Fly Buy Dubai July 07

Sitting at a riverside cafe ‘The Blue Barjeel’ . Its 33.4 Centigrade according to my newly acquired Casio dual time watch (my imitation Rolex purchased in Islamabad has broken again!) Its 10pm and I’ve just crossed over by Abra water taxi from Al Sabka to Dubai Old Souk on the other side of the Creek.
I’m in Dubai on a stopover from London to Seoul. I had a few hours to kill so I’ve left the airport and have been shopping.

I also love wandering along the Creek (by the two Rolex Towers) looking at the boats - mainly Dhows in various shapes and sizes from Iran India Pakistan, Yemen - with names like MSV Alisha, Araral Balaji, Shere Nasav MSV, Al Hussein. Goods piled high ready for loading - white bales of anonymous materials, used Toyota Cars (also white), Tins of vegetable oil, Cartons of Alsinsa Cola, Boxes of Rocket Batteries. Pandano Cranes and Sumitamo Forklifts parked in readiness for the early morning shift.

Michael Palin travelled on one of these when he made the film travelling ‘Around the world in 80 days’ and Gavin Young in his book ‘Slow Boats to China’ Maybe, just one day.....

It feels good to be back in the region again, drinking or rather sipping Arabic coffee (although the menu surprisingly called it Turkish coffee - especially since the owner is a Syrian from Damascus)
I enjoy just getting out of the Airport and feeling the temperature, walking, talking to people (Urdu gets you a long way in this part of the world especially with Taxi drivers and shopkeepers). I’m tired , thirsty and sweaty. Its noisy, lots of traffic, people walking up and down clutching their plastic shoppers and plastic bottled water. There is a gentle breeze from the water.
A constant stream of people board the Abras crossing over from the Bur Dubai Abra station and occasional bigger Restaurant boats cut across their bows. All brightly lit up, coloured lights painting pastel patterns on the water’s face. At this time of night the water’s as black as the dregs of my Arabic coffee.
On the opposite bank is the St George Hotel, blue neon lights highly visible. Strange that a Saint should be so brazen in this part of the world. Maybe its a sign! He originates from the Levant - I came across him in Lod (currently in Israel) and was shown around one of the many churches dedicated to his name. They insisted he came from there. He is certainly well known in the Middle East.

But the Dragon to be slain here is not made of hide and blood and yet it still hoards gold and all that glitters. Dubai is full of blatant commercialism.. Dubai is one big shopping Mall - an edifice to Mammon. Consumerism gone mad. All bright lights and endless energy. So strange to have a free port in such a Muslim enclave.

The International airport - home to modern dragons made by Airbus and Boeing - reflects this in its slogan: ‘Fly Buy Dubai’

Deep calls to deep APRIL 06

I have just read a paper written by Ben Quash called ‘Deep calls to deep: the practice of Spiritual Reasoning’, which I enjoyed immensely. (the Paper is on the Doha website in pdf form) I read it in the context of having been stimulated by David Ford’s paper at the Fulcrum ‘Gospel in Context’ Day Conference on Friday ( the text is already available online ‘Gospel in Context: Among Many Faiths, by David F Ford www.fulcrum-anglican.org.uk/page.cfm?ID=101)

He presented a vision of interfaith interaction that had a depth I have not yet encountered. Beyond the normal 'tea, samosas and smiles'. I caught a glimpse (an escatological one !?) of the possibilities of a very different place in interfaith engagement.

This in turn was in the context of the interfaith gathering that I attended in Doha , along with Canon Ben Quash and many others. At one level it was the peak of its field - a gathering of a rich variety of people and experiences, but it a context which, when I reflect on it back home, I experienced as stale and in a strange way very secular. This was to do, I feel, with the environment - a modern, luxurious, 5* star hotel, and a mode of operation, based on the scientific conference paradigm. This positioned me as a passive (and exhausted!) listener, rather than a co-locutioner in an ongoing conversation. Obviously it had its moments of surprises and genuine interaction. There we were a lot of ‘real characters’ there. At times some of the under-the- surface-issues also emerged, which was I felt helpful. (conflict and difference is not something to be avoided but welcomed and embraced) And as always these gathering are an opportunity for rich networking. I gathered a good handful of business cards to add to my collection!

It was after all an event hosted by the Qatar Government and was dialogue or ‘trialogue’ ( a new word I learned at the conference!) on a different level - official, diplomatic, politically correct, - and as Ben put it in his paper ‘justified on the basis of a thin and generalised notion of ‘tolerance’. I long for something not quite so ‘thin’, but much ‘thicker’ or deeper.

Hence, in contrast I really liked the idea in the SR papers of the 'tents of meeting' of ‘peoples of the book’, Jews, Christians and Muslims, from their different traditions or ‘houses’, which moves the conversation from the official discourses generated by the institutional ‘Temples’ into more interrogation and mutual struggle. More ‘wrestling’ with texts. But I think I prefer the word dialogue or conversation to ‘debate’. Maybe the concept of debate conjures up for me, images of oppositional, polarised argument (our Houses of Parliament and Law Courts are a prime examples, where seeking after truth does not seem to be on the agenda)

But the concept of SR resonated with my own experience of sitting and talking together in Pakistan, with Muslims, Christians and Hindus (usually all addicted to Heroin – or in various stages of recovery - and hence somewhat neutralised from their religious Temples!) But these were genuinely interfaith ‘trialogues’ - In particular the way they encountered the scriptural text of the story of the prodigal son was deeply moving. They found their own story reflected in the Scriptural story. This was obviously on a very different level from Scriptural Reasoning where religious leaders encountering their own text. It was much more grass roots - more a Scriptural story telling or Scriptural encounter, but when I read of SR it felt ‘strangely familiar’
I’m not sure how much actual ‘reasoning’ there was in our groups of recovering addicts – certainly a lot of reacting / responding and story telling/sharing. And it was very much ‘hosted’ by one ‘house’ - in this case our Christian drug rehabilitation project - although we tried to make it ‘neutral’ ground it did not achieve the level of ‘mutual’ ground.

My Masters thesis, ‘Faith Conversations’, I felt also resonated with what Ben and David have outlined in the SR approach. Well it resonated for me. I would be interested to know if others discover synergies or not ! It also comes from a different starting place. I wrote it for a course in Systemic Management and Consultancy - which is rooted in a systemic, social-contructionist approach, But the common denominator is the concept of ‘interrogation of texts’. In my case ‘stories as text’ generated through a process of ‘faith conversations’ which we engaged in, over a period of about year in CMS.

I always had in mind for these conversations to be fundamentally interfaith, but the starting point was very much intra-faith’, drawing on our own wide network of CMS contacts. This has lead to an ‘in-house’ (ie within the Christian ‘house’) online discussion group called simply ‘faith conversations’, which currently has 75 very interesting and varied members, all of whom are academics and/or practitioners who seek to engage with the ‘house of Islam.’

I myself, am interested in going deeper (‘deep calls to deep’) and would be interested in exploring a SR group in London some time. Apparently one such group meets at St Ethelbergas. It maybe something we could eventually duplicate in Woking to take our own interfaith encounters to a new, deeper level.

London   29 April 06

An earlier Dialogue - Reflections at the end of the Doha Conference

Sitting here towards the end of an official dialogue I am reminded of another favourite Nasruddin story about an earlier dialogue.[1]  

Some 10 centuries ago the Pope declared that all minority faiths should leave Jerusalem. This created uproar among the Muslims. Acknowledging their difficulties the Pope agreed to a religious debate – if the Muslims won they could stay; if they lost they would have to leave Jerusalem
Since their wisest most learned member all backed down, Mullah Nasruddin was selected as their representative. He agreed as long as neither would be allowed to talk – they could only communicate by mime!

The Pope and Nasruddin faced each other. The Pope began by raising 3 fingers; the Mullah looked back at him and raised his middle finger.
The Pope then waived his hand in a circle around his head but Nasruddin pointed to the ground and stomped his feet furiously.
The Pope pulled out a wafer and a glass of wine. The Mullah pulled out an apple from his coat pocket and started biting into it.
At which point the Pope stood up and admitted the Mullah was too good for him and that the Muslims could stay.

Afterwards the cardinals flocked around the Pope to ask what happened
When I held up 3 fingers, he said, to indicate that God is known to us in the Holy Trinity, the Mullah showed one finger to show that there is only one God, common to both religions. Then I waived my hand in the air to indicate that God is all around us everywhere, he pointed to the ground and stamped his feet pointing out that God is also right with us, here and now. Then I took out the elements to indicate the body and blood of Christ, whereby God absolves us from our sins. But the Mullah pulled out an apple suggesting the very fist sin of Adam and by biting into it showed how we are all guilty of sin. I just had to give up. He had an answer for everything I said.

On the other side of town the Muslims had crowded around Nasruddin to find out how he had won this sensational victory. Well, he began; first the Pope told me that the Muslims had three days to get out of Jerusalem. I told him ‘up yours’, Then he told me the entire city would be cleared of Muslims, I told him that we’re staying right here and none of us was leaving this land, which belongs to us too.
Then what happened? they asked ‘Oh nothing, the Pope just took out his lunch, so I took out mine!

*****************************

I suspect there have been a number of such misunderstanding, especially given that so much has to be translated. We talk of having so much in common, but inevitably we interpret even the same words differently according to our culture and understanding (our world view) - especially when it is something so dear to us as our theology. Interestingly there were times when the underlying issues came to the surface – the issue of ‘the Land’ came up many times and there was almost stamping of feet and certainly raised voices. Palestinian voices wanting to be heard by the Jews present.

Lord Hylton, who had called for reciprocity in defending the rights of the other to enjoy freedom of worship, also spoke of being last year in Israel/ Palestine and described it as the ‘most urgent situation in the whole world’. Unless an agreed solution can be found, he suggested they will be in despair and will be motivated to turn into suicide bombers and terrorists.

A Rabbi from the US spoke of his own pain at the situation in Israel ‘No one can love God who does not love his neighbour’, he insisted. Post 9-11 he had been accused in the USA of being an Arab lover. And his response was to say ‘Yes it’s true and its worse than you think - I love people of all colour, of all nations’ He shared a Jewish proverb ‘there’s nothing more whole than a broken human heart’.

In a sense the Nasruddin story is based on a premise of a clash of civilisations, certainly a polemic, confrontational approach – more debate than dialogue.
A Jewish filmmaker, Jacob Bender, talked about a Documentary film project ‘Reason and Revelation’ (reasonrevelation@aol.com ) which looks at the lives and influence of 3 men in medieval Spain: Averroes (the Muslim - ibn Rashid 1126-1198) Malmonides (the Jew - Rambam 1138-1204) and Aquinas eh Christian 1225-1274) This is modelling an alternative to the clash of civilisations more ‘a dialogue of civilisations’ and a modern spirituality – whether Jewish Christian or Muslim – that is compatible with science , reason, tolerance, pluralism, democratic values and human rights’

But it is in sharing food maybe not the Pope’s bread and wine, nor Nasruddin’s apple, but in our case a Lebanese Meze, It is by talking and eating around a table, that we are brought closer together. The Rabbi had earlier talked of the home as a small sanctuary and as the table in the home as an altar The Table becomes a central meeting place.

All the speakers expressed gratitude to the host of our Table – The emir of Qatar Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani who initiated the Conference. It was indeed brave, avant-garde, and groundbreaking to host this type of ‘trialogue' on Muslim soil. The resolutions for the conference are part of what is needed in this part of the world to encourage more openness, less confrontation between the various branches of the Abrahamic Tree. I will certainly be quoting them next month in Kabul.

Hubert Jacques, from the Religious Dialogue Society in Paris, chaired one session and shared another proverb (almost Nasrauddin-like in its simplicity) from Africa:

‘In the jungle when the branches quarrel, the roots embrace each other’

from your own correspondent 
Doha   27 April 06

[1] The Funniest Tales of Mullah Nasruddin selected and retold by Clifford Sawhney (Unicorn, New Delhi 2004)

Conversations and connections April 06

I received 2 comments after what I wrote the other day about the '4th Doha Conference on Religious Dialogue' - one hoping that is 'not just a talk shop' (Bassi) and the other describing the event as 'the red carpet inter-faith scene' (David M)

TALK SHOP

In each of the 2-hour session, there are 6 speakers, all at least 10 minutes each, chaired by a timekeeper who then opens it up for comments (c 2 mins each) from the participants and final summing up from speakers. The speakers are evenly balanced between Muslims, Christians, and Jews - the’3 heavenly religions’ as they are frequently referred to as here.  Timekeeping is an issue. How to cram so much into so little, with a tendency to talk faster, to get it all in. The sessions are conducted in Arabic and English, with occasionally some French. Of course we are hearing it mainly through translation (headphones) and interpreters have such a difficult task.
But so do listeners. It is very tiring hearing such a bombardment of thoughts - with little opportunity to process it all. Note talking is one answer, a way of processing.

The open discussion and questions from the floor, rather than real dialogue, is more an opportunity for others to add their comments. Mini speeches, which add to the density of thought. All in all, 8 hours of solid listening in one day! I have discovered that passive listening is exhausting.

MEETING PLACE

There is a great deal of variety here. A wide array of dress - The uniform Arabic Alb (like Priests wear) complete with turban and prayer beads. Women in Hijab, or scarf covering heads. Various ecclesiastical dress (like a Wimple’s catalogue) - men in black or purple or white. The almost universal western suit. Some wearing the Jewish skullcap.    The people I have met are as varied as the dress. A rabbi from Tel Aviv; a Belgium Muslim Professor Yahya based at the Islamic Centre in Oxford; a Pakistani from Blackburn, chair of the Lancashire Council of Mosques; Takayasu Ogura a Japanese Journalist, who used to be Bureau chief for Cairo; an Egyptian reporter working in Kuwait for Arabic Newsweek. A Greek Orthodox Priest from the Jerusalem Patriarchate looking after the flock in Doha; the Ambassador of Cyprus; three Algerian Muslims living in Geneva Switzerland. Giovanni, a Journalist from Rome working for ‘30Giorni’ / 30 days a monthly Catholic magazine. An Argentinean, middle-eastern Rabbi working in New York. Salahuddin from Sidon in Lebanon working in Leeds. A lovely, gentle Iranian, Dr Tabarraian of the ‘world forum for proximity of Islamic schools of thought’ (How ironic that he is from the so called ‘Axis of evil’)

CMS CONNECTIONS

There are also a number of people I have met before in CMS circles an dfor me conferences are all about meeting people:
Bishop Munir of Egypt - a key CMS partner - with a deep commitment to dialogue with Al Azhar University in Cairo..
Sheik Ibrahim Mogra of the Muslim Council of Britain, who came to Partnership House for the launch of the CMS Dialogue pack
Serhiy Hovorun from Russia (I met him with our regional manager for Eastern Europe - in a restaurant in Moscow. He works with Metropolitan Kiril at the Russian Orthodox Patriarchate.
Metropolitan George Saliba, the Archbishop of Mount Lebanon who I met in Saidanayya, Syria at the feast of the Holy cross on the occasion of he Patriarch’s birthday.
Bishop Sarkassian of the Armenians of Iran - he was on a CMS scholarship at Selly Oak - met in Isfahan, Iran c. 5 years ago on my one and only visit.
Mahmood Ahmad Ghazi is the chair of the Islamic University in Islamabad which hosted the archbishop on his recent visit to Pakistan - his speech (the archbishop’s) to students on the Trinity is available on Lambeth website (ref)
What is most refreshing is hearing Moderate Muslim voices, which normally are not reported in the Western Press. It is also good to see all three Abrahamic faiths together - in the past the dialogue started as a Christian-Muslim one. Now it is more of a ‘tri-alogue’. A Rabbi made the point that if he punched a Mullah on the nose, it would be reported in the press, but if he talks of tolerance and forgiveness and faith working together then it is not newsworthy ‘ No good news makes the headlines

RED CARPET

This is indeed the red carpet of the interfaith scene - a dialogue that is polite, official, tolerant, and diplomatic and politically correct. Tea and smiles, which create an official academic governmental narrative. But real questions are lurking under the surface - proclamation and proselytism, religious persecution, ‘Religious freedom’ conversion, the apostasy issue.
Unfortunately the only opportunities to connect with others are during tea breaks and during meals. Some photos and card sharing. And not enough time to really connect and hear each other’s stories.
There is a lot of agreement on what we have in common - But we need to explore the differences as well. To be challenged by ‘proximate others’ who are like us – people of faith - but also different from us - people of different faiths - For it is in the exploration of the difficult differences that we are able to be the deepest challenge each other. It helps us explore our own blind spots.

I am reminded of one of my favourite Nasruddin Stories:

Asked why it is that in the morning people go off in all different directions. After thinking for a moment Nasruddin replied: ‘if everyone went in the same direction the Earth would lose its balance! ’

from your own corresponent
Doha 26 April 06

The Fourth Doha Conference on Dialogue between Religions 25th – 27th April

I'm sitting in the business lounge on LHR ready for departure. 2 people from Cambridge are travelling with me Dr Ben Quash (also like Tim Dakin of CMS, he is a Canon theologian at Coventry Cathedral) and Catriona Laing who was recently in Iraq for a year. They are both involved in setting up an interfaith centre in Cambridge - under auspices of David Ford who is speaking on ‘the gospel among many faiths’ at the fulcrum conference ‘gospel in context’ on Friday back in London.

 

I've just seen a list of participants at the conference -135 of them from UK, UAE, Turkey, Tunisia, Switzerland, Saudia Arabia, Russia, Palestine, Morocco, Malaysia, Libya Lebanon, Kuwait, Jordan, Japan, Italy, Israel, Iran, Indonesia, India, Germany, France, Egypt, Denmark, Croatia, Bahrain, Algeria, Ukraine, USA. Mainly Muslim and at least 25-30 Christians and about 15 Jews
If you want to see more look  the conference website

They have been down as an archbishop, but don't worry there are 8 others ! I think maybe that is a little confusion around designating Rev (but maybe Rowan should watch his back with all these pretenders around!)

**************************

I’m now in the Ritz-Carlton Hotel, Doha which is airconditioned luxury on the edge of what appears to be a dusty, hazy building-site known as Doha.

About 30 of the delegates are here; the rest are in the ‘Four Seasons’, where the conference is being held.
I have just seen the programme and learned that it starts this evening, not this morning as I had originally been informed. I’ve also just learned of the website with all the details on it – including the previous 3 conference - Archbishop Rowan Williams really was at the Building Bridges Conference in April, 2003   You can read his speach 

The programme seems modelled on a scientific symposium with an introductory session tonight, hosted by H.E. Ahmed Bin Abdulla Al-Mahmoud, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs followed by official dinner. Then 6 sessions over the following day and a half. These cover:

1. Religion and Globalization; Religion and Enhancement of Moral Values;
Values and interest are the base of relations between ‘Ibrahimc Faiths’ (sic)
2. Freedom of Expression and Religious ‘Sacramentals’; Religion Women and Family.
3. Religious Pluralism and respecting the other; peacemaking and Religious Education
4. Religions and Environmental Protection
5. Religions and Civil Rights
6. Religions and Contemporary Scientific Developments

Some interesting typos in the draft programme:
Sir Iqbal Sacrane British Moslems Council and Lord Hilton of House of Lords are here. (no typos there, just names I recognise)
Metropolitan George Saliba Bishop of Orthodox, Surrealism of Mount Lebanon; (maybe a ‘school of painting’ should be Syrian! )
Dr Marwan A’zar Secretary of Pontiff Theological College Holly Spirit University Lebanon (sounds a bit prickly)
Prof Jacob Pender expert of Religions in MIDEST (between highest and lowest?)
Rabbii Krantz Douglas – Religious Man, USA (maybe they only have one religious man in the States)Prof Zagluol Al Najjar Islamic Thinker, Egypt (ditto Egypt)
Prof Jospeh Borraad Dean of College of Theology and Call (a high calling)
Bishop John Broadhurst is down as Bishop of Full Am (reminds me of Narnia

 and the ‘Land of War Drobe’)

But now I have to go. They still think I’m an Archbishop and I have just had a hand delivered letter – from the ‘Permanent Committee for Organising Conferences’ (sounds like an idea of hell to me) - with the seating plan for tonight and they’ve put me on the main stage ! Ooops ! Now where did I put my robes and purple shirt !

from your own correspondent 
25 April 06

‘Hope and fears’ Woking, 25 March 2006

As part of our ongoing dialogue in Woking we had a meeting with a Pakistani Christian, Christopher (a second generation convert) and a English, Muslim convert, Khalil, both sharing about their ‘hopes and fears’ for the future. There were about 40 people in the meeting – all Christian except Khalil. (I wonder where all the Muslims were and why they didn’t choose to come). Since it was the Feast of the Annunciation (25th March), Richard who was hosting and leading the meeting read the story of Christ Jesus, Son of Mary from the Q’ran (3/Imran)

KHALIL’S STORY

Khalil initially ‘found God’ at boarding school through the Gideons. At 18 he was ‘looking for truth and meaning’ and discovered a sense of awe and wonder within nature. His parents were atheists, but he had attended an Anglican Church but had difficulties with both the church and its practices. And so he looked at mysticism, particularly Buddhism and Hinduism. 

He found their severe aestheticism too demanding. At 28 he went to Israel to work on a Kibbutz in Galilee. As he was travelling through Jerusalem, he woke one mor

ning at 5am with a sense of God’s presence. And so he went to the Holy places, seeking sanctity – and ended up at the ‘Sanctuary of the Lord’s Prayer’ at the Mount of Olives.

Mount of Olives  view from inside Dominu Flavit

There Khalil says he prayed, ‘asked God’ and ‘submitted’ to Him and became a Muslim. ‘I found a new direction in my life, focussed on God and prayer. I experienced a definite call as I surrendered my life to God. I discovered a sense of peace and new beginning.’ He prayed for guidance for the next step and as he was leaving the sanctuary an old lady came up to him and simply said ‘come and meet my Sheik’ and she lead then him through the back streets to a house.

They knocked and the man at the door said ‘Yes my beloved what can I do for you?’
‘I need a guide to find the truth’ Khalil replied.The Sheik looked him in the eye and said: ‘Seek and you will find, knock and the door will open’

Khalil returned 3 times to be accepted as a student

 and stayed with the Sheik who had opened the door to him, learning the basics of his new found faith.

Dome of the Rock,  Al-Aqsa,  Golden  Mosque in Jerusalem

The routines he learned that gave expression to his ‘conversion experience’ were the 5 pillars of Islam:

(1) ‘Shahada’ the declaration ‘There is no god but Allah and Mohammad is the messenger of Allah’ containing ‘Tawhid’ (the oneness of God) and ‘Risalah’ (prophethood)
(2) ‘Salat’ compulsory prayer offered 5x a day and ‘learning to prostrate self in prayer’
(3) ‘Sawm’ fasting during Ramadan - one month of privation – nil by mouth from dawn to dusk 
(4) ‘Zakat’ (welfare contribution) literally ‘purification’ – a donation of 2.5% to the poor (from profit) and 20% of what comes out of the ground.
(5) ‘Hajj’ Pilgrimage to the ‘House of Allah’ (Al-Ka’bah) in Makkah, Saudi Arabia, during the month of Dhul Hijjah.

Ramadan started when Khalil was in Jerusalem and so he was able to participate fully right from the start. The belief in One God attracted him – he saw a continuity - he had already accepted the message of Jesus and embraced Islam as a development of that message. ‘Islam is the natural way. It all came very easily to me’ said Khalil. For him it is essentially 2 things:

A) Islam as Peace and surrender – submission to God – alignment to a point of unity and community. Creation is in a state of ‘Islam’ and humans have a free will to choose. The prophets of Old are mentioned in the Q’ran and all referred to as Muslims.

B) Islam as specific religious practices. Revealed 600 AD through the Q’ran which was recited / dictated by the Angel Gibreel to the Prophet Mohammad.

Khalil has only been on the lesser pilgrimage – a hajj to Mecca but not during the holy month. He experienced it as a sense of returning home. Particularly the experience of circling the Kaaba itself - all wearing the same white, ritual clothing, Ihram – a stripping off of self, the ‘I’ and moving together as ‘we’. ‘It was truly awesome. I was becoming a part of the whole’

Haj worshippers circling Kaaba in Mecca

With 1.5 billion Muslim followers, according to Khalil, Islam is an important religion on 4 levels:
• Islam as religious practice -
• Islam as belief /faith - God-consciousness
• Islam as excellence and conscientiousness
• Islam as certainty; ‘gnosis’; knowing

What he fears most is the Saudi influence - Wahabbism (currently c. 2.3% in UK) a severe, puritanical, legalistic and literal interpretation of Islam, which is spreading throughout the world.  This inhibits what he essentially believes in and hopes for - devout Muslims integrating as members of civil society.

QUESTIONS and DISCUSSION 

When asked whether Jihad – Holy War - is the 6th Pillar of Islam. Khalil cited a Hadith and explained the difference between the lesser battle with the sword – an external fight and the greater battle, which is spiritual and internal - the overcoming of self (nafs). This is very similar to the Christian understanding of ‘spiritual warfare’

And on Shariat Law. Klhalil explained that Shariah, the basis of Islamic Law was revealed over 23 years to Mohammad by Gibreel. It was a message for mankind which included guidance about how to live. It is based on both word and actions – Sunna (sayings) and Hadith (traditions)   ‘Shariat is the legal aspect of how a Muslim should live life. It is the path to the source and provides a framework as well as guidance. Its hard edges need to be softened by interpretation’. And maybe British experience of tolerance can help.

‘The Shariat is like the skeleton of the human being, which needs to be fleshed out. But the Spirit is missing. Islam has the skeleton, the structure, the Law: Christianity and its message of Love has the spirit’

REFLECTIONS

I was impressed by Khalil’s openness and moved by his story. I left wondering about his conversion experience - whether he was describing an essentially common experience? And whether the difference is the wrapping chosen to contain and give meaning to the experience. (what would have happened if after the Mount of Olives experience, a Jewish woman had said ‘Come and see my Rabbi’ or an orthodox Christian had said: ‘Come and meet my priest? Would Khalil have found a different container?) Maybe there is yet more common ground to be discovered.

Khalil fears militant, fundamentalist Islam (Wahabiism), which fixes our perception of Islam as a religion of violence rather than a way of submission and also hopes and desires as a Muslim to be an integral part of civil society. Maybe a very English interpretation, but hopes and fears I found myself echoing.

Fundamentalism is at one level a return to the pure expression of faith – the constants of faith which need to be interpreted into our societies’ varying contexts. Not so much a dualism, more a dilemma.

Kunhar Christian Hospital - Gari HabibUllah

The Kunhar Christian Hospital is situated very close to the epicentre. It is the only standing hospital in the area. 5 other hospitals collapsed and the staff fled. Dr Haroon and his staff have continued their work and much more.

Haroon and Miriam were outside when the earthquake hit, she was on the roof and he was on the steps below ‘I thought the second coming had taken place – said Miriam ‘And one on the roof was taken and the other left behind !’ Haroon quipped.

Whilst they have been in the Region for 17 years, more recently, following the death of a mother in childbirth, there has been local opposition, stirred up by the husband. It became quite nasty. However the situation has changed since the earthquake, in that more local people have seen the dedication and experienced the work of the hospital first hand. Dr Haroon has also been able to arrange for new wells to be dug in some of the areas of strongest opposition. Thus blessing those who have persecuted them.



CMS has supported the work over the years through small grants and occasional personnel. Dr Jane Samson a sprightly septuagenarian, Veronica Bhatti a nurse from Scotland and Rachel Smith, another nurse on a medical elective. More recently Bilquis Din, a Pakistani nurse form Coventry, has gone out to help with the earthquake relief.

Since the earthquake, a number of volunteers have been able to support Dr Haroon’s work, albeit short term people, plugging the gap. Dr. Christine, a paediatrician from Germany has been at Kunhar for a year. Dr Jean Orr from Edinburgh, now 82 and a long-time supporter of Kunhar. We met two short-term German nurses. A couple from Canada were helping with administration and keeping email traffic at bay. Pakistani nursing staff seconded from other hospitals in Sialkot. David from Scotland, previously the Murree Christian School carpentry teacher, now working for Brass Tacks in Liverpool has been involved in testing various structures for suitability - the most successful being a prefab building which will be used for nurses accommodation. Brass Tacks flew in a structural engineer who did a report on the damage to the hospital building. He estimates the costs of repair work at £150,000.

The hospital is desperate for other staff, particularly a hospital administrator. Presently administration work is piecemeal. In addition to putting this right a good administrator will make it possible to move the work of Kunhar on to a new stage of ministry with local clinics, well digging and other appropriate outreach.

Dr Haroon too sees the need for good communication – he feels there has been enough talk and now is the time for decisive action. He points out, “People think relief is done by outsiders. We are locals doing relief. But we are also victims of the quake, so we need assistance and partnership on two fronts.”

Dr Haroon Lal Din’s work is most impressive. It is a registered voluntary society, Akash, which has been in the region running a clinic for nearly 2 decades. It seems as if this has been ‘for such a time as this’. Christians in Pakistan are now seeing a vision for Northern Pakistan and the church is becoming mobilised is a way as never before. Dr Haroon is an inspirational figure and is feeding that vision.



God is our refuge and strength a very present help trouble Psalm 46



for more pics see www.picturetrail.com and type in kunharchristianhospital

Bach Christian Hospital Qalandarabad May 2006

Dr Luke is a 3rd generation Pakistan worker, born in Pakistan and the Director of the Bach Christian Hospital, as well as its chief surgeon. The administrator is Peter Massey.


Whilst the earthquake area may look like a war zone, said Dr Luke ‘It is not like a war. All the damage was done in just 90 seconds.’ The hospital was able to help with initial injuries, but now continuous care is needed for the long haul. All the earthquake affectees were given a package of shelter (tent), blankets/ quilts, plastic ground sheet, provisions and cooking utensils – in order to be able to return to their village

Co-ordination is a big issue. A lot of Christian groups have been using Bach as a base. The hospital has to focus and ensure its ongoing work continues. Matthew heads up the special task force need to wait out winter, before can start the reconstruction The hospital is currently looking at the availability of a house in the local town as a Hospitality Centre for international volunteers. An example of good co-operation is the local mosque providing food for patients for 3 months.

In order for there to be co-ordination there needs to be good communication, Dr Luke lamented the fact that he has not been able to even log on to the Team website to check on the donations that have come in for the work,



CMS ex-mission partner, Dr Ruth Coggan returned to Bach, out of her retirement, shortly after the earthquake to help in whatever way possible so that the hospital could respond to the earthquake victims. Taking up the less complex tasks as she put it, she has so far performed 14 Caesareans! ‘We need helpers but people who can do a specific task and hopefully can speak the language’

More Earthquake updates

Mike, Project leader in Lahore 13 October 2005

There is confusion among some friends as to how I'm involved in the effort from Lahore when the affected area is in Islamabad and up north. My responsibility is to resource the relief effort, as much as possible, from Lahore aimed primarily at two Christian hospitals in the north that are in the disaster struck area. This is the immediate work I am involved in. The long term hope is to be engaged for years to come in Kashmir and northern Pakistan with a Kingdom perspective.

As you pray for our nation please pray against the spirit of greed and turning a quick buck that has gripped suppliers of goods and transport services. Prices for items like tents, blankets, medical supplies and even essential eatables have risen sharply and transportation has skyrocketed. Trucks are not available and the few that are ask for exorbitant prices. We are having to pay three times the normal and it hurts in more than one way. Unfortunately, such is human nature but as you pray I am sure God will make it possible for us to meet with men of peace who will be of assistance to us.
Tomorrow night (Friday) we will receive and send our first shipment of tents to one of the Christian hospitals up north for distribution to the victims. Our distribution is non-sectarian and almost all of those being helped are Muslims. Please pray for the shipment to arrive at the hospital safely and for effective distribution to take place.

Yvonne, English woman in Peshawar Friday, October 14, 2005

There is still a big need for more helicopters and  good weather. The Gov estimates 2 million homeless and 1 million in urgent need of help. All around Peshawar are "camps" set up by different organisations to collect goods - blankets, food, clothes etc - and money, it is clear that there is a great desire by everyone at every level to do something to help. One of my colleagues was telling us this morning how his wife said she did not want to watch any more news about the earthquake on the television - but then she donated for the victims two new pieces of good cloth that he knew she really liked and was planning to make into suits for herself. (And she will need new clothes for the end of Ramazan.) I think this grassroots feeling, among people who don't have much surplus themselves, is very strong.
I know of a couple of organisations who have sent their own vehicles in with some aid and to check on colleagues in the affected area. Several NGOs here are making surveys and putting together plans. Unfortunately many mountain roads that had been cleared of landslides became clogged with large lorries which are too heavy for the terrain, rented privately to send aid in. The church of some of my local colleagues is collecting goods and money but they are waiting until next week to check what the needs are in an area where little help is being sent. They were aiming to collect mainly from the chr community and were surprised how many from the majority also gave to them - maybe they are more respected locally than they realise.

Yvonne in Peshawar Sunday, October 16, 2005

The BBC now reports 38,000 dead and still rising, 60,000 injured, many of whom are exposed to the elements, with more rain this weekend grounding relief flights (it even rained heavily down here), and an estimate of 3.5 million homeless. It is hard not to feel very helpless. I just read about the loss of one helicopter and its crew because of the bad weather.
At the meeting this morning there was some news of what some Peshawar-based int'al NGOs are doing. 2 NGOs are working together through Bach C. Hospital, probably to get more aid to Garri Hajibullah hospital. The meeting took up a special collection for Bach. Another organisation was talking about Habitat for Humanity who are working on longer term plans for rebuilding homes. They are asking for SHORT TERM VOLUNTEERS (3 - 6 months?) with some knowledge of the culture and preferably some language, people who have been here previously - probably men - to help in this work.

I believe the Government is also planning to set up IDP camps for the homeless - including some in this area. They are desperate for tents, blankets etc. There are no tents left in Pakistan, and the Govt has lifted the import tax on them. They are appealing for tents to be donated and sent to Dubai where PIA would collect them.

Ahmad in Kabul Afghanistan Sun Oct 16

Yes, the earthquake changed things so dramatically in such a short time, which is unbelievable - so much loss and damage.... Some people here believe it is the cost of sin, but I do not know what is the truth from this point of view.  What will be your comment?  I just read that the infiltration still continue and has not stopped despite all this.... Anyway, " Mullah Nasruddin was asked, what is doomsday? He replied there are two doomsdays, small and big.... When my wife dies, it is a small one and when I die, it will be a big one” Is Mullah N. right?!

Update from CMS London 17th Oct

We are able to support medical relief work and have people associated with CMS in the area. MP Nigel has been seconded to Tearfund in Islamabad to coordinate relief work into Bagh and Dr. Ruth is returning to Bach Christian Hospital for three months. If anyone would like to donate through CMS the money can bee used to support these two people and the work they are associated with and also Kunhar Christian Hospital which is quite close to the epicentre. There will be plenty of after care needed and Church World Services Pakistan/Islamabad are already drawing up a trauma counselling programme. There will be many opportunities to explain why Christians are helping in the months to come that CMS can help to support.