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Originally published by The Canadian Council of Churches.*

The Kanak concept of “Do Kamo: the authentic human in a permanent becoming”, emphasizes that true human nature is not a fixed state—not something one is born with, but rather an ongoing process of maturation. This is a metaphor for personal growth and transformation, as individuals let go of their past selves and embrace their true identities. This transformation symbolizes shedding our primitive natures and embracing the qualities and potentials of a Do Kamo.

Conflict and trauma are realities we learn about daily. For some of us, we learn of conflict and trauma through news stories, or personal anecdotes from people close to us. For others, it is a lived and daily reality: conflict and trauma are the air we breathe.

In his 1967 book Where Do We Go from Here: Chaos or Community? Rev. Dr Martin Luther King Jr envisioned a “World House.” 

“We pray – Peace now – End the War!” This is the motto for the “Light of Peace” Prayer Campaign for the Korean Peninsula. “Peace now!” Now we are caught in the global coronavirus pandemic. The airtime in TV and radio is occupied by news related to the spread of the virus with many bad consequences for health and wealth of humankind. In this crisis we tend to forget other urgent needs. One of them is the call for peace for the Korean Peninsula.

They stopped counting at 524, but many more showed up. The 524 were clergy, registered from over 50 different groups, but many others were along to show support for the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe’s resistance to the Dakota Access Pipeline. They also called for an end to the militarized governmental response to the peaceful protest.

It was a warm August day and I was on my way to Taizé. I was looking forward to going to the community in France that was already close to my heart. As a young adult I participated in many Taizé worship services organized by local churches where I lived in Canada. We sang the beautiful chants that Taizé is so well known for: “Come and fill our hearts with your peace…” For me, these services were a refuge for the soul.

The Youth in Asia Training for Religious Amity (YATRA), as a space to encounter other religions, offered me a fascinating yatra (pilgrimage) into Hinduism through the lectures of Prof. Meera Baindur from India who introduced Hinduism as a religion of epics and mythologies and helped me to encounter my own Christian faith afresh.