when going home isn't possible...

I had the opportunity to witness Brazilian photographer Sebastiao Salgado's exhibit at the Leonardo gallery in Salt Lake City. He has taken hundreds of images of people in countries all over the world who are refugees. Millions of people who have left their homes or their homes have been destroyed, and are living in plastic shelters, caves, under train tracks, anywhere they can find to survive. Salgado spent over six years documenting the lives of people in Africa, Asia, Central and South America, the Middle East; so many, many children, who are fleeing from war, famine and natural disasters.

I spent about an hour and a half there, walking from image to image, letting the eyes of people sink into mine. Sending many wordless prayers. I knew of Somalia, of the oppresssion of the Kurds. But a prison camp outside a city in Asia with high concrete walls, six feet high barbed wire where people are kept that are "in between?" Beyond the walls of this camp, you can see the sky scrapers of the modern city. Many of the photographs seemed surreal - how could this be happening now? I left the exhibit quite devastated and committed - committed to do what I can to alleviate suffering when I encounter it here, in this city in Utah; and committed to continuing the conversation about ways we can help. It does feel overwhelming, and the suffering is immense. And as religious people, as people dedicated to principles that promote freedom and justice, we need to do whatever we can. Supporting the UU Service Committee is one way. Having conversations with each other, in our families, congregations, communities.
Thank you Sebastiao, for being willing to go to these dangerous, desperate and unlivable places and bring the faces of people home to us. Your images and work are absolutely vital and so needed. We can create revolutions of kindness and care that begin with knowing what is real, how lives really are, where people are having to scrape out a place, a life. When going home isn't possible, we have to build sanctuaries in our hearts.

"We are all interconnected, and we depend on one another more than we know."
Rev. Barbara Hamilton-Holway

I Felt Held...Thank You

This past Saturday I had my interview with the Ministerial Fellowship Committee of the UUA. What a wonderful, compassionate and knowledgeable group of people - UU ministers, lay leaders, counselors, and people committed to Unitarian Universalism. They are offering a true "ministry of presence" in their work with candidates. I felt held in their presence during my interview, and held by my larger community of friends, colleagues and family. Thank you to everyone for your prayers and thoughts, wishes and energy. I am now in preliminary fellowship and feel blessed to be a religious leader in this denomination. Thank you. If you are curious, some questions I was asked to speak to included: what do I believe happens when we die; how would I handle a difficult person; what is the foundational document that US polity is based on, how do I see systematic racism playing out in our congregations; and a range of other questions. I had a really enjoyable interview - we laughed together and I felt like I was able to be myself and reveal my presence as a minister.
"Breathing in, I know I am here, Breathing out, I know I am home. I am here. I am home." thich nhat hanh