In the 242-year long
history of the United States of America, there have been less than 30
years in her existence without U.S. involvement in a war.
The longest wars were the Indian Wars
(1817-1898). Others lasted just weeks. Some were occupations of
countries in the Caribbean, Latin America and the South Pacific. Others
were fought on what is now U.S. soil. Some are well-known: World Wars I
and II, the Vietnam War and the Korean War. Others we would have to
crack open a textbook to remember. Some are recent like the War in
Afghanistan. Others were responsible for building this nation like the
Revolutionary War.
Today in the U.S., most people have not known a world without war.
We feel the hurricane force winds of war
blowing. As United Methodists, we hear the voices of children and youth
crying, shouting, marching, and singing for the end of violence, killing
and war.
Bana al-Abed was born in 2009 in Aleppo,
Syria. As a 7-year-old she began to write on Twitter of her experiences
in Syria: the fears, the insecurity and the horrors of war. As a
9-year-old she wrote a poignant and unforgettable story of a little girl
trapped in a civil war. After months of bombings, escapes, lost family
members and finally the life-saving decision to leave Syria for Turkey,
Bana writes (with reflections interspersed from her Mother) a book
entitled, "Dear World." It is the account of a child living in Syria in
the midst of violence and war.
When her family moved away from the violence in Aleppo, Bana wrote about her little brother, Noor:
Baba was right: it
was much better. It was almost like the war was over and life was normal
again – though I sometimes forgot what regular life was anymore, it had
been so long. Noor got bigger and started crawling and then walking,
and there were barely any bombs. It was nearly like when I was a baby.
There were still reminders, though. They didn’t fix all the crumbled
buildings, and the water and electricity still came on only two and
three times a week, but I didn’t feel so scared all the time and that
was nice. I thought that maybe Noor would be lucky – maybe he would
never have to know the bombs and bullets and fighting. I didn’t want my
little brother to ever have to feel afraid. He was just a baby.
As United Methodists committed to the pursuit of peace, we look toward Peace with Justice Sunday on May 27.
We can grieve the history and culture of
war that has become so normal. We should listen to and learn from
victims of warlike Bana. And we must never stop keeping, making and
building peace.
One way our Church does this is through
the Peace with Justice offering, which contributes to communities living
and working for peace all-around the world. Half of this offering comes
to Church and Society, and the other half stays in your Annual
Conference to build and enhance peace with justice ministries near you.
There are two ways to give: in your church Sunday morning, or by visiting The United Methodist Church’s page on Peace With Justice Sunday.
May our prayers, our presence, our gifts, our service, and our witness be ever in the pursuit peace.
Susan Henry-Crowe
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