Reflection

Katrina Grabner

When I reflect on the MCC Ottawa Student Seminar, I am so thankful for the opportunity that I had to learn more about and dig deeper into social justice issues such as human trafficking, poverty, global warming, Indigenous human rights, etc...  One thing that really stood out for me is the importance of advocating and being a participating citizen. 

Most of the social injustices that occur are complex issues. Louise Brown wrote, in regards to human trafficking, "The people who endure the grossest forms of sexual abuse throughout the world are those who are at the bottom of lots of different hierarchies. They are female, they are from poor families in poor communities, and they belong to despised racial and ethnic minorities. They are abused and exploited, and a proportion are locked in sexual slavery precisely and simply because they can be: they are society's most vulnerable people."

Such complex issues need a multi-faceted approach, both from the grass roots level and also through policy making. In Canada through our democratic system, we as citizens are given power and responsibility. Therefore, we can be apart of bringing about positive changes in policy for the oppressed, both in our own nation and in other nations.

Yet, democracy is only as strong as its citizens (or their representatives!), and when they are aware and educated about current issues and  policies being put into place, they can effectively share their opinions and concerns with their MP's. That is one reason why advocacy is so important; it is about bringing awareness to and speaking with and on behalf of those whose voices have been taken away. We cannot forget the faces behind the issues.

Advocacy when coupled with compassion, is powerful and enduring. It is able to withstand the test of time, an important quality when it takes many years and decades to begin to see results with social justice issues. This kind of work, this kind of lifestyle begins and is (or needs to be) motivated by compassion, love, mercy and a hunger for justice. Sound familiar? I believe someone by the name of Jesus may have mentioned these qualities...

 

Reflection

Scott Cressman

Sometimes the world’s problems seem impossible to fix. There are too many people suffering, too many injustices, too many causes to support. Any effort to help solve this ocean of social issues can feel like only removing a bucketful. No real change results.

It would be tempting to throw up the white flag after MCC’s student conference, One World: Seeking Global Justice through Faith and Policy. Here I learned about things such as the damage Canadian mining companies create overseas, or how poorly Canada’s environmental work compares to other nations. But, that’s not all I’ll take away from the conference. In fact, the memory that stands out most didn’t happen at the conference sessions, but on an Ottawa street.

Our first morning had just finished, and I joined a small group of conference-goers to search for a Subway restaurant for lunch. It was a typically cold Ottawa day. On the way, we passed a grey-bearded man sitting on the sidewalk, asking for change. Normally, I would have passed by, but one member of the group, Steve, stopped and asked the man if he wanted a sandwich. He eagerly accepted.

Our new friend was named Harley. Over lunch, we talked about his cats, where he grew up, and the small apartment that cost most of his disability payments.

Steve’s willingness to help a stranger helped me put things in perspective. It’s easy to think that social justice is only a problem far away. Canada is a great country, our patriotic pride tells us, and our problems at home are only minor. But Jesus’s ministry wasn’t like that. He saw the big picture, but He dealt with the details, the people right in front of Him. He fed and healed the crowds that crossed his path day-to-day without losing patience or giving up.

When I met Harley it reminded me that justice has a human face. Environmental stewardship, global poverty, and the other giant social issues we discussed at the conference deserve our attention. But creating justice has to start on a human level, and that’s where we can see real changes.