Posts from October 2024

Standing in Awe of the Poor“Here is what we seek: a compassion that can stand in awe at what the poor have to carry rather than stand in judgment at how they carry it.” Father Gregory Boyle. All of us in the Vision Team have been deeply moved and impacted by the people we are journeying with here in Bangladesh and meeting along the way. In many respects, we have been in awe of them. The Baptist workers who organised our…

I was touched this week by some of the tributes that were given at Gordon Dewar’s funeral, particularly those of his children and grandchildren. I also loved the sense of mystery and trust in God conveyed by this hymn by John Parker, which was also shared at Gordon’s funeral: God holds the key of all unknown,And I am glad;If other hands should hold the key,Or if He trusted it to me,I might be sad. What if tomorrow’s cares were hereWithout its rest?I’d rather…

Mātauranga Māori at Church Ilam has made an effort to include some waiata in the song selections, pounamu was gifted to Hamid and Mohammed and we are slowly getting less clumsy at the Māori version of the benediction. Increasing numbers of organisations and companies are rebranding to have a te reo name and incorporate a relevant whakataukī/proverb to be politically correct. Mātauranga Māori is beautiful and should be prominent in our society. But sometimes the effort to include it is only at…