Mission and Ecumenical

Methodist Mission and Ecumenical

Newsletter April 2011 Secretary: John Roberts, 22a Penney Avenue, Mt Roskill, Auckland 1041 Phone 09-6266130 Fax: 09-6266137 E-mail [email protected] Water the source of life A Biblical reflection by the Rev. Dr Priscille Djomhoue, Cameroon. Water is the source and powerhouse of life. money to buy water from their neighbours. This Without it the earth would be an arid desert, where situation makes them vulnerable when an urgent life would be impossible because of famine and need for water arises. In September 2009 in drought. Even though we know that it can be the Yaoundé, in an area called Mendong, two young cause of death (through floods, drowning and girls under the age of 12 were regularly sexually water-borne diseases), water is generally seen and abused by the man in charge of the well where appreciated for the advantages and benefits that it they often had to go to fetch water for their brings to the life of living beings. mothers. The police took up the matter, but it was Water is essential for life. We use it for washing too late. The physical and psychological damage ourselves, cleaning our homes, drinking, cooking, done to them was immense. washing up, washing our clothes, and so on. The story of Rebekah (Gen, 24:1-27) describes a However, in Africa, and in many developing situation similar to that in the rural areas of Africa. countries, not everyone has access to drinking In the course of fetching water from remote wells, water. In towns and in rural areas water is worth Rebekah meets Abraham’s servants, who had its weight in gold. People often have to travel long come in search of a wife for Abraham’s son. This distances to find a supply of water in a river or a episode shows how very vulnerable Rebekah was spring, and then carry it on their heads or their when she was approached by those unknown men backs, exposing them to the risks of malformation who were going to take a decision that was going of the spine or other back troubles. In many town to affect her future life. Would that generally be areas, as is often the case in Cameroon, water has unthinkable in today’s world? No! That is the to be bought from a neighbour who has been able situation in several African countries, where to have a well dug or who has mains water. That is women and girls are openly approached in this not a new situation, since in the Bible, water was way. They have to walk for kilometres along often such a scarce commodity that mention is lonely roads and across remote terrain to fetch made of people paying for it (Num. 20:17-19; water and they are often harassed or raped by men Lam. 5:4). who lie in wait for them in places where there are Sadly, the laborious task of fetching water for the few passers-by. That shows how immensely home in Africa falls to girls and women – as was vulnerable these women are, even though these the case in the Bible (Gen 24:11-19; Exod. 2:16- encounters might equally well have a positive 17; John 4:7). The text of Exodus 2: 15b-22 tells outcome, as was the case with Rebekah. Her the story of seven daughters who were driven situation was the opposite of that experienced by away by unknown shepherds and who had their many women in Africa. She had come as usual to right to draw water from the wells denied them. It fetch water for all her family, but she also did it for was Moses, the foreign Egyptian, who rescued the passing travellers and their camels. “So she them from those who violated their rights. “They quickly emptied her jar into the trough and ran came to draw water, and filled the troughs to water again to the well to draw, and she drew for all his their father’s flock. But some shepherds came and camels” (Gen. 24:20). drove them away. Moses got up and came to their Rebekah's kindness, her service, her humility and defence and watered their flock.” He was modesty were much appreciated and she became subsequently welcomed and given hospitality by Isaac’s wife. That gratitude does not come as a the young women’s father. In Africa, many matter of course. Many wives find that they are women are denied their rights and do not have the shouted at and ill treated, because, after having spent a lot of time fetching water from a distance, thirsty. The water that I will give will become in they have not been able to do all the housework them a spring of water gushing up to eternal life” that their husbands demand. They are torn between (John 4:14). Women should have access to, and having to get the housework done in time and the control of, the resources for production, and have permanent lack of a water supply. In these modern their say on government policies, particularly in days, we need to read again the story of Rebekah the framing of legislation. This would enable them and learn from her visitors, so that we appreciate to work for their problems to be heard and to and value the service given by women to their sweep away those cultural attitudes that conspire families and husbands. to reinforce their difficulties. The voice of Christ The provision of drinking water for all and the challenges men, women, and public authorities to removal of the burden of fetching water are focus on one of the most important priorities for challenges for the whole of humankind. The words life: drinking water for all. of our Lord Jesus, who symbolically offered water The Rev. Dr Priscille Djomhoue is a professor of to the Samaritan woman so that she would no Greek and New Testament at the Protestant longer have to venture forth alone to the well at all University of Central Africa at Yaounde, hours, are a challenge to women and men to claim Cameroon, and is a member of the Circle of more decent living conditions: “Those who drink Concerned African Woman Theologians. of the water that I will give them will never be International Ecumenical Peace Convocation launched From the sound of a new song written specifically of the Decade to Overcome Violence (DOV) for the upcoming International Ecumenical Peace which ended last year. “So now we have reached Convocation (IEPC), to a proclamation that the culmination of the DOV era,” he said, noting Jamaica is the proper place for this peace event, that delegates at the 9th Assembly of the WCC in the IEPC was officially launched at a ceremony in Porto Alegre, Brazil in 2006 called for an Kingston, Jamaica on 15 March organized by the international ecumenical peace convocation as the Jamaican Council of Churches and the Caribbean climax to the DOV to recognise the success and Council of Churches, hosts of the IEPC. failures of the Decade. While the IEPC will The launch, which was attended by Jamaican recognize the work done during the decade to church leaders and media, drew attention to the overcome violence, it is also going to be an IEPC which will be held on the Mona campus of occasion for churches to “renew their commitment the University of West Indies in Kingston, Jamaica to nonviolence, peace and just peace,” he said. from 17 to 25 May this year. In a videotaped message to the group, WCC In brief remarks to the group, Archbishop Donald general secretary Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit Reece of the Roman Catholic Church, president of described the IEPC as a collaborative effort of the the Caribbean Conference of Churches, said he Jamaica Council of Churches and the Caribbean believes that Jamaica is the proper place to have Conference of Churches as well as local churches this convocation. “We do have a setting where we and community groups. He mentioned a variety of can analyse the march from violence to that march events taking place as part of the convocation, toward peace,” he said, referring to a history of including the planting of peace trees, a peace violence in Jamaica and the region that includes Sunday and a peace concert in Kingston. the sins of slavery and indentured servitude. “We A highlight of the launch was the presentation of are not called to experience war and hatred, but we an IEPC theme song titled “Glory to God, Peace are called to experience oneness and peace,” he on Earth,” written by Jamaican musician Grub said. Cooper. In delivering the official launching address, Dr More than 1,000 people from around the world are Mathews George Chunakara, director of the public expected to attend the week-long event. Greg witness programme of the World Council of Hughson, Chaplain at the University of Otago will Churches (WCC) and its Commission of the represent the Methodist Church of New Zealand at Churches in International Affairs, gave an the IEPC. overview of the WCC’s peace work over the decades and how the IEPC is rooted in the context WCC News 16 March 2011