Wednesday, December 11, 2013

Saving face

One morning many years ago I woke up with a rash across part of my face. Apparently some allergic reaction had caused my skin to break out in swollen, itchy, redness. I felt physically ill from itchiness, but also frightened to see my own face not looking as it was supposed to. Some antihistamines later I recovered and everything went back to normal.

I am among the fortunate on this earth, who suffer such trivial worries. Imagine waking up one morning to find your face…gone..?! Academy award winning documentary film ‘Saving face’ features women who have suffered the loss of their face, because some hateful person threw acid on them.
In Pakistan every year over a hundred women suffer acid violence. It may be done by a man who is angry because the woman of his choice refuses his marriage proposal, or a man who is angry with his own wife, or even by her mother-in-law. The reason for her punishment often comes down to the mistake she made when she wasn’t born as a boy (or maybe when she didn’t give birth to a boy).
Plastic surgeon Dr. Mohammad Jawad tries to give these women their smiles back. “In a way I’m saving my own face,” he says, “it’s a very shameful thing as a society to be living with acid attacks & not be doing anything about it.”
‘Saving face’ is a horrible film, but it is also a marvelous film with heroic stories. It shows women who are willing to face their fears and fight for justice. Women who have found a way to recover their beauty, despite having been robbed of their own face. It shows what deep hate can do, but it also features hope in a very big way.
I don’t know if I could smile if I were in Zakia’s shoes. Yet she smiles again and has hope for tomorrow. Her suffering is beyond anything I could imagine, and so is her courage.

Friday, October 25, 2013

slavery and 'zwarte piet'

The temptation of making a few comments on the discussion over 'Black Pete' has become too much for me, so please forgive me for this post.
It is sometimes complicated to be in a position where you feel you understand the arguments on both sides. It is even worse when you cannot help but laugh at the irony of the UN human rights body having a serious debate with the entire Dutch population over a children's feast.
As every point has been made on the internet, on both sides, I still find it necessary join in by pointing out that slavery exists today. To be honest, I would give up any national tradition if it would stop this from being true.
The International Justice Mission states that there are 27 million slaves in the world today. IJM works to stop the practice of one person owning another. I would agree with Verene Shepherd that this particular practice does not belong in the 21st century. For this reason I think IJM deserves our attention and our help, so do check out the IJM website if you're interested to know more: http://www.ijm.org/

For the Dutch who are still looking for gifts for the celebration of Saint Nicholas or even for Christmas, I suggest looking at the following website: http://www.ijmnl.org/merch/armband.htm
By ordering a Seek Justice bracelet they can contribute to the liberation of modern slaves in India. 

Monday, October 07, 2013

what Alzheimer's teaches us

It has been said that Alzheimer's disease is an illness that makes people lose their dignity. The more I encounter people who suffer from different forms of dementia, the more I wonder... Can dementia make a man lose his dignity? Does aging affect human dignity? Or is it really up to us?

No matter what happens to you, there are always choices. Choices in the way we face difficulty and choices in the ways we help carry each other. Is it alright not to be strong? Is it alright not to know what tomorrow brings? Will we dare to be taken care of? Are we willing to stand with the ones we love, even when they need special attention?

If you're willing to see it, Alzheimer's can teach you the beauty of living in the moment. Creating the right, peaceful atmosphere between us and living for this moment's laughter or tear.
This is not popular in the culture I live in. This is different for us, even weird. To live in the moment, not speedy and busy, planning what's next. To let go, instead of independently standing strong, with everything under control at all times.

Without a doubt, Alzheimer's is a horrible disease and no one welcomes such a diagnosis. Health and illness are important factors in how we feel about ourselves. Still, I tend to think human dignity is not so much in ourselves. It is what we give to each other.

Thursday, June 20, 2013

World Refugee Day


We have reached a new world record. One of those records not to be proud of - way too many: 45 million refugees!  

European governments and individuals seem to experience a certain queasiness at this growing number, perhaps not so much because of the horrific meausure of problems faced by the refugees. The greater fear is that waves of refugees will come like a tsunami towards our safe havens. We wish to declare their countries 'safe' so they may go away instead of disturbing our social system.

On World Refugee Day, Syrian children in refugee camps fly kites with messages to the world. They come down to "Please help us return home". They do not wish to migrate to Europe. They just want to go home and they want home to be a safe place.

They probably won't be able to do so if the world keeps her eyes firmly shut.

Photo by Greg Beals, UNHCR

Saturday, May 11, 2013

Amnesty



I remember being 15 and passing through the airport at Washington D.C. I saw a coloured man being taken away by border police. Handcuffed, carried by his hands and feet, struggling, shouting: “I am not a criminal!”
I believed him instantly. He may have been carrying drugs or arms. I don’t know. It is likely that his ‘crime’ had been passing through the airport as an illegal immigrant.

I was reminded of this incident by the campaign slogan of Amnesty International right now in Holland. It translates to: “I am deeply ashamed”…and I feel embarrassed as I did at 15. I like to think we are more humane in Europe. I like to think we all remember that we are only lucky to have been born free and safe.

I read the story of Sita Tumba and her brother Hans (a Dutch name as his father had moved to Holland by the time that Hans was born). They come from a country where her mother was taken by rebels from Rwanda. I have read about the Democratic Republic of Congo. ‘Democratic republic’ sounds lovely, but there are many villages where every woman knows exactly what it’s like to be raped.

Do we welcome those who have fled from war torn situations? Do we tell them they are safe now? No, we put them in cells where they are reminded that no one has ever respected them as a person. They are body-searched, turned upside down to make sure they do not harm themselves physically as we are about to once again harm their souls. Their lives are put on a hold as we try to determine whether they would continue breathing if they were to be sent back to their traumatic beginnings.

Thursday, April 25, 2013

Liberation

"If you have come to help me, you're wasting your time. But if you've come because your liberation is connected to mine, then let's work together."
Translation of a quote on www.oneword.nl. It was the heading above an invitation by the Society of African Missions to come help rebuild Liberia.
It's where we reach out to others, that we allow God to reach back to us. You cannot understand suffering just by staring at it, but there is freedom in sharing each other's burdens.