Dear Friends,
We reach out to each of you with prayer as you face the current crisis and all of its implications for your families and communities. In this time we are all forced to set aside our plans and focus on staying healthy, caring for our communities, and reaching out creatively in solidarity. We pray that God will give each of you peace and strength as you do so.
As you are aware, as INFEMIT, we had plans for a significant event this year: the Stott-Bediako Forum on “Peace Building and Conflict Transformation from a Lens of Postcolonialism and Indigenous Christianity.” Given the current global scene, we have have determined not to hold this event in September in Lima as originally planned, but rather to look for other alternatives. We will keep you up-to-date on further information as soon as we have it. To all of you who were planning on contributing to and attending this event, we thank you, and we request that you please be attentive to your email to find out about alternative dates and other opportunities to reflect and respond to this important topic together.
COVID-19 Resources, Prayers, and Community
As International Fellowship for Mission as Transformation, we have the privilege to hear from people around the world as they experience this crisis and respond by showing creative solidarity to the vulnerable in their communities. We will do our best to share information and stories that can challenge and inspire as we all seek to journey through this crisis with grace and generosity.
Prayer for a Pandemic – Cameron Bellm
May we who are merely inconvenienced
remember those whose lives are at stake.
May we who have no risk factors
remember those most vulnerable.
May we who have the luxury of working from home
remember those who must choose between preserving their health or making their rent.
May we who have the flexibility to care for our children when their schools close
remember those who have no options.
May we who have to cancel our trips
remember those that have no safe place to go.
May we who are losing our margin money in the tumult of the economic market
remember those who have no margin at all.
May we who settle in for a quarantine at home
remember those who have no home.
As fear grips our world,
let us choose love.
During this time when we cannot physically wrap our arms around each other,
let us yet find ways to be the loving embrace of God to our neighbors.
Amen.
The Neighbor Song – Tracy Howe
When physical proximity is limited, we can still celebrate life and love with this song, composed by INFEMIT friend, Tracy Howe. Sing it in your family, out your window, off your balcony, down the gully, up the skyscraper, into your device, through the airwaves. Let not fear imprison us! Let’s sing! Find the song here.
Let The Earth Keep Silence part 1– Dr. Melba Maggay
Dr. Melba Maggay from the Institute for Studies in Asian Church and Culture shared a short video reflecting on the question: What is the meaning of this virus that has put a stop to all our activities? In particular, what is the Lord saying to us as a church at this time? Watch here.
We pray that you and your communities may be strengthened and may reach out in solidarity during this time.
– INFEMIT
