peace this way, ignoring the way our resource use fuels the conflicts we seek to resolve? How do we address that truly uncomfortable reality? Certainly, many people affirm our work, both here in Colombia, and in North America, but in what ways do we imitate the Pharisees saying long prayers and stepping on the rights of the needy? ''They devour widow's houses and for a show make long prayers'' (Matthew 23:14). This scripture says this attitude will not go unpunished. How will it be for us? The Pharisees also thought they were walking in the will of God.
In our desire for peace, may we first look close to home at the ways our small daily choices create a global context that demands conflict, displacement and injustice. Our desire for gold, bio-fuel and cheap beef, to mention only a few, creates direct links to global conflicts we consider far away. May we not ''rest content while lust and greed for gain…wring gold from human pain'' (From the hymn, ''Oh, holy city seen of John''). Then, when we look at the juxtaposition of groceries and peacemaking may we find a response or may we remain with our blessed discomfort.
*Not her real name
19 January 2008
COLOMBIA REFLECTION: Groceries, peacemakers, and war
by Irene Erin Kindy
Last week in the Opón river, I chatted with Aurelia* about the ocean, daily life, children and travels. She wondered how much my ticket to Colombia cost. I guessed around $700.00 U.S. She was quiet and then said softly, ''That’s about a year’s worth of groceries for us.'' I was quiet then too. My airplane flight equal to one year's worth of groceries… Within the context of global economic inequality, I can't blithely walk away from that statement, thinking only that I work to confront the horrifying nature of war through the peacemaking work I do here.
The Colombian conflict is increasingly connected to violence birthed by economic desires. The desire for land displaces those who have lived on it and worked it for years in Garzal. Miners in the mountains of the department of Bolivar struggle to continue their small-scale gold mining in the face of death threats, deceptive promises, and a desired take-over by the multinational gold company Anglo Gold Ashanti. Most small farmers wonder if they will be able to sell their products at a gain rather than a loss in order to maintain their lives and livelihoods.
Are we who travel the globe ''making peace'' in this context so blinded by the privileges we have? Minimally, it seems we must ask ourselves whether we have a response to the question framed by the juxtaposition of a year's worth of groceries and a plane ticket. Do we make the best peace this way, ignoring the way our resource use fuels the conflicts we seek to resolve? How do we address that truly uncomfortable reality? Certainly, many people affirm our work, both here in Colombia, and in North America, but in what ways do we imitate the Pharisees saying long prayers and stepping on the rights of the needy? ''They devour widow's houses and for a show make long prayers'' (Matthew 23:14). This scripture says this attitude will not go unpunished. How will it be for us? The Pharisees also thought they were walking in the will of God.
In our desire for peace, may we first look close to home at the ways our small daily choices create a global context that demands conflict, displacement and injustice. Our desire for gold, bio-fuel and cheap beef, to mention only a few, creates direct links to global conflicts we consider far away. May we not ''rest content while lust and greed for gain…wring gold from human pain'' (From the hymn, ''Oh, holy city seen of John''). Then, when we look at the juxtaposition of groceries and peacemaking may we find a response or may we remain with our blessed discomfort.
*Not her real name