Reconciliation is an integral part of faith. We know it is God who makes reconciliation possible. Reconciliation with God, and then flowing from that, with one another and with the whole of creation, is central to the story and work of salvation. Reconciliation is not just a destination, it’s a journey of action.
In Australia, we use the word ‘reconciliation’ to describe efforts to work towards a future where Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and those who have come after, live in a just and equitable society. A key part of walking together for reconciliation is listening to and learning alongside Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
In the reflection shared below, you are invited to do just that, in hearing from Glenda Ramsey, a member of Tearfund’s First Peoples Program Allocation Committee (FPPAC). This volunteer committee, which includes First Nations members, makes decisions about the funding that Tearfund allocates to First Peoples partners. Glenda lives in Darwin, originally coming from Innisfail, North Queensland, and her clan group is Mamu Bagibarra-Djarbarra.
Often, driving through my local suburb, I at times struggle with holding on to hope, when barriers to it are always in my face. Through my lens, I see only helplessness, despair, homelessness, and anti-social behaviour. Crime is high and only last month there were several murders five minutes away from where I stay. On my way to church on Mother’s Day, I drove past a house that had police tape erected around the front yard. A car had crashed into the house’s fence. As I passed it, a thought flashed into my mind: Can anything good come from this suburb? This reminded me of the verse in John 1:46.
The remote First Nations people transitioning to the urban environment in Darwin will be left behind if they continue facing adversity and oppression. The urban environment is a place they appear to struggle to transition into. Poverty, homelessness, and anti-social behaviour continue to be ongoing issues they experience.
I come from a First Nations group that had experienced poverty, unemployment, health problems, lack of education, lack of housing, loss of identity and culture, and so on. I was fortunate that education and employment training programs were in place for First Nations peoples, and this was my ticket out of poverty.
As I have prayed for changes to happen in this context, God reminded me of a verse in Psalm 127:1: “Unless the Lord builds the house, its builders labour in vain.” I find an abundance of hope in this verse, as God spells out the formula in what needs to happen for changes to occur— and in this case among the remote homeless First Nations people in my community.
The Word of God also says in James 1:22, “But be ye doers of the Word, and not hearers only.”
In Matthew 7:24 it says, “If anyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house upon the rock.”
My hope for my local community is to eventually be one of peace, with crime rates down, homeless people housed, learned life skills put into practice in an effective way; along with anti-social behaviour to be gone forever. Jeremiah 29:11 provides the hope that remote First Nations people can grab onto, which says, “‘I (God) know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’”
I come from a First Nations group that had experienced poverty, unemployment, health problems, lack of education, lack of housing, loss of identity and culture, and so on. I was fortunate that education and employment training programs were in place for First Nations peoples, and this was my ticket out of poverty. I enrolled in a bridging course and training for employment, which met my learning needs in an effective way. After some years of adult education and training, I was work ready.
I intentionally chose my past employments in the area of Aboriginal Affairs, Indigenous employment, education and training. Such programs had empowered me to empower others, to provide hope for the First Nations people experiencing unemployment and lacking education, in the Top End of the Northern Territory and the East Kimberley.
On Mother’s Day, I went to the church my son and his family attend. They were seeking helpers to feed the homeless people, and to celebrate Mother’s Day. I stood with my family members and others, helping to feed the hungry homeless people. The bakery across from the church offered fresh loaves, buns, sweets and savoury buns. Together with hot meals, the remote homeless people were fed. Clothes were also donated and given out to people, until they ran out. A pregnant mother took baby clothes back to her community to distribute to other mothers.
The King in Matthew 25:35 said that “I was hungry, and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty, and you gave me something to drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me in, I needed clothes, and you clothed me…” For the destitute there is hope in these powerful words of King Jesus. I look forward to the day that the remote First Nations people will become hungry and thirsty for the spiritual food flowing out from the Word of God.
A proverb says, “Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.” Tearfund captures this proverb in its approach to address poverty and injustice. It focuses on transformation, identifying community needs and empowering others to lead development initiatives. This is strengthened by focusing on a Bible-based church and a community transformation process. I feel empowered when I read what Tearfund is doing internationally and nationally to help people exit poverty.
