The world is on its knees, not in subjugation but in prayer. Government leaders are facing empire building and total disregard for human rights in other leaders. Even shocked middle schoolers are calling it the start of World War III. The agony and suffering of the people of Ukraine is stirring the entire world to empathy. The pictures of them fleeing the country, sleeping in subways, having babies in basements and taking up arms is heart-rending. Always in war, it is the ordinary people who bear the horror of it in their bodies and psyches.
"The Blanket Exercise challenged me to confront history as it was never taught in school by calling me to open my heart to a new telling of an old story. It invited me to symbolically walk with the Indigenous people and to face my personal assumptions and feelings about colonialism. For me it was a powerful and emotional journey." Ann Gotfryd, Associate Nowadays, everything pivots - The Blanket Exercise has gone online! To deepen our awareness of the history of our Indigenous peoples, as well as the impact on their current realities, the Justice Peace and Integrity of Creation (JPIC) Committee is pleased to announce a session of the now-Virtual Kairos Blanket Exercise. This will take place from 1:00 – 4:00 p.m. Eastern on Saturday, April 9th. The cost is $50 per person with a maximum of 40 participants. More information from Kairos at https://www.kairosblanketexercise.org/v-kbe/
Book – I Am Because We Are by Chidiogo Akunyili-Parr. (2022; House of Amansi Press, Inc. acknowledging financial support from Canada Council of the Arts, Ontario Arts Council and Government of Canada.)
This is the story of family bonds, Christian values, and educational pursuits resulting in a woman’s tireless efforts to fight systemic corruption in Nigeria. The author, a Nigerian-Canadian, tells the story of her mother, Dora Akunyili, (1954-1972), a pharmacist, professor, and politically effective mover in Nigeria’s power structures. The daughter, after extensive and careful research, writes as if the mother were speaking her own story. The African practice of Ubuntu that emphasizes community over personal good was a huge motivating factor for Dora in her struggles to tackle injustice, crooked maneuvers, and face personal threats.
