MISSION PARTNER NEWSLETTER FROM
SRI LANKA JULY 2008
We are now back in Sri Lanka and our three-month furlough in UK is rapidly receding into history as we settle back into life in Sri Lanka. It was very good to catch up with many of our “old” friends and we thank those who took the hint in the February Newsletter and sought us out at our furlough talks! The events were listed in our last newsletter and largely went as planned. We visited many churches and circuits in our Link Districts and other places where friends had invited us, plus three theological colleges, two schools and we enjoyed some more informal gatherings too. We know we did not have time to add any other travelling to our itinerary so it was good to see those we could. Thank you to all those who went to much trouble to come and see us. It was particularly interesting to meet a number of former mission partners from Sri Lanka and to receive their insights. It was also good for us to have a chance to reflect on our first three years here in Sri Lanka. It is such a complex country.
We had some special moments with Rosemary’s family and were very pleased to find her parents, Marjorie and George, in such good health. With different members of her family, we had a bracing few days at Center Parcs near Nottingham, an exciting few days on an island off the coast of Donegal in Ireland and a restful few days on the Suffolk coast at Southwold. We did also see both of James’s brothers, and our close friends on our travels.
The Fletcher family on Saturday May 3rd 2008
At our furlough talk in Reading, we were asked what we most missed when in Sri Lanka. This rather took us by surprise, and it is only now that we are back that we can provide an answer. Apart from family and friends, we miss worship in English churches, drinking fresh water coming from a tap, Radio 4, long summer evenings, walks in the English countryside, and some European culture.
There are many, many people who helped us on our way during our furlough, but we would like to thank here Janet and Robin Bull for their continuing administrative support, friendship and kind hospitality, and Lesley and Peter Boardley for lending us a very handy car. And we must not forget Sister Veronica and her colleagues at St. John’s Convent who made us so welcome at Kiln Green. The convent was an oasis of peace for us and a base upon which all our arrangements depended.
We are now back at the Theological College of Lanka where the new academic year is well underway. The new batch of first years, eleven strong, has been augmented by six students from a theological college in Jaffna, refugees not from the war which has turned Jaffna into the forgotten city of Sri Lanka, but from a painful spilt in the Jaffna Diocese of the Church of South India. Two of these students are doing BD studies and so require separate classes, thereby adding to the teaching workload for some, including Rosemary. The college now has a record 50 students, and the men’s hostel is full. While we were away the expansion of the women’s hostel, using donations mainly from within Sri Lanka, has been completed.
This term Rosemary is teaching two courses new to her, “General Survey of the Bible” to the BTh first years and “Vision and Mission of the Prophets” to the BD students. Her workload is such that she has not yet re-started the voluntary music classes. James is teaching English to both students and spouses, as well as computing to the new students. However, his other duties have yet to be agreed.
Rosemary with children of Year 2 of the Lough View Integrated Primary School in Belfast. Thursday May 22nd 2008
The first big event this term was College Day, TCL’s graduation day, which this year saw additional special events, namely, the opening of a small additional room at a local Buddhist Temple which was part-funded by the college, and also the formal opening of the women’s hostel extension. The graduation ceremony was preceded by the usual procession of teachers and graduating students to the library hall. The procession was led by the cross, flanked by two circular reflecting banners, a traditional Kandyan symbol of kingship. Kandyan drummers followed the blower of a conch shell – whose special title we wish we knew. The guest of honour was the Roman Catholic Bishop of Chilaw, who gave the Address. The Principal’s report was read out with different parts being read in different languages. The Chair of the Board of Governors, the President of the Baptist Sangamaya, the Revernd Kingsley Perera, duly presented certificates. The graduates led the way out and we all snaked past them and congratulated each one.
Rosemary and other members of the Faculty at the opening of the new room at a local temple. College Day: Friday July 11th 2008
The war continues with heavy fighting in the Mannar area. The government rhetoric about defeating the LTTE by the end of the year has changed. Aims and definitions of success are being modified. Important people are now admitting what they almost certainly knew all along – that peace can only be achieved through the hearts and minds. But the government remains determined to destroy the LTTE as a force capable of large military actions, and still needs the men and women to achieve this. We’ve received messages on our mobile phones saying, “Young Patriots – Come join with our Armed Forces (Army, Navy or Air Force) and be part of a winning team – Ministry of Defence.” The LTTE continues its campaign against the civilian population through suicide bombs and other means. However, we are safe in Kandy and Westerners are not targets for either side, so do not be put off coming to see us here. You have until June 2010!
While the war is being prosecuted vigorously and the propaganda war no less so, public security is dwindling, so says Amnesty International in its 2007 annual report. The report also says that 2007 in Sri Lanka has to be considered as a year where impunity is given to offenders who commit serious human right violations. Journalists are in the front line and some have been beaten up and imprisoned.
Of more immediate concern for most is the rising cost of living. Inflation is now officially a little less than 30% and most people are finding it hard to make ends meet. Some garment workers have been laid off. There seems to be a little less traffic about as people save on fuel. Is it our imagination or have the often rather wild bus drivers actually slowed down a bit to save fuel too?
Although we have painted a fairly grim picture, people’s everyday lives do carry on. Life goes on at the college, roads are improved and tourists still come – but not in sufficient numbers to sustain the large hotel business, which is also laying people off. And the President remains popular in his party’s heartlands in the south. Having said all of this, last Sunday (July 20th) two of our Tamil students were arrested whilst shopping in the market after Church. They were released later the same day. Security is very high at present because of the South Asian Association for Regional Co-operation Conference being held in Colombo. It is also the 25th Anniversary of what they call here Black July when the Civil War began.
Many people we met in UK said they heard little about Sri Lanka in the news media. It is sad that the news here is reported so little. It is also sad that when the Observer sends a journalist to the island his resulting article should contain so many factual errors. (“Quiet War Gets Louder” by Euan Ferguson, reprinted in the Guardian Weekly of July 11-17.) The overall thrust of the article seemed reasonable but some of its information was seriously inaccurate.
The triangular shadow of Adam’s Peak on distant clouds. We reached the top of Sri Lanka’s most famous mountain, a Buddhist pilgrimage site, after a night climb on Sunday March 2nd 2008.
We welcome those who have joined our newsletter mailing, following our furlough in UK. Back copies are on our website with pictures of our life in Sri Lanka. www.rosemaryandjames.methodistchurch.co.uk
For more about TCL see: www.tclsl.org. Our postal address is: The Theological College of Lanka, Nandana Uyana, Pilimatalawa 20450, Sri Lanka.
This newsletter contains much for your prayers and reflection, but we especially ask for prayers:
Ž For the new TCL students, Janaka, Dhammika, Athiskaran, Ganga, Jeyakumar, Sugathar, Newton, Pradeep, Anil, Jegathas, David, Kamal, Luke-John, Dharshini, Sasireka, Anita, and Dilan.
Ž For those killed, bereaved or injured inside and outside the war zone. For an immediate stop to the violence, abductions and imprisonments without trial. For the relief of all displaced and frightened people so that they can return to their homes in safety.
Ž For the brave journalists, especially Tissainayagam - detained for 136 days without charge (as at 21/7/08).
Ž For the family of Reverend Ebenezer Joseph, President of the Methodist Church in Sri Lanka, whose mother died recently.
Ž For all who struggle to make ends meet here at TCL.
Ž For Manoranjan (student imprisoned last year) and Eucharista getting married on August 6th in Mannar.
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