I thought of her when I saw that yesterday Sisters in Spirit vigils took place across the country to honour the lives of missing and murdered Aboriginal women and girls. So many have gone missing through the decades, some as escapees from Residential Schools, some migrating to cities from their rural communities, some like my cousin who never adjusted to white adoptive families. The violence experienced by Aboriginal women and girls in Canada is a national tragedy and unfortunately we don't hear much about it.
Many of the vigils in Ontario took place in northern communities. A couple happened in Toronto and the closest was in Peterborough. Honestly, this is the first I have heard about them.
I wish I had known beforehand because I could have encouraged recognition through the Mission Outreach and Advocacy Committee of our presbytery. If we have changed our United Church crest to reflect the colours of the medicine wheel we need to find practical ways to be part of the healing.
Have any of you heard of the Sisters in Spirit vigils? Do you think our denomination should get involved?
How did I miss the Feast of St. Francis?
http://groundlingearthyheavenly.blogspot.ca/2012/10/st-francis.html
3 comments:
I absolutely think that the Church should be involved. Aboriginal issues are our issues and deserve as much support as we offer to everyone else. When we were out West, I felt that we were a little closer to the stories that came from the Aboriginal communities, but I definitely noticed a huge difference in how stories were portrayed in the media. Missing, assaulted or murdered women from the Aboriginal communities just seemed not worthy of the big headlines, as they were with any other story. I'm so tired of hearing comments like "they bring it on themselves". Putting the how's and why's aside, when a life is hurt or lost or missing.. how can we as a good caring people, or Christians, ignore that pain? I would love to be a part of something like this.
Agreed willowjakemom, our time in Winnipeg especially,made me so aware of the needs of these young women. These issues were in the news daily out there but I don't recall them being editorialized or questioned much...mostly just reported as if the facts of life for aboriginal women and children. The old-time obstetrician that delivered our first daughter was a real advocate for healthcare of women on the margins,and especially the aboriginal population.I recall hearing from one of his nurses that he was one of the few drs over the years that would help prostitutes when so many would not.....and he flew into the reserves every six weeks to treat and train these communities. I recall
thinking as I looked around his waiting room so full of
very young, and often unhealthy looking pregnant girls
with toddlers in tow, and feeling somewhat hopeless
that things could change....we don't hear about enough
lives, like that of your cousin, who do reestablish
themselves....these are hopeful stories.
And as followers of Jesus, I think we are meant to be all about hope..
I grew up next to a reserve and the Natives from the reserve came to our high school. We included them in all we did but many stuck to themselves or to others from the reserve. We had a cleaning woman who was from the reserve and an alcoholic trying to turn her life around. She decided one year she wanted to see her daughter (who had been taken from her due to her lifestyle). She arranged to take the bus to wiinepeg to see her daughter, but was short on cash. She asked my mother to lend her the money and my mother did but with witnesses etc. The woman had the money paid back very quickly, as she was very appreciative of someone having faith in her. The woman is now on the Band council and a leader on the reserve. There is hope.
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