A prayer for unity...

We realised that we have not been here at this time of the year before when we received an email from one of the religious sisters based in Taize this week inviting us to participate in the pray for unity held last night in Taize. We began at 6pm with a meeting led by brother Franck who is originally Dutch but has worked out in Bangladesh for the last 30 years with 5 other Taize brothers.The work began in 1974 in Chittagong, then in Dacca and since 1987 they have been in Mymensingh.
Right from the start they have placed much emphasis on the young; setting up small schools for the poor – at the moment there are seven of these; finding ways to support students in their studies; organising meetings for prayer and reflection, regularly in different parts of the country; one of the brothers has been teaching in the major seminary in Dhaka for nearly thirty years.
An important preoccupation that has emerged through the years is with people who are disabled, through the “Community Centre for the Handicapped” and through the pilgrimages for the disabled and for persons with differing mental capacities, which the brothers organise in different parts of the country.
The brothers work not only with Bengalis but also with people from the various tribes, especially in the villages; they try to promote understanding between Christians of different denominations, with people of different faiths.
When they first arrived they were asked by the local Muslims and Hindus"What are you going to do here?" They responded with a question "What would you like us to do?" And so began the ministry to handicapped young people - those that no-one else wanted to help - brought to the brothers off the side of the road.
We saw a wonderful film to illustrate what brother Franck had been telling us about. 160 million people live in Bangladesh. The majority of people are Muslims followed by Hindus and then Christians from various denominations Catholics through to Pentecostals.
Some Muslims and Hindus come to the prayers which like in Taize, are three times a day. There is a small church where the brothers live - it was a disused Anglican church before.

Those for whom the brothers care have various skills and we saw a wonderful young man who paints with his feet and mouth after an accident in his village when he touched a live electric cable with his hands and lost them and his arms. His skill was amazing. Some make beautiful cards, first laying pieces of straw down and flattening them completely. Then motives are cut out from the flattened straw and they are mounted on to cards. The paintings too are made into cards as well as remaining as paintings. Others make candles and we bought a couple so we can continue to remember the work of these people who often in the world's eyes have nothing to offer.
At the beginning and end we sang Taize songs in Bengali! We were also taught to greet one another in Bengali. Apparently it is easy to know which denominations Christians come from by the greeting they offer when they meet you. The protestants say "Emmanuel", and Catholics "Pronam Jesu".
We sang the following chants - who can work out which 2 they are?

Djetai onurag o Bhalohassa
djetai onurag, Ishoro Shetai

and

Jiso Christo moder ontorer alo
Moner ondokarke khotto bolte dio na.
Jiso Christo moder ontorer alo
tomar pre amai grohon korte dao.

Following the meeting we went into church with the bells ringing out over the snow-clad valley and along with the Roman Catholic bishop from the diocese, Bishop Benoit, some nuns from St Desert, a Serbian Orthodox priest from Chalon, and a protestant pastor from the area as well as other local Christian leaders, we prayed for the unity of Christ's church together. It was moving as on Friday evening the prayer is diferent because the cross of Taize is laid on the floor of the church and there is a moment when everyone turns towards the cross and bows, kneels and prays. And what a wonderful moment when everyone came together to do this. All praying that the people of God may be one and asking his forgiveness when we fail in our search for inity with our brothers and sisters.

After the prayer we were invited to share a drink and refreshment with some of the brothers and the local Christians visiting for the prayer.
It was a very special meeting and we felt so priveleged to be part of it.

Christmastide continues...

A Happy New Year to all my readers! It is a little late coming as I have been fighting a nasty cold which has hung around all week and reduced me to huddling in front of our wood burner wrapped in a blanket that my friend Pam P made for me before we left England. I have been soooooo grateful for it as I found however many layers or however roaring the fire, I still felt cold.
Our New Year began in St Gengoux de Scisse with our Dutch friend and his sister and family. We stayed over and drank champagne at midnight! It was an interesting start to 2013 because we saw the Dutch fireworks on TV at midnight - not the familiar Big Ben!
During Advent we had watched the evolution of the creche (crib) in Taize. Apart from this one and our dear friends' crib outside their home in Varanges, there is no indication that it is the celebration of the birth of Jesus... This has shocked me, since France is perceived as being a Roman Catholic country, but in truth since the separation of church and state there is little evidence of knowledge of the festivals although bizarrely there is a national holiday for Easter Monday, Ascension Day, Pentecost, Assumption, and All Saints Day as well as Christmas of course.
However, I just wanted to show you the full creche built in Taize as although in the church's calendar Christmastide continues until the feast of Candlemass on 2nd February, I don't expect that the creche will still be there then!

It is very large as you can see, and tons of builders' sand had been put there to form the base for the tableau.
From the left came the shepherds with their sheep.

You might notice that the shepherd at the back is sporting jeans and they are pulled down revealing his Calvin Klein underwear!
I should explain that the inspiration for the creche has come from the visit that some of the brothers and volunteers made in November to Kigali Rwanda. The volunteers returned and using African figures and African costumes as well as African huts, they put the creche together! Apparently many young men wear their jeans like those in the west hence the dress of the shepherd!

Mary and Joseph are in the stable with Jesus who has been put in a kind of basket with straw. The star shines above, wired in by the local electrician for the occasion.
I was particularly intrigued by the the angels - all dressed in African costume and each one holding a little item placed there by the volunteer who made it - a little token of something they treasured - in one case a camomile tea bag! I suppose the link must be that the angels delivered good news, so what is good news for you - and clearly the tea bag was good news!!!

 

 

Finally the kings arrive - they came from the East and set out a few weeks back for the long journey, looking splendid in their colourful costumes!

Certainly a unique creche, and one that in our first Christmas season living here, we will remember for a long time! It reflects too the amazing mix of people who come to Taize, truly drawn from the four corners of the earth!