Reflection:
As we travelled along the hole-filled main dirt road through a mountain in Timor Leste, a village appeared across the valley. It was filled with young people with a just few elderly. We turned a corner, and the village was gone from sight. Just missing a hole, the size of the Army 4×4, we turned another corner and there was the village again. Only this time it was deserted. The people had fled because of the devastation that had been caused by the last Army that had visited their village for the past decade. Most houses still bore the marks of destruction, and everyone in the village still bore the memory of loved ones taken into the jungle who never returned. Should we stay in the vehicle, say a quick prayer, and carry on to our destination? Or stop, get out and try planting some seeds of peace?
With your prayers, where can you get into areas in your life – with your family, in your community, around the world – of devastation to plant seeds of peace?
Chaplain Matthew Stuart is an Army Chaplain serving in the 1st Brigade, Darwin.
Prayer:
Jesus, by your example, may we have the courage to get our boots dirty in the ash of destruction to find new ground to plant seeds of peace. Amen.