New York's Big Idea

The Statue of Liberty is the only statue in the world to represent an idea and not a person, apparently.

So said our softly spoken guide (whose white wavy hair and furrowed brow reminded me of Brookes, the old librarian lag from Shawshank Redemption - minus the pet raven). The statue was given by the French on October 28th, 1886 to commemorate the centennial of the American Declaration of Independance and has come to personify what New York is all about. The famous torch made of 22 carot gold - a reflection of the undying pursuit of freedom, the robe, a symbol of liberty and integrity, the seven points of the crown symbolising the seven seas of the world, the book held in the statue's left hand represents bill of rights which underpins the US constitution and the Roman numerals on the book read 'July 4th 1776' - reminding us of the founding father's vision to build a new nation based on the ideal of democracy.

Today, New York means so many different things to people; Joe Demagio's legacy, $1 Hot Dogs, Madison Square Garden, the Imagine memorial, just about all Meg Ryan films, that day in September 2001...

For me, New York is a testimony to human endeavor and the value of thinking BIG. There is tremendous energy and optimism in the every corner of the city and it is mirrored in the people you meet.

It is one of the most technically advanced and fast moving cities you can visit. And yet not even 250 years ago, Manhatten island (which is the only one of New York's five borough's to have kept its indigenous Indian name) was just a tree-lined and rocky peninsula. Our guide told us that Manhatten has the greatest geological variety of rocks in the world - another dubious factual claim but one which he explained was the reason why it has been possible to build so many buildings in such a concentrated space.

It is undeniable that incredible innovation and creativity have been let loose in New York. When immigrants started pouring into Ellis island after the second world war at the rate of 50,000 per day, it was hard to envisage that these disperate communities could create one of the most vibrant urban environments - ok, i'm going to do it - in the world.

New Yorker's 'can do' approach shames the British 'could do but probably won't do' attitude. In New York i am reminded that it is okay to have wild ambitions and certainly not to fear failure. It is possible to create something that is far beyond our initial imaginings. It takes the commitment of lots of individuals and the shared belief that the today's reality doesn't have to be the same tomorrow.

New York isn't perfect, far from it. But you have to be heart hearted not to appreciate what has been achieved. New York represents more than an idea: it is living evidence of the audacity of the human species to realise their dreams.

Fighting the good fight – Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

The pressure was evidently taking its toll. Revd Ayano Chule had reached breaking point. For an Ethiopian man to weep openly in front of near strangers is very rare. But meeting a man like Revd Ayano is a rare occurrence. He is one of the very first religious leaders in Ethiopia to be openly living with HIV. Not only that - he is pioneering a movement to challenge religious leaders to overcome the stigma, denial and discrimination on HIV in their communities.

But he is paying a high price. In the last 9 months, Revd Ayano has been thrown out of his home on four separate occasions. When landlords have discovered his status, they have packed his bags and simply left them on the doorstep. He told us that he could deal with the abuse, harassment, rejection and even physical assaults but he could not successfully continue his work without a safe place to live.

It was clear we were in the presence of a leader. But you have to protect leaders. Thankfully, the philanthropist with whom I was travelling recognised this immediately and agreed to pay for accommodation that would be secure from arbitrary eviction.

‘It is not HIV that kills’, Revd Ayano reminded us. ‘‘It is ignorance, fear and prejudice which kills. If people don’t know their status, they are a danger to themselves and to society. Accurate information is our greatest weapon. No amount of money will solve the problem without education.’’ Although 1 in 11 people in Ethiopia are HIV+, false information is still rife. Up to 80% believe that HIV is caused by sin or judgement while others believe it can be ‘healed’ through repentance and the administering of holy water.

With 99% of people in Ethiopia affiliated to a religious grouping, Revd Ayano knows that religious leaders hold the keys to changing attitudes towards HIV. His wants to see priests and immans be empowered to be ‘heralds of hope’ in calling their communities to be sanctuaries of compassion.

The need for this work was illustrated to me while visiting the home of Abeba Naiza. Abeba is a grandmother who lives in one of the slums in Addis Ababa. She looks after her children’s children because 3 of her 7 daughters have died from HIV related diseases.

One of the children in the home is Herione (which means fruit of the vine). Aged 5, she was just 14 days old when her mother died. Although she will not remember her mother, she did contract HIV from her and lives each day secretly taking the ante retroviral treatment that she needs. Her grandmother asked me to keep my voice down when discussing Heriones’ health for fear the neighbours would find out about her status.

The work Christian Aid is funding in Ethiopia is aiming to create a society where girls like Herione can live free from shame. Revd Ayano reluctantly conceded that most people suspect some moral malpractice is the cause of his status. In fact, he contracted HIV through his wife – who was his only sexual partner. Agonisingly, he endured watching her and their young son die from the virus before deciding to continue the battle against HIV on the front-line.

When asked how he finds the strength to continue, he answered, ‘God has given me a vision. I have the opportunity to save lives because I am HIV+. That is why I carry on.’

ENDS

Leffe village, Ethiopia, July 12th 2007

It is a scene reminiscent of England. Rolling hills, green fields, muddy tracks.

But this isn't England. A line of us are walking single file approaching the Muslim village of Leffe in the Siltie region of central Ethiopia. It is the rainy season and on the surface at least, all seems lush and fertile.

But the green vegetation flatters to deceive. The water table remains dangerously low and access to clean water is the single greatest challenge facing the villagers we are about to meet.

As I climb up a bank, what confronts me needs to be seen to be believed. Half a dozen women are wading knee deep in turgid, brown coloured water. They are helping each other fill brightly coloured jerry cans as part of a daily routine to collect the 20 litres of water they need. Buzzing mosquitoes surround them – this is their natural breeding ground and malaria is a real and ever present threat.

I speak with one of the women, Fatima Ahmed, who is carrying her three year old daughter on her back as she collects water. She tells me that she sometimes she sees worms swimming in her water but she has limited choice. The only alternative is a one and half hour walk to the nearest stream.

In a neighbouring village, I saw women digging sand wells in the riverbed. The women dig up to three metres deep and wait for water to infiltrate through the sand. They spend seven hours every day digging, waiting, collecting and walking. Day in, day out - collecting water has become their life.

This situation is typical in rural communities where access to drinking water is as low as 3%. Despite claims by the Ethiopian Government to provide water for all through a universal access program, communities across Ethiopia, aren’t holding their breath. The only way Leffe village will gain access to water in the forseeable future is a planned Christian Aid project which aims to provide 53,000 people with accessible water within 1km of their homes. Leffe is one of the 18 target villages and understandably Fatima said that this project would transform her life. It would give her the time to earn a living, to look after her children and to plan for the future.

That prospect is only threatened by £440,000 needed to leverage a further £1.2million from the European Commission to fund this project . It seems a small price to pay for the social return it will generate.

There is an Ethiopian saying that water and mothers are the same – both are considered good. But the sight of women collecting dirty water reminds me that not all water is good. It certainly isn't reminiscent of England.

Growing a way out of poverty

Click here to watch Christiain Aid's TV ad. Come on, give what you can. We'll make it multiply.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mzMzjjVwi8k

Christian Aid week address

Sunday 13th March 2007 - St Mary's Holmbury

Thank you for your warm welcome.

I am delighted to be here – especially at the beginning of Christian Aid Week. My wife Nicky and five month son Cohen are here today. This is the first time Cohen has heard his father public speaking – I’ve asked him to pay close attention in the hope that next time he it will be him up here instead of me!

I am passionate about Christian Aid week for two reasons: it has the power to inspire us and it has the power change lives. I want to take this opportunity to talk about both these aspects .

Before I do, perhaps I’ll give you a little of my background: I was raised in Rwanda by missionary parents. As a result, I saw from a young age what it meant for communities to struggle under the weight of poverty and I think it it planted a desire in me to want to work for a equitable world. Since graduating I have had the privilege of visiting countries such as Kenya, Sudan, Brazil and Rwanda - working with poor communities to strengthen the ability to meet the challenges they face. Last year my wife and I went work on the Thai/Burma burma border to get our hands dirty in the process of grass root community action.

Sometimes we feel like the boy in Robert Louis Stevenson novel, who said the world is so big and I am so small, I do not like it at all, at all. The statistics are frightening. When 30,000 children are dying every day of preventable diseases and as I heard this week that 27million people are still trapped in slavery – it is easy to despair.

CAW is about reviving our faint hearts. It is about re-committing ourselves to the battle for justice and affirming our faith that we can do something to change the world.

Does anyone know how many ordinary people leave the comfort of their own home to collect money during CAW? Incredibly, the figure is 300,000.

Does anyone know how much is raised in Christian Aid Week? £15million is raised - the biggest community fundraiser in the country.

That is an incredible achievement and should be a source of great encouragement to us. Although it is 50 years old, it is more important today than ever. A recent poll by the Sunday Times indicated that 8 out of 10 people under the age of 35 have no links with their community whatsoever. It labelled my generation as the ‘can’t be bothered’ generation. Arguably, CAW has never been more counter-cultural and therefore essential to challenging cynicism and promoting active compassion.

So CAW is inspires us but it also changes lives.

I realised this when working in Burma. Christian Aid does a lot of work in Burma – providing emergency supplies to ethnic groups in Burma who have been forced from their homes by the Burma Army. It the world’s longest running civil war and over 500,000 have been forced from their homes and are living in temporary shelters or just under cover of the jungle. It is a desperate situation. The communities I visited were clinging to hope. After brutal attacks from the Burma Army, many had lost everything: from those whose legs had been blown off by a landmine to those who had lost family members or their homes. And yet they had not lost the courage to keep going.

Last week one of the relief workers who worked with the Free Burma Rangers that I worked with was executed by the Burma Army. It was a reminder of the sacrifice and courage that people are taking to provide hope, help and love to people in trouble.


I want to finish with a story of one of the bravest woman I have met. I learnt from Bertrude Mutandigo that good can come from even the worse situations.

A few years ago I returned to Rwanda with my father on a work trip. We met many survivors of the Rwandan genocide – we heard many horrific stories Bertrude’s story stood out.

During the genocide that killed 800,000 in 100 days, Bertrude was raped many times by several soldiers. As a result she contracted HIV and had a child who also had HIV. When we met bertrude, she needed a home away from her town because some of the soldiers were continuing to threaten her.

As I watched this elegant woman tell me her story, I was struck by her resilience and total lack of self pity. It would cost only £2500 to build a new home. I returned to the UK and together with a youth group, we put on a special fundraising night. We raised enough to build her a home and some milk so that she could sell the milk. Bertrude sent us this pot to say thank you. On the side of the pot she had woven the words ‘Dieu est Amor’ – God is Love.

Christian Aid week is about demonstrating that God is Love.

A voice from the wilderness

This latest entry was written by one of the bravest men I have met.

He cannot be named because the work he does takes him illegally into Burma to stand with the oppressed (and largely forgotten) ethnic minority groups. Despite being listed as an enemy of the state by the ruling junta, he continues to lead a subversive movement bringing hope and help deep into Burma's jungle.

The force of his personality and power of his example has left an indelible mark on my life.

Here he sets out why Burma is deserving of our attention. Try finding any argument with it.

10 reasons to fight for freedom in Burma

1. For human dignity.
The power of the oppressor is unrestrained: Girls being raped, children chased from their homes, parents murdered, restricted education, and people living in fear are wrong. Arbitrary arrests, and forced relocation are other tools of the regime. Human value crosses all political, religious, economic, and social lines and for this we need to stand with the people of Burma.
2. For the restoration of democracy.
There was a democratically elected government that was forcefully displaced by a brutal dictatorship.
3. For the release of political prisoners.
Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi, who is still under house arrest, is one of thousands of political prisoners.
4. For ethnic rights, honor and future peace.
Ethnic minorities comprise over 40% of the population of Burma and thus should be equitable partners now and in Burma's future. Without them there is no just or durable solution for a peaceful and democratic Burma. Burma's brutal campaign against the ethnics has resulted in more than 1 million IDPs, over 1 million refugees, and gross human rights violations such as Burma's large scale use of landmines to target civilian populations. Many of the ethnic peoples of Burma were allies for freedom in World War II. It is a matter of honor not to forget them.
5. For public health.
There is a growing AIDS epidemic in Burma, and in overall health, Burma ranks as one of the worst in the world. Approximately one out of every 10 children in Burma die before their 5th birthday. The ratio is twice as high among the thousands of families forced to flee their homes by the military's ongoing campaigns.
6. For an end to religious persecution.
There is widespread religious persecution in Burma and this is a violation of a foundational and sacred human right.
7. For an end to forced labor and use of humans as minesweepers.
The regime forces thousands of people each year to work on State projects and during military campaigns uses people to carry supplies and as human minesweepers.
8. For the protection of the environment.
Unchecked and large scale clear cutting of some of the worlds last remaining natural teak and other tropical hardwood reserves, toxic mining practices, and the poorly planed building and proliferation of dams are among the many destructive practices that are damaging the country now and for future generations. The wanton and unchecked destruction of the environment in Burma is not only harmful to Burma, but to all of the surrounding countries.
9. For the control of narcotics.
Burma is one of the main producers of amphetamines in the world, and is #1 in Southeast Asia. Burma, behind Afghanistan, is the #2 producer of Opium/Heroin in the world.
10. For regional security.
Burma is building up its military with assistance from other area dictatorships and this along with its interest in a nuclear program makes it a regional security threat. Its immoral leadership and lack of accountability also make it a potential global threat.We the global community have the opportunity to work with the people of Burma for change. Our goodwill can encompass more than just narrowly perceived national interest. Freedom everywhere is good for all people and we of every nation must be able to stand with others even if there is no perceived or immediate benefit for us. Each of us can live our lives for the highest things, to use the best of our heritage, values and prosperity to be part of positive change in the world. This takes courage, selflessness and finally a belief that all people count.
May God give us all wisdom, love and humility as we move forward with the people of Burma.

A relief team leader

30 years on: remembering Janani Luwum

On February 16th, 1977 – days before I was born – one of my great heroes was killed by one the 20th century’s most notorious despots.

Archbishop Janani Luwum led the Anglican church in Uganda in the mid 1970s at the height of Idi Amin’s brutal reign. During Amin’s seven year rule from 1971, Amin killed thousands and forced millions more (mostly ethnic Indians) to flee Uganda.

Luwum was one of the few not to be quieted by Amin’s intimidation. He found the courage to preach a message love while Amin practised his politics of hate. In spite of the grave risks, Luwum openly exhorted people to follow Christ in defying tyranny, standing up against evil and speaking the truth.

Eventually, he was accused of treason and was arrested and put on military trial.

Before the trial could take place, Luwum disappeared. It was later verified that Luwum was forced into a confession of guilt, was beaten, abused and eventually shot – his bullet riven body was thrown from a speeding car.

While Amin pretended the death was accidental, the people never believed him. For Amin, it was a massive mis-calculation. When 25,000 people came to Luwum’s funeral, Amin must have known that his time was running out. His once immutable power only last lasted for another year – although he was never convicted for his crime.

Free from Idi Amin's grip on power, Uganda is now seen as one of the success stories of Africa. Much of its bi-lateral debt has been paid off which has enabled 2.2 million people to gain access to water in Uganda and millions more children have the opportunity for an education.

If you go to Westminster Abbey, you will see eight statues of individuals – all of whom have been martyred because of the threat their faith posed to those in power. Luwum’s statue is one.

To me, Luwum’s statue is a reminder that his sacrifice 30 year’s ago is still changing lives today.

My mission statement

If you ever find yourself in the eastern jungles of Burma, you will see hundreds of humanitarian teams seeking to bring help, hope and love to internally displaced ethnic groups. You will also notice that many of the teams risking their lives to venture illegally inside Burma are wearing a green T-shirt. Af first glance, it may look just like a standard army apparel. It is not. It is a Free Burma Ranger shirt. The people wearing those shirts are living the meaning of this poem:

Love each other
Unite for freedom, justice and peace
Forgive and don’t hate each other
Pray with faith, act with courage
Never surrender

As mission statements go, this one isn't bad.

searching for something I used to call God

I went to church today. I sneaked into the back so as not to be noticed. It was cold. I knew no-one. I hadn't been for months but I wanted to be there.

Nothing spectacular happened. No visions of Christ, no revelation. Yet I did find something.

I found that I am closer to the person I want to be when I am bowed in reverence and prayer. I cannot shake this desire to commune with God.

Although I have become more sophisticated (so i think), still the green shoots of spiritual longing appear from between the concrete cracks of my soul.

I have to nurture those shoots to be fully alive. If I don’t, one day they will disappear. For me, spiritual growth is the willingness to reflect on my life and have the courage to change. We cannot change ourselves or the world without this.

Fundamentalist religion is the opposite of spirituality. Dogma replaces the vulnerability of opening yourself to the light and love of God.

Yet we all get stuck. Decision by decision. Compromise after compromise, suddenly we find that we are no longer as sharp. We legitimise the very things we vowed we would never accept. We have become what we said we would fight against.

Bono was asked in his interview Mitchka Assayas for Bono on Bono what he would say if he could meet the person he was at 21. Bono’s response surprised me. He said that he would tell that young man that he was so right. Right to hold such high ideals, right to abandon himself to God and his faith – right to constantly fight the encroachment of the world.

IF we are to transform this world and the injustice that pervades it, surely we all need to be on this journey. It is not something that happens by accident. We have to pursue it.

But it is worth it. It turns living into a full colour, digitally enhanced experience.

10 realisations of a tired father

Cohen Mark Rowland arrived on December 10th 2007 (the 58th anniversary of establishment of the UN convention of human rights). He is a diamond, a dude, an absolute star!

1. Entering parenthood is more fun than I imagined.
2. Even young babies are talented – Cohen can pee in his own ear!
3. Patience is a virtue I wished I had practised more frequently.
4. That having a child is like following Brighton FC – its a life-long obsession.
5. Humour can be found in every moment – if you have the eyes to see it
6. Sleep is for the weak…. and I am weak.
7. The ability to invade another’s personal space, at will, is a great joy!
8. Routine is a good friend – it gives you in some semblance of control.
9. Nothing prepares you for the moment you first set eyes on your very own.
10. That mothers are saints. It is a skilled role and I am fortunate to be married to one of the very best…