By the time I completed my third and final day volunteering at Crisis, I was starting to develop my own ideas about how the day centre could be run...
Some of the guests had expressed unhappiness at management’s insistence that guests showered before they were able to take advantage of the massage services on offer. I agreed and took this up with some of the ‘green badge’ supervisors. It seemed altogether the wrong message that we considered guests to be in some way unclean – especially as some of the guests were cleaner than the volunteers!
My many hours on security had also convinced me that we needed to take a harder line on preventing alcohol into the centre. The day before (Christmas Day) the police had arrived as trouble started to brew between guests. It was all drink related and I thought that was entirely preventable with a zero tolerance approach to allowing alcohol onto the premises.
But given that this was my last day, I thought I better concentrate my efforts on engaging the people I had come to serve. My answer was Chess.
It didn’t matter what country guests came from, chess was universally understood and could be played regardless of an individuals grasp of English.
My miserable defeat to one of the guests exposed my own prejudice. When we started, I assumed the ragged looking man opposite probably couldn’t tell his bishop from his knight. How wrong I was! It was actually embarrassing as he took my Queen without reply and set about cutting through my defences with consummate ease. What frustrated me was the speed with which he made his moves – I didn’t have time to think!
The highlight of my final day was meeting and talking to George. George was a statesmanlike Jamaican born man in his fifties who looked a little like Morgan Freeman. He was the most articulate person I can remember meeting. It wasn’t long before I was recommending that he run for London Mayor!
What I found absorbing about him was his twinkling eyes and that he would lightly touch your arm every time he wanted to make a point. He rattled through his views on European integration, immigration, culture, economics and the war in Iraq. With souring rhetoric, he concluded one monologue about terrorism which was punctuated with emphatic hand gestures, saying, ‘you see, we must take a stand, we must take a stand.’
So I finished my time with Crisis. I was certainly uplifted, surprised and inspired by the buoyancy of the individuals I had met. I had found little trace of self-pity – just a group of people who had come up against life’s harshest realities and were busy trying to survive.
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Saturday, December 27, 2008
Christmas Day at Crisis 2008
My second day at Broadway Centre felt very different from the first. By now, I felt like a veteran of the system. I generously helped to give guidance to volunteer virgins who looked as disorientated as I did on my first day. The absence of public transport meant that I had cycled for an hour in quiet London streets to arrive at Shepherds Bush and the exercise had put a spring in my step.
It struck me throughout the day that the Crisis centres are set up at Christmas as much to benefit the volunteers as they are for the guests. Everyone of the 40 volunteers had their own reasons for being there. One volunteer from Sunderland told me that she had lost her husband six months ago. Another volunteer was there to escape the spectre of another family Christmas. For me, the main driver was to find an antidote to the self-pity that threatened set in because I couldn’t spend Christmas with my own family.
From that perspective, the guests are very gracious. They sense the vulnerability of the volunteers who want to engage.
After I finished my morning security shift, I got a cup of tea and sat down in the café. I started chatting with Noel – an Irish guest who must have been in his late 60s and had spent 15 years sleeping rough in some of the toughest areas of London and Birmingham. He hadn't seen his wife and children for 25 years but he said he would never stop loving his wife, as long as he lived. His face and hands were badly scarred from what look like severe burns. Although he wore dark glasses, his piercing blue eyes would look at you over the top of his frames when he wanted to be sure you were listening.
I made the mistake of straying onto the issues of politics with Noel. In no time at all, Noel was expressing his apoplectic anger at the sight of Polish and other immigrants who were diluting British culture and using services that they had never contributed to. The issues he raised were a common theme that emerged from guests who felt the help on offer was not reaching the people who really needed it. The tension between the Eastern European guests – many of whom were much younger– and the ‘local’ guests was palpable.
I decided to chance my arm at connecting with some of the Polish guests. It was much tougher. Many could barely speak English. They could play table tennis however. I confidently challenged one guest to a game. Unfortunately, I lost pretty quickly to a Pole who I can only assume must have been a table tennis champion in his home town!
The day finished with an uplifting debrief where we heard Edwin’s story – a volunteer who had almost died on the streets but who had literally been saved by visiting a Crisis Centre. He now gone 14 years without a drink and there was no more powerful advocate for the value of the work Crisis does.
It struck me throughout the day that the Crisis centres are set up at Christmas as much to benefit the volunteers as they are for the guests. Everyone of the 40 volunteers had their own reasons for being there. One volunteer from Sunderland told me that she had lost her husband six months ago. Another volunteer was there to escape the spectre of another family Christmas. For me, the main driver was to find an antidote to the self-pity that threatened set in because I couldn’t spend Christmas with my own family.
From that perspective, the guests are very gracious. They sense the vulnerability of the volunteers who want to engage.
After I finished my morning security shift, I got a cup of tea and sat down in the café. I started chatting with Noel – an Irish guest who must have been in his late 60s and had spent 15 years sleeping rough in some of the toughest areas of London and Birmingham. He hadn't seen his wife and children for 25 years but he said he would never stop loving his wife, as long as he lived. His face and hands were badly scarred from what look like severe burns. Although he wore dark glasses, his piercing blue eyes would look at you over the top of his frames when he wanted to be sure you were listening.
I made the mistake of straying onto the issues of politics with Noel. In no time at all, Noel was expressing his apoplectic anger at the sight of Polish and other immigrants who were diluting British culture and using services that they had never contributed to. The issues he raised were a common theme that emerged from guests who felt the help on offer was not reaching the people who really needed it. The tension between the Eastern European guests – many of whom were much younger– and the ‘local’ guests was palpable.
I decided to chance my arm at connecting with some of the Polish guests. It was much tougher. Many could barely speak English. They could play table tennis however. I confidently challenged one guest to a game. Unfortunately, I lost pretty quickly to a Pole who I can only assume must have been a table tennis champion in his home town!
The day finished with an uplifting debrief where we heard Edwin’s story – a volunteer who had almost died on the streets but who had literally been saved by visiting a Crisis Centre. He now gone 14 years without a drink and there was no more powerful advocate for the value of the work Crisis does.
Friday, December 26, 2008
Christmas Eve at Crisis 2008
This Christmas, I decided to volunteer at the Broadway Centre for the homeless with Crisis.
Like starting anything for the first time, it takes a while to find one’s feet. As my two year old boy would say ‘it is a little bit scary.’
The day began with a short induction – 24 volunteers crammed into a smelly room. None of us had met before and with next to no training we were being tasked with running a day centre for 100 guests over Christmas. After some rather poor jokes aimed at breaking the ice, our team leader started allocating tasks.
My first shift was on security. The first guy that walked past told me that he thought I was a sanctimonious middle class do-gooder. He probably had it right.
Anyway, I was kitted up with a radio and told to monitor who was coming in and out. It was freezing. Just when I was beginning to think this was a complete waste of my time, two guests, David and Wayne showed up.
David was a hooded 25 year old who looked like he was in his mid 30s. He had a quiet demeanour although you could tell that, like a volcano, any eruption would be quite dramatic. David told me that he had spent the last three weeks on the streets. In that time he had been assaulted twice – leaving him with stitches in his head which he proudly showed me.
Like most people who end up on the streets, David was heart broken. He had split up with his girlfriend who had disappeared with their 9month old daughter. The council had told him that due to his criminal record, David was a ‘danger to his own daughter’ despite the fact that he had seen his partner hold a knife to his daughter’s throat. He was coming to terms his enforced estrangement from his family – with absolutely no power to address the situation.
David’s friend Wayne was a little more inebriated. Clutching a tin of cider, Wayne was busy confessing his undying love to my security colleague, ‘the beautiful Ellen’. His love was evidenced when he ran off to the shops and used his scant resources to buy Ellen a box of Ferrero Roche. Quite a gesture.
After two hours on the door, I moved inside and listened to a talented musician entertaining the guests with moving covers of Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah and David Gray’s Babylon. I met two more guests who described themselves as the old gents fo the centre. One was a totally toothless Scottish guy called Gordon (he advised me to look after my teeth while I still had them) and his pal David – another David – who was a former employee of the Bank of England (from 1963 to 1976 he told me). These guys were great company – the kind of individuals who you felt had a much deeper understanding of the way the world worked than I would ever obtain.
I resisted the temptation to grab the mike and entertain the guests with a few tracks of my own and decided instead to help out in the kitchen. The ladies in the kitchen were impressed with my mopping skills. I had to let them know that I wasn’t this good at home and that really I was just a show-pony. So that became my nick-name for the rest of the day. I thought ‘Mark the show-pony’ was rather apt.
Like starting anything for the first time, it takes a while to find one’s feet. As my two year old boy would say ‘it is a little bit scary.’
The day began with a short induction – 24 volunteers crammed into a smelly room. None of us had met before and with next to no training we were being tasked with running a day centre for 100 guests over Christmas. After some rather poor jokes aimed at breaking the ice, our team leader started allocating tasks.
My first shift was on security. The first guy that walked past told me that he thought I was a sanctimonious middle class do-gooder. He probably had it right.
Anyway, I was kitted up with a radio and told to monitor who was coming in and out. It was freezing. Just when I was beginning to think this was a complete waste of my time, two guests, David and Wayne showed up.
David was a hooded 25 year old who looked like he was in his mid 30s. He had a quiet demeanour although you could tell that, like a volcano, any eruption would be quite dramatic. David told me that he had spent the last three weeks on the streets. In that time he had been assaulted twice – leaving him with stitches in his head which he proudly showed me.
Like most people who end up on the streets, David was heart broken. He had split up with his girlfriend who had disappeared with their 9month old daughter. The council had told him that due to his criminal record, David was a ‘danger to his own daughter’ despite the fact that he had seen his partner hold a knife to his daughter’s throat. He was coming to terms his enforced estrangement from his family – with absolutely no power to address the situation.
David’s friend Wayne was a little more inebriated. Clutching a tin of cider, Wayne was busy confessing his undying love to my security colleague, ‘the beautiful Ellen’. His love was evidenced when he ran off to the shops and used his scant resources to buy Ellen a box of Ferrero Roche. Quite a gesture.
After two hours on the door, I moved inside and listened to a talented musician entertaining the guests with moving covers of Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah and David Gray’s Babylon. I met two more guests who described themselves as the old gents fo the centre. One was a totally toothless Scottish guy called Gordon (he advised me to look after my teeth while I still had them) and his pal David – another David – who was a former employee of the Bank of England (from 1963 to 1976 he told me). These guys were great company – the kind of individuals who you felt had a much deeper understanding of the way the world worked than I would ever obtain.
I resisted the temptation to grab the mike and entertain the guests with a few tracks of my own and decided instead to help out in the kitchen. The ladies in the kitchen were impressed with my mopping skills. I had to let them know that I wasn’t this good at home and that really I was just a show-pony. So that became my nick-name for the rest of the day. I thought ‘Mark the show-pony’ was rather apt.
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
From Faith to Ideology
The Mumbai terror attacks last month are ample ammunition for some to point to the destructive and divisive role of religion in the world today.
In some respects, I agree. The single biggest threat to peace between peoples of the world is the journey from faith to ideology. It is the distortion of religious thought and spiritual manipulation that cannot be underestimated in its explosive power to breed enmity.
That is what has been happening in the southern states of Pakistan where the major it the Mumbai killers have come from. It is not that the political situation in Kashmir or the crushing urban poverty has driven these men to calmly walk into cafes, hotels and community centres and wantonly kill. It is a brittle and narrow belief system that leads individuals to apocalyptic conclusions about the future and a delusional sense of the importance of their own contribution to the struggle.
This comes to the heart of the distinction between faith and ideology. Religious faith is an essentially humble commitment to a spiritual journey that brings opportunity to find reference points to understand God and give meaning to the complexity of our own existence. Ideology is a fixed world view – set of hard-wired beliefs that is less about spiritual growth than about controlling peoples behaviour and thinking from an individual to societal level.
When Muslim men in Pakistan and Bangladesh throw acid into the eyes of women as is increasingly common in agricultural heartlands such as the Punjab state; that is ideology at work. When Protestant gangs in Northern Ireland take a hammer to another (Catholic) man’s knee and render him unable to walk for a lifetime; that is ideology at work. When individuals fail to countenance any possibility that they could be wrong or could learn from those of different tradition; that is ideology at work.
But when men like Martin Luther King sustain their campaign for civil rights in America – knowing that it could end his own life prematurely; that is faith at work. When women like Aung San Suu Kyi refuse to take a loaded offer to leave Burma and visit her dying husband, Michael Aris, in the UK – because she knew the ruling junta wouldn’t let her return; that is faith in action. And when ordinary individuals choose to open their homes and hearts to others at Christmas; that is faith in action.
Although ideology often masquerades as faith, the two are quite different. It is my view that genuine religious faith has been the inspiration behind some of the greatest individuals who have ever lived. Genuine faith has the power to release individuals to be the best the best they can be. It stands to reason perhaps that ideology also has the power to deceive people into being the worst they can be too.
What we need to do examine ourselves – how far have we gone in turning our faith into an ideology?
In some respects, I agree. The single biggest threat to peace between peoples of the world is the journey from faith to ideology. It is the distortion of religious thought and spiritual manipulation that cannot be underestimated in its explosive power to breed enmity.
That is what has been happening in the southern states of Pakistan where the major it the Mumbai killers have come from. It is not that the political situation in Kashmir or the crushing urban poverty has driven these men to calmly walk into cafes, hotels and community centres and wantonly kill. It is a brittle and narrow belief system that leads individuals to apocalyptic conclusions about the future and a delusional sense of the importance of their own contribution to the struggle.
This comes to the heart of the distinction between faith and ideology. Religious faith is an essentially humble commitment to a spiritual journey that brings opportunity to find reference points to understand God and give meaning to the complexity of our own existence. Ideology is a fixed world view – set of hard-wired beliefs that is less about spiritual growth than about controlling peoples behaviour and thinking from an individual to societal level.
When Muslim men in Pakistan and Bangladesh throw acid into the eyes of women as is increasingly common in agricultural heartlands such as the Punjab state; that is ideology at work. When Protestant gangs in Northern Ireland take a hammer to another (Catholic) man’s knee and render him unable to walk for a lifetime; that is ideology at work. When individuals fail to countenance any possibility that they could be wrong or could learn from those of different tradition; that is ideology at work.
But when men like Martin Luther King sustain their campaign for civil rights in America – knowing that it could end his own life prematurely; that is faith at work. When women like Aung San Suu Kyi refuse to take a loaded offer to leave Burma and visit her dying husband, Michael Aris, in the UK – because she knew the ruling junta wouldn’t let her return; that is faith in action. And when ordinary individuals choose to open their homes and hearts to others at Christmas; that is faith in action.
Although ideology often masquerades as faith, the two are quite different. It is my view that genuine religious faith has been the inspiration behind some of the greatest individuals who have ever lived. Genuine faith has the power to release individuals to be the best the best they can be. It stands to reason perhaps that ideology also has the power to deceive people into being the worst they can be too.
What we need to do examine ourselves – how far have we gone in turning our faith into an ideology?
Sunday, November 16, 2008
Finding Solace
A few weeks ago I heard a story about a Rwandan choir who needed help. I was immediately intrigued. The choir in question is the Solace Praise Choir – a gospel choir made up of young people who have been orphaned either through the 1994 genocide or its related cousin – the HIV pandemic.
The choir formed because of the work of Solace Ministries which I visited in 2004 and has been providing exemplary vocational training as well as emotional and spiritual support for traumatised children and widows ever since the genocide.
Now, this talented and ambitious choir wanted to record their music as a precursor to a possible European tour. They found a European recording company who claimed they would record an album for them. Money was paid for their services but the choir got nothing in return as the music producers ran off with the cash.
This choir who had all endured so much now faced the prospect that their music dream was in tatters.
There didn’t appear much that anyone could or would do. That only changed after a tragic set of circumstances. In May of this year one of my friends, Jo Swann, decided to take her own life. It was a shocking piece of news. Although a few years older than me, Jo had been one of the individuals from my youth that had shaped the person I am today. A big group of us came to her funeral to remember Jo.
As friends old and new talked together at the funeral, a question emerged; why couldn’t we raise funds to build a state of the art recording studio in Kigali to give the Solace Praise Choir (and many others) the opportunity to record music? It would be an answer to the choir’s prayers and a fitting way to honour Jo’s life. Out of this very sad event, the energy for something very good was released.
So, in January 2009, a group are going to Rwanda to fit a recording studio. It will cost £15,000 and we need to raise the funding in just two months! The benefits of the studio are clear:
- providing a much needed source of revenue for Solace Ministries – who will hire the studio out to organisations such as the local university
- providing training opportunities for young people interested in music production
- giving opportunity for the Solace Praise Choir and other musicians to record their music and share it with the world
Music has a unique power. Every culture has its musical its traditions. Music can inspire, lift spirits and provide comfort. That is what I call finding solace.
ENDS
If you want to help, please visit, www.studioforsolace.co.uk.
The choir formed because of the work of Solace Ministries which I visited in 2004 and has been providing exemplary vocational training as well as emotional and spiritual support for traumatised children and widows ever since the genocide.
Now, this talented and ambitious choir wanted to record their music as a precursor to a possible European tour. They found a European recording company who claimed they would record an album for them. Money was paid for their services but the choir got nothing in return as the music producers ran off with the cash.
This choir who had all endured so much now faced the prospect that their music dream was in tatters.
There didn’t appear much that anyone could or would do. That only changed after a tragic set of circumstances. In May of this year one of my friends, Jo Swann, decided to take her own life. It was a shocking piece of news. Although a few years older than me, Jo had been one of the individuals from my youth that had shaped the person I am today. A big group of us came to her funeral to remember Jo.
As friends old and new talked together at the funeral, a question emerged; why couldn’t we raise funds to build a state of the art recording studio in Kigali to give the Solace Praise Choir (and many others) the opportunity to record music? It would be an answer to the choir’s prayers and a fitting way to honour Jo’s life. Out of this very sad event, the energy for something very good was released.
So, in January 2009, a group are going to Rwanda to fit a recording studio. It will cost £15,000 and we need to raise the funding in just two months! The benefits of the studio are clear:
- providing a much needed source of revenue for Solace Ministries – who will hire the studio out to organisations such as the local university
- providing training opportunities for young people interested in music production
- giving opportunity for the Solace Praise Choir and other musicians to record their music and share it with the world
Music has a unique power. Every culture has its musical its traditions. Music can inspire, lift spirits and provide comfort. That is what I call finding solace.
ENDS
If you want to help, please visit, www.studioforsolace.co.uk.
Sunday, November 09, 2008
The fierce urgency of now
When Obama launched his presidential campaign 22 months ago in Chicago, Illinois – he borrowed an expression from Martin Luther King when he talked about the ‘fierce urgency of now’. Despite only being a senator for little more than 2 years, Obama didn't wait to be invited to apply for the most influential job in the world.
His sense was that he could not afford to wait - not due of personal ambition - but because of his conviction that the world desperately needs a new breed of leadership which calls out the good latent in the human heart.
Despite his audacious belief that he was the man to do it, that sense of urgency that has propelled Obama – beyond all expectations - to become the 44th President of the United States of America.
Obama’s victory is a game changing moment in history.
Certainly, on the issue of race, we have taken a huge step forward. It exposes the poverty of equality of other nations. The UK's wretched record on involving ethnic minorities at the top table of political power is a case in point. We have only ever had 3 black cabinet ministers (Barsoness Scotland, Baroness Amos and Paul Boatang) in the history of British politics!
Obama's victory is also an opportunity to challenge the fundamental assumptions that so often underpin modern life. Might is right; feed the greed; me first; dog eat dog – these are all expressions of a world view that panders to the dark side of human nature. We have colluded in convincing ourselves that ‘we are only human’.
What Obama’s rapid ascent demonstrates is that people right around the world want their leaders to raise sights, chart a course and help us rediscover our truest sense of self.
The gap between who we are and who we could be is often not large. It takes relatively small steps for us to find the capacity for courage, sacrifice, love, humility, creativity and kindness.
There is an urgency for us individually and corporately to start finding and living by these qualities. The stakes have never been higher. Just when we face some of the most serious threats to life on this planet, Obama has reminded us that today’s reality does not have to be tomorrow’s destiny – it is ours to shape. While cynicism has dominated public life, Obama has galvanised millions with a vision that the best in human history is still in front of us, not behind us.
The poet Ben Okri puts it better than me when he writes 'In a time when people no longer dream great dreams, in which there are fewer great adventures of the spirit, in which we are encouraged to dumb down, to have such a man running for the highest office in America is nothing short of an extraordinary act of the imagination.'
We must take hold of this moment. If we conclude that no one person can change anything, we will be proved right. If, however, we resolve to live by our highest ideals, there is no reason why justice, freedom and equality can’t make serious inroads on the territories of injustice and suffering.
Despair is not an option; indifference must be banished. As Admiral Nelson once said ‘England expects each man to do his duty’. None of us can hide. We all have the power to choose what is right and good. Now is the time to make the change.
His sense was that he could not afford to wait - not due of personal ambition - but because of his conviction that the world desperately needs a new breed of leadership which calls out the good latent in the human heart.
Despite his audacious belief that he was the man to do it, that sense of urgency that has propelled Obama – beyond all expectations - to become the 44th President of the United States of America.
Obama’s victory is a game changing moment in history.
Certainly, on the issue of race, we have taken a huge step forward. It exposes the poverty of equality of other nations. The UK's wretched record on involving ethnic minorities at the top table of political power is a case in point. We have only ever had 3 black cabinet ministers (Barsoness Scotland, Baroness Amos and Paul Boatang) in the history of British politics!
Obama's victory is also an opportunity to challenge the fundamental assumptions that so often underpin modern life. Might is right; feed the greed; me first; dog eat dog – these are all expressions of a world view that panders to the dark side of human nature. We have colluded in convincing ourselves that ‘we are only human’.
What Obama’s rapid ascent demonstrates is that people right around the world want their leaders to raise sights, chart a course and help us rediscover our truest sense of self.
The gap between who we are and who we could be is often not large. It takes relatively small steps for us to find the capacity for courage, sacrifice, love, humility, creativity and kindness.
There is an urgency for us individually and corporately to start finding and living by these qualities. The stakes have never been higher. Just when we face some of the most serious threats to life on this planet, Obama has reminded us that today’s reality does not have to be tomorrow’s destiny – it is ours to shape. While cynicism has dominated public life, Obama has galvanised millions with a vision that the best in human history is still in front of us, not behind us.
The poet Ben Okri puts it better than me when he writes 'In a time when people no longer dream great dreams, in which there are fewer great adventures of the spirit, in which we are encouraged to dumb down, to have such a man running for the highest office in America is nothing short of an extraordinary act of the imagination.'
We must take hold of this moment. If we conclude that no one person can change anything, we will be proved right. If, however, we resolve to live by our highest ideals, there is no reason why justice, freedom and equality can’t make serious inroads on the territories of injustice and suffering.
Despair is not an option; indifference must be banished. As Admiral Nelson once said ‘England expects each man to do his duty’. None of us can hide. We all have the power to choose what is right and good. Now is the time to make the change.
Sunday, September 14, 2008
Remembering Grandpa – Hugh Robin Rowland (1915-2008)
When God was writing the job description for the role of Grandfather, I think he must have had our Grandpa in mind. He was the model of what all grandfathers should be. Kind, patient, seemingly all-knowing and great company.
Most importantly for a Grandpa, he was also a fantastic link to our heritage - connecting us naturally to values and a world that it would be easy to forget.
We all respected Grandpa because we knew he had really lived. Anyone who has settled in three different continents, risen up the ranks of the Colonial office, played off an enviable golf handicap of 14, had a sillouette which directly resembled that of Winston Churchill and outlived the reigns of 19 different British Prime Ministers, deserves respect.
Given his intellect, Grandpa could illuminate parts of history that we would otherwise be ignorant of. He once brought to life for me Harold Macmillan’s ‘wind of change’ speech, whilst walking on the cliffs above Birling Gap. He explained how it was a turning point in our country’s sense of identity and signalled the end to the colonial era. It directly affected Grandpa and Grannie – just four year’s later Nyasaland was independent of Britain and they returned to the UK.
At a time when many of us place a premium on personal happiness, Grandpa embodied the value of the ‘service above self’. I felt it was only right to ask the British Government to recognise the contribution that Grandpa made to Queen and country. I wrote to Douglas Alexander MP, Secretary of State for International Development and to his immense credit, I received a response within days paying tribute to my Grandpa and ‘his impressive career overseas working for the UK Government’.
But Grandpa was very long-suffering of his grandchildren. He had our number all right! He always knew when we were playing a prank and was happy to play along. I once provocatively asked him if he thought it would be a good idea if Britain got rid of the monarchy, a la France. He was quick to dispatch the question saying, ‘I’ve never heard such nonsense in all my life’. His mock admonishment was laced with a typical softness in his voice and a twinkle in his eye. The repartee that you could share with Grandpa was something special.
Although the world Grandpa was born in changed almost beyond recognition in his lifetime, ours was a contemporary Grandpa. He had a laptop and could surf the web before most of us! My first laptop was one of granpa’s hand me downs! How many other people had grandfathers who they could stay in regular e-contact with his family as they travelled to different corners of the globe? That was our Grandpa; open to new ideas and new ways of doing things.
More than anything, Grandpa was a true English gentleman – never imposing but honourable, humble and humorous.
This is our time to say goodbye to you Grandpa; to thank you for the love you poured into us; and to re-affirm our commitment to pass on to our children, your example of how to live with faith, dignity and grace.
ENDS
Most importantly for a Grandpa, he was also a fantastic link to our heritage - connecting us naturally to values and a world that it would be easy to forget.
We all respected Grandpa because we knew he had really lived. Anyone who has settled in three different continents, risen up the ranks of the Colonial office, played off an enviable golf handicap of 14, had a sillouette which directly resembled that of Winston Churchill and outlived the reigns of 19 different British Prime Ministers, deserves respect.
Given his intellect, Grandpa could illuminate parts of history that we would otherwise be ignorant of. He once brought to life for me Harold Macmillan’s ‘wind of change’ speech, whilst walking on the cliffs above Birling Gap. He explained how it was a turning point in our country’s sense of identity and signalled the end to the colonial era. It directly affected Grandpa and Grannie – just four year’s later Nyasaland was independent of Britain and they returned to the UK.
At a time when many of us place a premium on personal happiness, Grandpa embodied the value of the ‘service above self’. I felt it was only right to ask the British Government to recognise the contribution that Grandpa made to Queen and country. I wrote to Douglas Alexander MP, Secretary of State for International Development and to his immense credit, I received a response within days paying tribute to my Grandpa and ‘his impressive career overseas working for the UK Government’.
But Grandpa was very long-suffering of his grandchildren. He had our number all right! He always knew when we were playing a prank and was happy to play along. I once provocatively asked him if he thought it would be a good idea if Britain got rid of the monarchy, a la France. He was quick to dispatch the question saying, ‘I’ve never heard such nonsense in all my life’. His mock admonishment was laced with a typical softness in his voice and a twinkle in his eye. The repartee that you could share with Grandpa was something special.
Although the world Grandpa was born in changed almost beyond recognition in his lifetime, ours was a contemporary Grandpa. He had a laptop and could surf the web before most of us! My first laptop was one of granpa’s hand me downs! How many other people had grandfathers who they could stay in regular e-contact with his family as they travelled to different corners of the globe? That was our Grandpa; open to new ideas and new ways of doing things.
More than anything, Grandpa was a true English gentleman – never imposing but honourable, humble and humorous.
This is our time to say goodbye to you Grandpa; to thank you for the love you poured into us; and to re-affirm our commitment to pass on to our children, your example of how to live with faith, dignity and grace.
ENDS
Friday, September 05, 2008
Double or Quits Marathon Challenge
In memory of my grandfather - one of the best grandfather's in the business - who passed away on Sept 2nd 2008, I'm running the New Forest Marathon on Sept 21st. I need your help (not just your money) in getting me round....
Here's my idea.... you make pledge to me via www.justgiving.com/markrowland for Christian Aid's work with poor communities. The twist is that if I run the race in 3hrs 33min or under (beating my twin brother's time), then you agree to double your sponsorship level.
Given that my best marathon time (i've only run one) is 4hrs 17mins, some would say I'd have more chance of outsprinting Usain Bolt. Nevertheless, I am up for the challenge if you are.
Donating through Justgiving is quick, easy and totally secure. If you’re a UK taxpayer, Justgiving makes sure 25% in Gift Aid, plus a 3% supplement, are added to your donation.
Thank you for standing with me.
Mark
Here's my idea.... you make pledge to me via www.justgiving.com/markrowland for Christian Aid's work with poor communities. The twist is that if I run the race in 3hrs 33min or under (beating my twin brother's time), then you agree to double your sponsorship level.
Given that my best marathon time (i've only run one) is 4hrs 17mins, some would say I'd have more chance of outsprinting Usain Bolt. Nevertheless, I am up for the challenge if you are.
Donating through Justgiving is quick, easy and totally secure. If you’re a UK taxpayer, Justgiving makes sure 25% in Gift Aid, plus a 3% supplement, are added to your donation.
Thank you for standing with me.
Mark
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Death of Dad
On the scale of pernicious social mores, the current dilution of the role of the father has to be up there.
Today, the British parliament has voted against amending a Human Embryo and Fertilisation Bill which is, among other things, will remove the obligation on IVF doctors to consider a child’s ‘need for a father’. Furthermore, parliament has opposed a further bid to ensure there is a "father or a male role model" before fertility treatment.
The legislation is designed to ensure that singletons and same sex couples are not barred from gaining access to the same fertility opportunities as heterosexual couples. That is a brilliant thing. Our concept of what a ‘normal’ family is must and should broaden. My worry is this legislation confirms what has already been accepted in society at large: namely, that fatherhood has been relegated to an optional extra – like a plasma TV – a nice bonus if you can get it.
Modern life puts men and women in an unenviable position. Traditional gender roles are no longer economically, let alone socially viable. Rising house prices and above inflation increases in commodities have outstripped salary increases and left the family unit with little choice than to double their earning power. However, at a time when long-hour working cultures are reaching unreasonable levels (nine to five jobs are almost considered part-time), there is renewed pressure - especially on men - to be family centred. So while society has eroded the once clear roles for men and women, it has left them with real existential confusion over the most appropriate priorities.
But if a relationship falters (and 50% of first time marriages still end in divorce), it is often assumed that the dad must move on. Separation from his children is considered less intense – something he just has to deal with. With 62% of divorces including children, this is becoming an epidemic of silent grief.
By any measure the current family justice system is running a mock. A standard custody arrangement ‘allows’ fathers to see their children once every other weekend – which is regarded as generous if the mum is working.
The legislation passed today simply echoes the legal bias facing dads seeking custody of their children after a divorce. How can father’s claim equal legal rights to their children when legislation now states that the need of a father is not a valid consideration? Why do we talk the language of equality and then quickly drop that lexicon in this context? Is there any evidence that children raised by single fathers fare worse than those by single mums? I haven’t seen any.
What is wrong with a presumption towards shared parenting – surely the best parenting is both parents? Why aren’t we seeing more mediation and less legal wrangling? Why can’t the law seek as much possible to maintain the previous status quo which in most cases is what is best for children? Above all, why are we left with an adversarial, winner takes all system?
All of this heartache for fathers, you may say, is nothing compared to the years of discrimination, marginalisation and chauvinism that women have had to endure down the centuries. I agree. But we diminish our society if we think that women are any more liberated by the subjugation of fathers.
I am quite sure that the litany of angry and bitter fighting over children (which the lawyers encourage) neither brings the best out mothers or fathers. More crucially, the child is the net loser. Maybe the British parliament should do something about that.
ENDS
Thursday, May 15, 2008
World’s Apart
Something is happening in the world of philanthropy. Formerly the space reserved for the noble – it is being increasingly colonised by a new breed of smart (often young) business men and women.
These ‘social change agents’ range from the high profile – such as the sports shoe tycoon, Sir Tom Hunter - who has made no secret of his desire to give away $1billion, to the more discrete such as the anonymous Arab Sheik who recently gave the government of Bangladesh over $3billion to help the country recover from recent floods.
What these converts from business have in common is a recognition that commercial thinking and practice has a central role to play if this generation is to do a better job at sharing resources, empowering the vulnerable and protecting the planet.
We all know the trends are alarming. By 2030, the world’s population will have increased by another third – to 9 billion. Intra state fighting (which now far outstrips conflicts between nation states) is continuing to rise as the unholy scramble for the world’s resources intensifies. As geologists issue warnings that we are touching the limits of the world mineable assets, the relentless demand for gas, oil and coal continues unabated. In China, there are currently a modest 37 million vehicles in circulation. By 2030, this is predicted to increase to a staggering 270 million. All of this set against the reality that the ‘easy oil field’ finds of the Middle East are not repeatable.
In the next few years, $100 barrels of oil could seem cheap. Dfid predicts that we will see the price of oil rise to $150 per barrel in the next three years.
Inevitably, as basic commodities become more expensive, it is the poorest who suffer the most. Even today, 554 million people are without access to energy sources. What chance do they have of claiming their energy rights if trends continue? 85% of India continues to live on less than $2 per day – that in a country whose economic growth is the envy of all bar China. With these disparities, it may be that certain communities or even countries may not get any energy supply at all.
There is a fundamental and glaring discrepancy between the language used by international leaders in their desire to cut Co2 emissions while at the same time facilitating a massive demand for energy – fuelled by an unquestioned commitment to maintain economic growth.
Many ‘new philanthropists’ have little time for government quangos – they are also scathing of a voluntary sector that has failed to deliver meaningful progress with the $100billion that is passed its way each year. Their message to charities is forthright, if not pugnacious: stand aside – you’ve had a go at this – now let someone else try.
Understandably, there are those in the not for profit sector who view the new kids on the block as a threat. They would rather that these individuals worked through traditional structures and at least learnt from the sectors’ decades of lessons on the pitfalls of development. The fear is that the brash ‘business knows best’ attitude belies the complexity involved in bringing real social change.
However, if we are to meet the challenges of tomorrow, an inclusive movement which harnesses the talents and resources of every sector of society is the greatest challenge. That takes a quality of leadership rarely seen – to use the language and win the confidence of those outside your natural orbit. The synergies between voluntary and commercial organisations are only just now being explored. Commercial companies are talking to large NGOs about developing business models designed to create jobs in the poorest communities while still making a profit to ensure real sustainability.
Whether the philanthrocapitalist model gains traction will owe much to the extent to which old stereotypes and prejudices can be laid aside in favour of genuine collaboration. Currently the worlds are often too far apart to enable a meaningful conversation.
These ‘social change agents’ range from the high profile – such as the sports shoe tycoon, Sir Tom Hunter - who has made no secret of his desire to give away $1billion, to the more discrete such as the anonymous Arab Sheik who recently gave the government of Bangladesh over $3billion to help the country recover from recent floods.
What these converts from business have in common is a recognition that commercial thinking and practice has a central role to play if this generation is to do a better job at sharing resources, empowering the vulnerable and protecting the planet.
We all know the trends are alarming. By 2030, the world’s population will have increased by another third – to 9 billion. Intra state fighting (which now far outstrips conflicts between nation states) is continuing to rise as the unholy scramble for the world’s resources intensifies. As geologists issue warnings that we are touching the limits of the world mineable assets, the relentless demand for gas, oil and coal continues unabated. In China, there are currently a modest 37 million vehicles in circulation. By 2030, this is predicted to increase to a staggering 270 million. All of this set against the reality that the ‘easy oil field’ finds of the Middle East are not repeatable.
In the next few years, $100 barrels of oil could seem cheap. Dfid predicts that we will see the price of oil rise to $150 per barrel in the next three years.
Inevitably, as basic commodities become more expensive, it is the poorest who suffer the most. Even today, 554 million people are without access to energy sources. What chance do they have of claiming their energy rights if trends continue? 85% of India continues to live on less than $2 per day – that in a country whose economic growth is the envy of all bar China. With these disparities, it may be that certain communities or even countries may not get any energy supply at all.
There is a fundamental and glaring discrepancy between the language used by international leaders in their desire to cut Co2 emissions while at the same time facilitating a massive demand for energy – fuelled by an unquestioned commitment to maintain economic growth.
Many ‘new philanthropists’ have little time for government quangos – they are also scathing of a voluntary sector that has failed to deliver meaningful progress with the $100billion that is passed its way each year. Their message to charities is forthright, if not pugnacious: stand aside – you’ve had a go at this – now let someone else try.
Understandably, there are those in the not for profit sector who view the new kids on the block as a threat. They would rather that these individuals worked through traditional structures and at least learnt from the sectors’ decades of lessons on the pitfalls of development. The fear is that the brash ‘business knows best’ attitude belies the complexity involved in bringing real social change.
However, if we are to meet the challenges of tomorrow, an inclusive movement which harnesses the talents and resources of every sector of society is the greatest challenge. That takes a quality of leadership rarely seen – to use the language and win the confidence of those outside your natural orbit. The synergies between voluntary and commercial organisations are only just now being explored. Commercial companies are talking to large NGOs about developing business models designed to create jobs in the poorest communities while still making a profit to ensure real sustainability.
Whether the philanthrocapitalist model gains traction will owe much to the extent to which old stereotypes and prejudices can be laid aside in favour of genuine collaboration. Currently the worlds are often too far apart to enable a meaningful conversation.
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
what's wrong with cuban communism?
As you take the air-conditioned coach from Varedero to Havana, you could be forgiven for thinking that a world without McDonalds and Starbucks might not have been such a bad alternative.
The palm trees sway gently, weighed down by an abundance of coconuts on the white sands of the Caribbean beaches. The people seem proud of their history and culture and prepared to withstand the tide of global economics, which is flowing in the opposite direction.
Make no mistake; Castro's legacy is that Cuba is communist but what of it? Can it be that the only communist country West of Korea could actually be serving its people effectively?
If you are a Cuban today, there are no waiting lists for hospital operations – the Cuban government has invested hugely to give every man, women and child the opportunity for comprehensive health care free of charge. Cuba also boasts some of the most advanced medical research into some of the world’s deadliest diseases.
Neither are there are there students concerned about how they are going to pay tuition fees and be able to afford to live – every Cuban has the opportunity to free tertiary education – and I mean free. Students at Havana University get their food, accommodation, books and even pencils paid for by the state.
And there is no New Deal scheme to get the unemployed back to work because 100% employment was one of the key aims of the Revolution in ’59.
In fact, on the face of it, the Communist system in Cuba seems to have ‘delivered’ exactly the sort of public service provision that so many voters seem to be demanding in this country.
The Revolution in 1959, led by the young Fidel Castro, seems to have achieved its goals of establishing an egalitarian society based on the humanist values of equality, liberation and fraternity. The armed revolution was achieved with the might of a handful of determined guerrilla revolutionaries – idolised in the face of Ernesto ‘Che’ Guevara who fought for Cuba’s autonomy despite being Argentinean. These men succeeded in getting the support of the illiterate farmers to fight with them to over-turn the US administered regime, overseen by the Cuban dictator, Batista. Years of domination by the imperialists of Britain, Spain and then the infamous US were over, with a revolution promising to make Cuba independent and close the gap between the rich and poor.
So why can't we be more generous to the ageing Castro as he bows out after 49 years at the helm?
Take a closer look. The crumbling wall-paintings of Che Guevara and the victorious Revolution are a clue as to why the communist ideals have not served their people as well as it might seem. The flag-ship social reforms hide the truth that the cost for the ordinary Cuban in terms individual freedom has been colossal. In the clamour for our trains to run on time and for our schools to be better resourced – we would do well to remember that protection of our right to be genuinely free citizens is the greatest public service any government can provide.
‘There are no rich people in Cuba’ we were told. ‘Everything is owned by the state. We are given on average $15 a month salary and that is basically the same whether you are a bar-man or a doctor.’ In fact, Cuba has a problem because many of her doctors and lawyers are leaving their profession to serve drinks to tourists in hotels. The money they make in tips puts them among the most plentiful in the country. The goal to eradicate extreme poverty has been pursued by making relative poverty the norm for all.
Although there is not the atmosphere of intimidation and fear that characterised the Soviet forms of communism, control is central to the sustaining of this system. Castro shruged off calls for greater democracy by pointing to the ‘democracies’ of countries such as Brazil where thousands of street children are left to fend for themselves. ‘Why isn’t the international community bringing sanctions on these countries?’ he asks. But this evasion misses the point. There is no greater oppression than to deny citizens a genuine stake in their own destiny.
The ironies couldn’t be more stark. The revolutionary heroes risked everything on the chance they might win liberation and independence. Yet in sustaining the communist system they have placed national identity ahead of individual freedom. They have placed equality as the highest goal and clipped the wings of a nation’s ambition.
The Cuban revolutionaries believed that human effort alone could rid the world of domination and exploitation. Towards that end, the revolutionaries set about re-educating citizens about the benefit of ‘voluntary participation’ (work without rewards) and the evil of competition.
The critiques of capitalist globalisation should be heeded. Reforms in the WTO and IMF need to happen in order for global trade justice to prevail. It cannot be right that the amoral market should be left to determine the value of commodities with no reference to the context within which those goods were produced. However, capitalism works because it works with the grain of human nature rather than against it.
Castro believes that communism has transformed ordinary Cubans from once dreaming of their own happiness to dreaming of the happiness of everyone.
The reality is much sadder: no one in Cuba dreams anymore.
The palm trees sway gently, weighed down by an abundance of coconuts on the white sands of the Caribbean beaches. The people seem proud of their history and culture and prepared to withstand the tide of global economics, which is flowing in the opposite direction.
Make no mistake; Castro's legacy is that Cuba is communist but what of it? Can it be that the only communist country West of Korea could actually be serving its people effectively?
If you are a Cuban today, there are no waiting lists for hospital operations – the Cuban government has invested hugely to give every man, women and child the opportunity for comprehensive health care free of charge. Cuba also boasts some of the most advanced medical research into some of the world’s deadliest diseases.
Neither are there are there students concerned about how they are going to pay tuition fees and be able to afford to live – every Cuban has the opportunity to free tertiary education – and I mean free. Students at Havana University get their food, accommodation, books and even pencils paid for by the state.
And there is no New Deal scheme to get the unemployed back to work because 100% employment was one of the key aims of the Revolution in ’59.
In fact, on the face of it, the Communist system in Cuba seems to have ‘delivered’ exactly the sort of public service provision that so many voters seem to be demanding in this country.
The Revolution in 1959, led by the young Fidel Castro, seems to have achieved its goals of establishing an egalitarian society based on the humanist values of equality, liberation and fraternity. The armed revolution was achieved with the might of a handful of determined guerrilla revolutionaries – idolised in the face of Ernesto ‘Che’ Guevara who fought for Cuba’s autonomy despite being Argentinean. These men succeeded in getting the support of the illiterate farmers to fight with them to over-turn the US administered regime, overseen by the Cuban dictator, Batista. Years of domination by the imperialists of Britain, Spain and then the infamous US were over, with a revolution promising to make Cuba independent and close the gap between the rich and poor.
So why can't we be more generous to the ageing Castro as he bows out after 49 years at the helm?
Take a closer look. The crumbling wall-paintings of Che Guevara and the victorious Revolution are a clue as to why the communist ideals have not served their people as well as it might seem. The flag-ship social reforms hide the truth that the cost for the ordinary Cuban in terms individual freedom has been colossal. In the clamour for our trains to run on time and for our schools to be better resourced – we would do well to remember that protection of our right to be genuinely free citizens is the greatest public service any government can provide.
‘There are no rich people in Cuba’ we were told. ‘Everything is owned by the state. We are given on average $15 a month salary and that is basically the same whether you are a bar-man or a doctor.’ In fact, Cuba has a problem because many of her doctors and lawyers are leaving their profession to serve drinks to tourists in hotels. The money they make in tips puts them among the most plentiful in the country. The goal to eradicate extreme poverty has been pursued by making relative poverty the norm for all.
Although there is not the atmosphere of intimidation and fear that characterised the Soviet forms of communism, control is central to the sustaining of this system. Castro shruged off calls for greater democracy by pointing to the ‘democracies’ of countries such as Brazil where thousands of street children are left to fend for themselves. ‘Why isn’t the international community bringing sanctions on these countries?’ he asks. But this evasion misses the point. There is no greater oppression than to deny citizens a genuine stake in their own destiny.
The ironies couldn’t be more stark. The revolutionary heroes risked everything on the chance they might win liberation and independence. Yet in sustaining the communist system they have placed national identity ahead of individual freedom. They have placed equality as the highest goal and clipped the wings of a nation’s ambition.
The Cuban revolutionaries believed that human effort alone could rid the world of domination and exploitation. Towards that end, the revolutionaries set about re-educating citizens about the benefit of ‘voluntary participation’ (work without rewards) and the evil of competition.
The critiques of capitalist globalisation should be heeded. Reforms in the WTO and IMF need to happen in order for global trade justice to prevail. It cannot be right that the amoral market should be left to determine the value of commodities with no reference to the context within which those goods were produced. However, capitalism works because it works with the grain of human nature rather than against it.
Castro believes that communism has transformed ordinary Cubans from once dreaming of their own happiness to dreaming of the happiness of everyone.
The reality is much sadder: no one in Cuba dreams anymore.
Thursday, January 10, 2008
A tribute to Jessica Smith
Jessica Smith died in her sleep on December 27th 2007 – aged 22
A tribute:
It is an honour to stand before you today to share some memories and reflections of a talented, beautiful and wonderfully energetic young woman who we were all privileged to know. We want to use today celebrate Jess’s life because she was certainly something special.
I first knew Jess as a fresh faced graduate – working in my first job at Jubilee Campaign. Ever since I’ve known her, two aspects of her personality stood out to me: her natural confidence and her determined courage.
Her confidence shone through when Danny (my boss at the time) thought it would be good for her to get some experience working in the office. She used to come for several weeks in the summer – starting out as an assistant in the office and finishing virtually running the office!
She didn’t let being the youngest or least experienced in the office hold her back. Jess threw herself into it – especially helping me in the campaign to free James Mawdsley from prison in Burma. She intuitively took the side of the under-dog and I know how proud she was of being part of the Jubilee’s narrative of fighting injustice.
She was also courageous. I remember being on a train with her one day and getting into some detailed discussion on ethics or religion. It upset the man sitting across from and suddenly interrupted – telling me I should keep my opinions to myself and not impose them on Jess. Before I could respond and much to my relief, Jess looked at him with a hint of distain and told him directly, ‘I can think for myself, you know’. That was Jess – like an arrow straight and true - never afraid to engage in the big issues and never afraid to speak her mind.
I also remember smiling wryly one day when danny told me that they’d realised that Jess had given shelter to a girl who had run away from home. Jess had fed and looked after her for three days without anyone knowing! That takes a certain courage.
But I also saw that courage when Jess was ill. I got a phone call from Jess at work a few months ago after I hadn’t heard from her for a long time. She was calling from hospital but she wasn’t afraid to reach out and let me know she needed a friend.
CS Lewis once wrote ‘the pain now is part of the joy then’. That’s why we’ll miss Jess so much because she brought so much life, so much energy and so much joy.
10th January 2008 St Paul’s Church, Addlestone
A tribute:
It is an honour to stand before you today to share some memories and reflections of a talented, beautiful and wonderfully energetic young woman who we were all privileged to know. We want to use today celebrate Jess’s life because she was certainly something special.
I first knew Jess as a fresh faced graduate – working in my first job at Jubilee Campaign. Ever since I’ve known her, two aspects of her personality stood out to me: her natural confidence and her determined courage.
Her confidence shone through when Danny (my boss at the time) thought it would be good for her to get some experience working in the office. She used to come for several weeks in the summer – starting out as an assistant in the office and finishing virtually running the office!
She didn’t let being the youngest or least experienced in the office hold her back. Jess threw herself into it – especially helping me in the campaign to free James Mawdsley from prison in Burma. She intuitively took the side of the under-dog and I know how proud she was of being part of the Jubilee’s narrative of fighting injustice.
She was also courageous. I remember being on a train with her one day and getting into some detailed discussion on ethics or religion. It upset the man sitting across from and suddenly interrupted – telling me I should keep my opinions to myself and not impose them on Jess. Before I could respond and much to my relief, Jess looked at him with a hint of distain and told him directly, ‘I can think for myself, you know’. That was Jess – like an arrow straight and true - never afraid to engage in the big issues and never afraid to speak her mind.
I also remember smiling wryly one day when danny told me that they’d realised that Jess had given shelter to a girl who had run away from home. Jess had fed and looked after her for three days without anyone knowing! That takes a certain courage.
But I also saw that courage when Jess was ill. I got a phone call from Jess at work a few months ago after I hadn’t heard from her for a long time. She was calling from hospital but she wasn’t afraid to reach out and let me know she needed a friend.
CS Lewis once wrote ‘the pain now is part of the joy then’. That’s why we’ll miss Jess so much because she brought so much life, so much energy and so much joy.
10th January 2008 St Paul’s Church, Addlestone
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