The Ridge.     November 2008

Dear Friends,

            Having been into local schools recently with Mary Wood to talk about ‘Making the Desert blossom.’ in Tereli, in Mali West Africa I found the following reflection by Katalina Tahaafe-Williams helpful. Katalina was talking about the question raised in Matthew 22: 34-46,

                        WHO IS MY NEIGHBOUR?

She asks “Might we learn more about God, and grow closer to God through the eyes, lives & experiences of those who are different from us?

Is it not possible that we might experience more of God’s glorious, wondrous, mystifying nature through sharing, encountering, being with others through learning about and understanding those who we do not normally interact with in our daily lives?

If this is so, then all are neighbours to each other.

Not just those who live next door, not just those who look like me but all humanity.”

            The children & staff in Burley Oaks School & Burley with Woodhead School were very attentive as Mary constructed a miniature garden which demonstrated the resourcefulness & resolve of the people of the Dogon region. We all felt inspired by their example. We were all glad to see how the Burely-Tereli  friendship demonstrated that we have needs in common, schools in common, gardens in common, life in common so surely we are neighbours & surely we should care about each other. 

            William Barclay said “Loving our neighbours is the outcome of loving God. The Biblical teaching is not that man is a collection of chemical elements, not that we are part of brute creation , but that we are made in the image of God

( Genesis 1:26,27). It is for that reason that we are lovable.” He says, “The true basis of all democracy is the love of God.”

Almighty God

You taught us that loving you & not our neighbour

Remains a barren & empty emotion.

You taught us that loving our neighbour and not you,

Remains a form of vanity & self indulgence.

Teach us your idea of neighbour.

Help us to understand that ‘neighbour’ resides in all your creation.

Give us the courage to risk being open to other’s values & experiences.

Show us your way that honours & respects all neighbours.

Bless us with your love

That we  may love our neighbours as ourselves.  Amen

            Best wishes    Mirella Moxon

Quotations from A chair pulled in the place of prayer

The Prayer Handbook 2008 Granary URC

The Gospel of Matthew. William Barclay  St Andrew Press.

Katalina Tahaafe-Williams was Secretary for Racial Justice & Multi-Cultural Ministry. URC. She is a Member of the Uniting Church in Australia.