 |
| Tonga sunset. Image by Sarah Kelemen Garber |
†
A GREETING
Protect me, O God, for in you I take refuge.
(Psalm 16:1)
A READING
‘But where shall wisdom be found? And where is the place of understanding? Mortals do not know the way to it, and it is not found in the land of the living. The deep says, “It is not in me”, and the sea says, “It is not with me.” It cannot be bought for gold, and silver cannot be weighed out as its price. No mention shall be made of coral or of crystal; the price of wisdom is above pearls. ‘God understands the way to it, and knows its place. For God looks to the ends of the earth, and sees everything under the heavens.
(Job 28:12-16,18;23-24)
MUSIC
Fakafeta'i ki he 'Eiki means "Praise the Lord"
A MEDITATIVE VERSE
Then he said to him, ‘Get up and go on your way.’
(Luke 17:19)
A POEM
E te atua (Oh God), Please bless those who are suffering and are moving because of sea levels rising and bad disasters happening. Please bless them and watch over them as they have to move to another island because of climate weather change. Please Lord, we ask you to take care of them and watch over them especially as they can’t plant food to eat. Amen
- by Cecilia Fuotaga, 5th Grade,
St. Anne's Catholic School, Manurewa
VERSE OF THE DAY
Therefore let all who are faithful offer prayer to you;
at a time of distress, the rush of mighty waters shall not reach them.
(Psalm 32:6)
†
 |
| Ufilae beach, Eua Island, Tonga. Image by Viktor Pinchuk |
The Northern Equatorial Current and counter-current moves west and east and south, coming near to the northern shores of Papua New Guinea. East of this island nation are many small island nations, each one rich with its own culture and history.
Papua New Guinea has one of the most diverse wildernesses in the world and is one of the only places on the planet with a range of diversity of climates. There are active volcanoes, glaciers and there are areas that get annual snowfall. And yet, the island has more than 2 million hectares of forested land.
In the last few decades Papua New Guinea has been a principal source of palm oil — causing deforestation that has dramatically displaced some of the 1500 species of amphibians, birds, mammals and reptiles, as well as more than 11,000 species of plant. More recently, however, it has become one of the many island nations affected by rising sea levels.
Some of the other South Pacific Islands, which include Tonga, Fiji, Samoa, the Carteret Islands, the Tuvalu Islands, and the Maldives are all experiencing profound change as the result of global warming and rising sea levels. The losses experienced by these communities echo biblical themes: erosion of land causes an even deeper attachment to the land and the sense of identity that comes with belonging to the land. In the video below, Rufina Moi, Chief of Navoin Clan, Han Island, says, “I don’t think when we leave this island we forget what we have here.” Since the video was made in 2010, however, many of the inhabitants of the Carterets have been relocated to coastal Papua New Guinea. They have traded one kind of instability for another.
The biblical peoples are nomadic by nature, used to pulling up stakes and moving their homes and tents of meeting to other locations. So many times in the scriptural story, we hear the direction to someone from God or from Jesus to 'get up and go.' Often they do so, trusting in God's care. What happens when there is nowhere left to go? How can we change the narrative of climate crisis, so that climate refugees have the means to stay where they are, instead of having to leave?
* * * * * * * *
A STORY OF RESISTANCE
This documentary describes the vanishing way of life for the Tuluun people of the Cartaret Islands in the South Pacific. The elders narrate and speak of times they know are coming, while they long to somehow hold onto who they have been. The film is 18 minutes long, but any amount of time spent with it will be enriching.
* * * * * * * *
Resources in today's devotion:
Scripture passages are taken from The New Revised Standard Version.
For more on climate change and the South Pacific Islands, go here.
†
LC† Streams of Living Justice is a devotional series of Lutherans Connect, supported by the Eastern Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada and the Centre for Spirituality and Media at Martin Luther University College. To receive the devotions by email, write to lutheransconnect@gmail.com. The devotional pages are written and curated by Deacon Sherry Coman, with support and input from Pastor Steve Hoffard, Catherine Evenden and Henriette Thompson. Join us on Facebook. Lutherans Connect invites you to make a donation to the Ministry by going to this link on the website of the ELCIC Eastern Synod and selecting "Lutherans Connect Devotionals" under "Fund". Devotions are always freely offered, however your donations help support the ongoing work.
Thank you and peace be with you!
Resources in today's devotion:
Scripture passages are taken from The New Revised Standard Version.
For more on climate change and the South Pacific Islands, go here.
†
LC† Streams of Living Justice is a devotional series of Lutherans Connect, supported by the Eastern Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada and the Centre for Spirituality and Media at Martin Luther University College. To receive the devotions by email, write to lutheransconnect@gmail.com. The devotional pages are written and curated by Deacon Sherry Coman, with support and input from Pastor Steve Hoffard, Catherine Evenden and Henriette Thompson. Join us on Facebook. Lutherans Connect invites you to make a donation to the Ministry by going to this link on the website of the ELCIC Eastern Synod and selecting "Lutherans Connect Devotionals" under "Fund". Devotions are always freely offered, however your donations help support the ongoing work.
Thank you and peace be with you!