The Gift of Peace

43. The Gift of Peace

I have decided that I like the wet season. Yes, it brings slush and mud, slippery roads, paths under water and many roads, especially near the main markets, become quagmires; but the much cooler temperatures, the varied cloud cover, the lack of dust and even the sound of rain on our tin roof bring ebb and flow, light and shade to the pattern of our living. ‘Glory be to God for dappled things’ wrote Hopkins, in admiration and praise of variation and diversity in creation.

At the recent blessing of the local Catholic radio station, after Sunday morning mass, the Apostolic Administrator of this Malakal Diocese, Monsignor Roko Taban, spoke of the diverse tribes of Southern Sudan. ‘There is difference here but be proud of who you are and what tribe you belong to but there is no place for violence. Beauty is not a competition’.

He used the analogy of flowers in a garden. ‘The flowers are greatly varied but they do not need to fight one another. Each can be appreciated for its own beauty. There is no better or worse flower. They are all flowers and we are all people. I am Balanda and proud of being Balanda. You may be Shilluk. Be proud of being Shilluk. God made some of us Bari, some Azande, some Nuer, some Dinka. Be proud of who you are but we are also Sudanese and there should be no violence between us. Some here come from other countries and also live and work peacefully among us’ The approaching referendum (January 2011) is very much in the minds of the Church leaders who are using every possibility to urge continuing peace.

A little earlier, at the end of mass, Monsignor Roko had spoken of the ‘101 Days of Prayer Towards a Peaceful Referendum in Sudan’, the days between the International Day of Peace (Sept. 21) and World Day of Peace, (January 1, 2011). This initiative proposed by Sister Cathy Arata, our Solidarity with Southern Sudan Director of Pastoral Services, is being sponsored by Catholic Relief Services from the USA and endorsed enthusiastically by the Sudan Catholic Bishops’ Conference. Sr Cathy describes the initiation of this campaign of prayer and activities for peace: ‘This will be an important period in which to teach people how to be peace-builders, reinforce the importance of peace in our communities, prepare for the referendum by praying for peace, and deepen one another’s commitment to becoming advocates for peace.’ The Bishops have agreed to promote and implement the campaign in every Sudanese diocese.

7000 posters, written in Arabic and English, are being produced plus a 36 page booklet with prayers and reflections for each of the 14 weeks of the campaign. There is also a prayer card, written in various Sudanese languages as well as English and Arabic, to be used as a special prayer for peace after communion at every mass during the 101 days. The theme of the campaign is ‘Change your heart. Change the world.’

In a country where violence seems to have become ingrained, a change of heart is needed. Many teachers belt the children in class, even secondary school boys and girls (some of whom may be as old as twenty – mature ‘kids’!). Every donkey cart driver seems to belt the poor old donkeys, even if they are already moving quite rapidly. The belting seems to be done more from habit than any need to make the donkeys move. Every day we see many soldiers in uniform and carrying guns. Rifles slung over shoulders are so common they draw no special attention – but every now and again one hears of incidents of drunken soldiers shooting people. Yet for all of this, people live happily here and pray that they will be allowed to continue to do so.

Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote: ‘Peace cannot be achieved through violence, it can only be attained through understanding.’ Any attempt to impose uniformity on Sudan will clearly fail. Understanding, accepting and respecting the obvious differences between the tribes, between north and south, between Christian and Muslim is the only way forward. There is a will in Sudan for peace. As General Eisenhower once said, in another context: ‘I think that people want peace so much that one of these days government had better get out of their way and let them have it.’ - Br Bill

Br Bill in rain attire

Soldiers' camp next to Malakal house

Chickens

Sr Cathy with children

Br Bill with Srs Cathy, Stephanie and Mary Anne

Father Michael Shultheis

Child

Br Dennis relaxing

Br Heldon cooking

Cat in Malakal