Maybe it's the weather or something like that

Climate change is a hot topic these days!  Just this week, UW's Everyday Radicals organized the university's first-ever mp3 flash mob to raise awareness about climate change, and 350.org announced their next big day of action.  And it found its way into all of my class discussions, whether the topic was incorporating environmental considerations into business practices, planning for tomorrow's cities, or providing clean drinking water for the world.  I once heard someone describe the climate as the rug underneath development, because all development activities are built on the underlying assumption of the climate's stability.  Pulling out the rug will change everything. 

What I want to discuss today is the topic of "climate refugees"--those displaced by climate change.  Experts have warned that climate change could cause the largest refugee crisis in human history, and it's been estimated that 200 million people could be displaced by 2050.  The movement will be unpredictable--many people will migrate temporarily and internally as storms and floods inundate their homes, but many people will have to relocate permanently and internationally--notably, Pacific Islanders whose countries are actually at risk of disappearing due to sea level rise.  42-50 small island states could disappear within the coming years! But this is not just a future problem--already, islanders are suffering from cyclones, droughts, and floods.  Obviously, this is an urgent issue that calls for action from political leaders.

But what kind of action? This depends on the way we frame the issue.  In my political science class, we recently discussed McNamara & Gibson's article, "We do not want to leave our land," in which the authors talk about Pacific ambassadors' resistance to the term "climate refugees".  It turns out that many islanders actually don't like the term because it makes them appear helpless in the eyes of the world, when really, they are taking amazing steps to prevent climate change.  They also think that the term takes responsibility away from developed countries to actually reduce emissions and prevent climate change, because the developed countries can just focus on accepting migrants instead.  They are unwilling to accept displacement as their new reality and want developed countries to take action now. 

So, what do you think?

• Does the term "climate refugees" do more harm than good when it comes to supporting those at risk of displacement due to climate change?  

• Does focusing on climate change migration take away from efforts to prevent climate change?

Let's discuss--comment with your ideas and opinions!

All that glitters is not gold

Peru has been in the headlines of major world newspapers this week, with the recent demonstrations by miners in Madre de Dios, an important gold-mining region in Peru's eastern Amazon.  The high price of gold over the last few years has sparked a gold rush in southeastern Peru that has drawn thousands of miners to the region and caused fears of ecological disaster.  The government recently toughened sanctions that would punish illegal gold miners and environmental lawbreakers with 10 years in prison, and the miners have taken to the streets in protest.  Since government-miner negotiations broke down on March 6th, more than 5,000 people have taken part in the protests, which ended yesterday after 3 people died and more than 30 were injured.  I have only begun to read about the issues at play, but I'm getting the sense that the situation is enormously complex. To try and make sense of it all, let's look at some of the different perspectives represented in the recent BBC article:

The Protesters

• The miners say the law will put thousands out of work. An estimated 50,000 miners do not have a license to operate.
• They want the government to overturn the tough sanctions 
• They argue that the government is clamping down on wildcat miners instead of helping them to obtain authorisation. "Illegal miners have been trying to get the right permits," said spokesman Jose Carlos Bustamante, "but (we) couldn't because of bureaucratic hurdles for the past three years."
•  The miners accuse the government of wanting to hand over mining concessions only to large multinational companies.
• "Like it or not the economy of our region is based on mining," says the mayor, Pedro Donayre, a former miner, who no longer wants his town to be on the margins of the law. "I'm in favour of mining but it does need to be legitimised. The state needs to come here and educate the miners how to extract the gold safely without polluting and help us change rather than demonising what we do."
   

The Government

• The sanctions will encourage miners to get permits and stop polluting the environment
• The government says large areas of jungle (close to 200 sq kms) have been destroyed by illegal mining and large portions of the area's waterways show high levels of mercury, used in the mining operations. "The western Amazon is the world's enclave of biological diversity," says biologist Ernesto Raez, who heads the Environmental Sustainability Centre in Lima's Cayetano Heredia University.
• The informal sector has grown out of control, and now almost a quarter of the gold produced in the world's sixth largest producer is illegal. The vast majority of it comes from Madre de Dios. 
  

As Regional President Luis Aguirre has said, the situation seems to be "untenable".  Negotiations are scheduled to resume on Monday, but both groups' positions seem to be as entrenched as ever.  How can the government work together with miners to prevent ecological destruction, and assure that they still have a source of income? Do you think that the government is actually interested in this, or is the government just using the environment as an excuse to exclude the people of Madre de Dios from the mining industry? 

Let's discuss!

Community at Home

Featured at seekingcommunity.ca on March 5, 2012 as Part 3 of a 3-part series on my trip to Jubilee

Last night, it was wonderful to meet up again with the group of twelve Conrad Grebel students who travelled to Jubilee Partners two weeks ago.  It's amazing to be part of this community that is growing out of a desire to learn more about community.  As we sat in a circle and enjoyed a potluck feast, we shared our reflections on the trip and engaged in a fascinating discussion about the possibilities for intentional community in our own lives.

One of the things that struck me most about Jubilee Partners was the strength of both the community and the individuals who live and work there.  While many intentional communities dissolve because of interpersonal conflict, Jubilee has remained a strong and dynamic community for over 30 years.  The Partners’ faith and common commitment to living Christian lives has carried them through even the most difficult times, and the importance of their mission of hospitality continues to motivate their daily work.

Community seems to happen naturally at Jubilee, but our learning sessions with the Partners made us aware of how much work goes on behind the scenes to keep the community running smoothly.  It was clear to us that the weekly work schedule was integral to life at Jubilee.  It equalized people by dividing up difficult jobs.  It gave everyone, even visitors, a role in the community and ensured that time was spent purposefully.  It also ensured that the community accomplished everything it wanted to do.  So often in our individual lives, we make resolutions to improve ourselves or live out our values, but we “run out of time” to do these things.  But at Jubilee, when the community decides to take on a project, it gets done because people are simply scheduled to do it.  A little discipline, routine, and accountability in daily living can go a long way, considering how much anxiety and frustration we experience when we feel that are not living out our values.

Discipline—especially spiritual discipline—is also a very significant source of personal strength for the Partners.  Don Mosley, one of the founding Partners, shared with us some stories from his life.  I’ll never forget his statement that a productive life is a prayerful life, not a busy life.  All of the Partners spend time in prayer and worship each day, which brings them peace and strength to make it through tough times.  The book, With Our Own Eyes, described the early days of Jubilee and made it clear that the community’s decision to spend more time in prayer was a major turning point in their history, and completely changed how they approached their daily lives and work.  I think that their incredible ability to resolve conflicts and live well together is largely the result of their spiritual discipline and their individual commitment to live out love.

It was interesting for me to return from this trip at the beginning of Lent, which, for Christians, is a season of repentance and re-focusing on God and relationships.  The last two weeks since Jubilee have been a very meaningful time for me as I reflect on my priorities in life and how I can live more intentionally in relation to God, the earth, and the people around me.  Right now, this means adopting a practice of daily journaling, which I hope will allow me to reflect on my daily living and relationships, and find the strength to live the life that I want to be living.  It also means entering into discussion with others about the possibilities for living in intentional community now and in the future.  Our trip to Jubilee has already inspired some incredible ideas and discussions, and I am excited to see what is in store for the future! I have a feeling that this is just the beginning of something great.

A Window Into Community Life

Featured at seekingcommunity.ca on Feb. 24, 2012 as Part 2 of a 3-part series on my trip to Jubilee

My time at Jubilee has been incredible so far. The Partners have so generously welcomed us into almost all aspects of their shared lives. In this blog post, I’ll give you a glimpse into life at this long-standing intentional Christian service community.  

An important part of community life is shared meals.  Twice a day, the bell rings and invites everyone in from the fields and forest for delicious lunches and suppers in the Koinonia House.  Before lunch, there is always a time of worship, which includes scripture reading, reflection, prayer, and group singing.  I have been impressed by the way that people of all ages and cultures are involved in these worship services.  On the first day, a 5-year-old led a song in his native Karen, and the community songbook is filled with songs in many languages.  After worship, lunch is served.  The community’s food ethics are evident in the meals.  As much food as possible is grown at Jubilee (the rest is purchased or donated by the food bank), meat is only served on Sundays, and dessert is only offered twice a week.  The meals are all very satisfying and healthy, especially when accompanied by great conversation.  And everyone, no matter their status in the community, shares in meal preparation and clean-up.  Many hands make light work!

This is also true for the chores that fill the working hours of the day.  Everyone, even visitors, take part in the work.  Although the daily schedule is fairly routine, tasks vary from day to day, keeping things relatively interesting.  As university students who rarely get the chance to detach ourselves from computers, we are thankful to take part in outdoor jobs, such as mulching, chopping wood, and harvesting food.  My favourite job so far has been helping out with the ESL classes for refugees.  I took part in the intermediate class on Tuesday and pretended to be a new neighbour to the 5 Karen women in the class, so that they could practice English phrases for inviting people over, giving people directions, and initiating small talk.  The spirit of hospitality was even present in this class, as one of the women actually invited me over to her house afterward, even though I was a complete stranger to her.  In everything we do at Jubilee, relationship-building seems to be just as important as the task at hand, and there is always room for meaningful conversation.  And while everyone shares in the less-glamourous tasks like cleaning, everyone seems to be able to focus their time on jobs that they find meaningful and interesting, like working in the garden, caring for refugees, or doing pastoral work.  Because of this, and because all of the work is clearly essential to the service work and daily functioning of the community, everyone seems to have a strong sense of purpose and motivation.  While work is casual, no one looks over each other’s shoulders, an incredible amount is accomplished and people feel very satisfied at the end of each day.  

My experiences of community life at Jubilee have been very positive so far, and I look forward to writing more about the community’s work and philosophy in a later post.  Needless to say, the trip has been very impactful so far, and is inspiring many thoughts and ideas around communal living.

Studying Community

Featured at seekingcommunity.ca on Feb. 18, 2012 as Part 1 of a 3-part series on my trip to Jubilee

 

In just a few hours, I will be joining 12 other students on a weeklong road trip to Jubilee Partners, an intentional Christian service community in Georgia.  This is not my first visit—I had the opportunity to stay there briefly on my way to the School of Americas Vigil a couple of years ago, and it left a deep impression on me.  Walking their fields and joining them for communal meals, I was immediately drawn to these people whose interdependence allowed them to live so independently from mainstream cultural norms, and engage in such meaningful work. 

As a Mennonite and an international development student, these are certainly things that I desire for my own life.  Every day I am reminded of the many social and environmental problems associated with the Western lifestyle, and I want to live in a different way.  I want to live generously, not possessively.  Connected to nature, not separated from it.  Selflessly, and in service to others.  Living in this way requires accountability, and I believe that that can only come from a community of like-minded people who are struggling together to realize a common vision.  

This past year, I think I may have found that community.  We are not sharing a common purse, nor are we farming organically.  As full-time students, there wouldn’t be much money in that purse, and there are only so many projects we can take on in addition to our schoolwork.  But together, we are discerning our vocation and opening ourselves to the possibility of living in intentional community. 

The idea is somewhat frightening.  I am 21 years old, and have already moved about 10 times in my life.  I desire a sense of belonging and a clear identity more than anything else, but a life rooted in a specific community is completely foreign to me.  At both Jubilee Partners and another commune I visited in Chicago last year, full members commit to staying in the community until they believe that God is calling them elsewhere.  Maybe it’s a young adult thing, but my desire to find my place in the world and stay there is matched only by my feeling of restlessness.  

Could I commit to staying in one place?  As an international development student, I know that rootedness and strong relationships are essential for informed and successful community development work.  And yet, this question keeps coming up.  But lately, I’ve realized that my fear of committing to a certain place or group of people is based on a false idea that I need to find the perfect place or group of people to commit to.  Once I began to see a community as dynamic, living thing—the culmination of our collective imaginations, I began to get excited about the idea of working with others to create the community that we want to be a part of.  

I am looking forward to visiting Jubilee Partners, and having the opportunity to reflect on some of my ideas and questions about communal living.  I am sure that that the trip will provoke even more questions than it will answer, and so I hope to continue the conversation on this blog and with my group of fellow travelers in the months and even years after the trip.

Jubilee

Over Reading Week in February, I had the incredible opportunity to travel with a group of 12 University of Waterloo Students to visit Jubilee Partners, an intentional Christian service community in rural northeast Georgia.  The members of this commune live radical lives of service, offering hospitality to refugees who have just arrived in the U.S., visiting prisoners on death row, working for peace around the world, and modelling socially and environmentally just lifestyles.  Their philosophies on life and work are rooted in the teachings of Jesus and the farmer-theologian Clarence Jordan, but they work to build bridges with people from every kind of background.  Their rich history has proven that intentional communities can be fertile ground for ideas and projects of all kinds.  For example, Habitat for Humanity grew out of Jubilee's parent community, Koinonia Partners, and is now a household name in the world of NGOs.

My week at Jubilee gave me a very fresh perspective on local and international development work, and inspired me to think creatively about the many different ways of going about it.  In particular, I have enjoyed reflecting on the importance of supportive communities in doing this kind of work, and the possibilities for cultivating these types of relationships in my own life.  Over the past few weeks, my reflections have been featured on seekingcommunity.ca, an online learning community hosted by Tamarack, a community engagement organization based in Kitchener, Ontario.  I will be re-posting my reflections here as my next three blog entries, and I would invite you to read them and post comments with any ideas you have about the role of community or faith in development work: