...but justice in practice is more powerful still...

When I was in Nashville a few weeks ago during my first week of work and the national Justice for Our Neighbors meeting I saw this book.

Well really I was in the first shuttle over to the church we were meeting in and there was a set of books they were collecting/giving away. Many were church based etc, but of course the one with South Africa in the title caught my eye. I think it was a guide to South Africa written for Americans in the 70's. Then I realized it was written by Alan Paton and one of the last chapters goes through the political parties and politics of the time. (Alan Paton wrote Cry, the Beloved Country- which I suggest reading, I think I read it in middle school. I was with a white family in South Africa when the movie came on TV and it really hit home again for the wife.)

Anyway these are the concluding paragraphs of the book, which I find interesting and in some way connected to in coming home from South Africa. Funny that I find it as I start with JFON, but the connections are always there.

Here you go:

"It is very important to me that young people from other countries (I do not call them foreigners, because I dislike the word) should visit us, and try to understand the difficulties of our problems. Especially am I glad that Americans should visit us. It is very important that Americans should understand the problems of as many countries as possible, because America has such a power, and therefore such responsibility, in the world. I believe that America takes her responsibility very seriously, and therefore it is important that she should increase her knowledge.

…But an allegiance to our countries becomes deeper and truer when we owe an allegiance to something even greater, to truth, to justice, and to the welfare of the whole human race. That is what I believe, and I know that many Americans believe it too; they believe that that is the way to become not only better citizens of the world, but better citizens of America also. They become better able to carry out their great responsibility to the world.

As your ship leaves the harbor of Table Bay, I say not goodbye, but tot siens, which means that I hope to see you again. As you sail away from Africa, you will for a long time see the great mass of Table Mountain, the same as was seen by the first white men who came to make their homes in South Africa. They brought a new life to this country. They changed the old life beyond recall. It goes on changing, and it is our duty to see that it changes for the good of all who live here.

No country likes interference from outside in its internal affairs. Yet no country can live without some kind of interference from outside. From now onwards your interest in South Africa should be better informed than it was a few weeks ago. And above all, remember this – the greatest service that any person can render to the cause of peace and justice in the world is to ensure that peace and justice prevail in his own country. Justice in the ideal is a powerful thing, but justice in practice is more powerful still, and can influence powerfully all the peoples of the world."

Howard Heiner

Maybe it’s a circle of life or maybe it is just part of life. I opened an e-mail this morning from the United Methodist Missionary Association sharing of the passing of Howard Heiner.

I am a bit new to these circles in direct ‘missionary’ ways, so don’t know Howard as a colleague like others in the association. However, Howard and his wife Peggy have been part of my journey with this program. During my road trip around the country I stayed at their house in Ashland one night. They know and worked with my parents as well and on the list of people I stayed with journeying around America old church members and missionaries were actually some of my favorite stops. I stayed with the Heiners after I had returned from my discernment weekend, but before I knew I was accepted as a Mission Intern.

It was a lovely visit. I was energized by their story and delighted to know them again as an adult able to hear and learn.

So my prayers are with the Heiners today. They blessed me with some of their faith and experience in this journey I am on. It is a different kind of mourning to me, when the voices that helped me to get to this place are no longer a phone call away.