Greetings, friends,

ROME! I wandered with awe through the ruins of the Roman Empire, then into the Vatican Museum, seeing how the Popes had assumed the royal privileges of the Roman Emperors and accumulated priceless treasures of paintings, tapestries, statuary, and archaeological relics. I craned my neck to capture the grandeur of Saint Peter’s Basilica, the largest church in the world, modeled on a Roman court building.

The following day, 350 Baptists from 59 countries gathered for the Global Baptist Peace Conference, sponsored in part by International Ministries. In our opening worship, the Rev. Anna Maffei, President of the Baptist Union of Italy, proclaimed to us that Jesus’ power is not the power of this world, not a power over, to rule, but a power under, to serve. In the shadow of the Vatican, in the heartland of Ancient Rome, she reminded us of Jesus’ words, “Let the children come onto me.” Jesus, she said, calls us to care for the little ones, the neglected and marginalized, the hungry, homeless and imprisoned. During the week, we were inspired with stories from Angola, the Republic of Georgia, Nepal, Colombia, Norway. . . of Jesus-followers working as peacemakers, bringing hope, reconciliation and new life.

We confronted  the pain of families and communities shattered by violence, stories of refugees and rape, jarring photos of bomb-smashed houses, orphans crying for their parents, children with dead eyes and rifles in their hands, men with no job and no hope. We wept and sang and prayed as we absorbed the wounds of the world. In the workshop that I led, participants explored the experience of Jesus and his family as refugees, and identified with both the refugees and the receiving community.

But we affirmed a greater truth: God is alive, and God’s Kingdom is present and is coming. The promise is, as Ken proclaimed, that the lame will give dancing lessons, the deaf will sit in orchestra hall, and the poor will have a full pantry. In Somalia, Lee draws together Christians and Muslims, women and men, to build bridges of understanding and respect. In Cuba, Noel empowers persons with disabilities. Akum says to his people in Nagaland, India, “We are all both victim and offender. We have killed and been killed. There is no future in violence. Now we have no choice but to live together. We must imagine a future together.” Nancy tells her dream for her chaplaincy in a men’s prison: “I will stand at the door as they enter and say: ‘Welcome. The violence you have done to others and yourself stops here. In this place you will learn a new way of living and relating to others.’”  Paul offers food, respect and opportunity to the homeless on the streets of his North Carolina city. We were reminded over and over that God has no hands but ours to heal the pain of the world.

Thank you for sharing my ministry and my vision for a transformed world.

Shalom,

Ruth