Reflections on Life
Good news about Aijalon Mahli Gomes today. The DPRK has recognized an opportunity to use him as a pawn, thereby pushing his name and plight into global attention. Aijalon has been a prisoner of the Pyongyang gulag since January 25th of this year, and precious little attention has been given his case.
A recent debate in the UK Parliament brought out some pertinent points about the overall situation in Korea. Here are some scattered excerpts from that transcript. [Read more...]
My Aunt Mary is in the hospital tonight… again. It appears to be for the final time. The family has been called. Death comes to all. At ninety-some years old, Aunt Mary has enjoyed a full and often blessed life. She is ready.
You should see the photos of her as a young woman. A raving beauty, she was. Dark-haired and rambunctious. Every boy in the county wanted to court her. She married young, left the hills of Appalachia and moved to Florida. And she never looked back.
Aunt Mary’s husband died when she was still in her thirties. He was older than she and a heavy smoker. Lung cancer got him. Mary never remarried, though. Nor did she even date, as far as I know. She had her little dog, Pinky, and a small garden. She worked for a veterinarian, she loved life and boy, howdy–that woman sure loved to eat, though she never gained an excess amount of weight. Aunt Mary is as slim and trim and beautiful tonight as she ever was. She will be missed on this Earth. Yes, she will.
May the angels carry you straight to Heaven’s gate, Aunt Mary. May the arms of the One who first loved you be there to welcome you home. May you soon rejoice around the table with those who went on before. Those of us who remain here as sojourners will join you when we can. Goodnight, Aunt Mary.
**Addendum: Aunt Mary passed on this morning, June 24th, at 0901 EST. She will be missed.
The calendar tells me that June has rolled around again, and that reminds me of something: This is not only the anniversary month for the RoadTurn blog, but today is the very day, three years ago, when the first post was made. Trust me; it seems longer. For old times sake, though, here is that post: [Read more...]
You got me, all I know is that I began to pray in a different way for Aijalon Gomes. Rather than look to the U.S. government or the evangelical churches of the world to act on his behalf, I began to pray that the Creator of the Universe would move on Aijalon’s behalf and deliver him in a way that shows the glory and power of the Father. That was a couple of days ago…
Now, here comes this almost bizarre post and video by Robert Park. [Read more...]
Aijalon Mahli Gomes’ situation–alone and forsaken in a North Korean prison camp, while his country and his people have plenty of other issues to worry about–seems impossibly sad. He picked an inconvenient time to display his compassion for the people of North Korea. We can only hope that his mission won’t be entirely in vain, and that he will survive the ordeal with an intact mind and body. Right?
Not so, says Brother Yun, a leader in the Chinese underground Church. Not so at all. God still works miracles, even the kind of miracle that released the Apostle Peter from prison, as described in the book of Acts, Chapter 12. How does Brother Yun know this? It happened to him. His story is told in the book, The Heavenly Man: The Remarkable True Story of Chinese Christian Brother Yun
Could such a thing happen to Aijalon Gomes? It seems to me that anything–absolutely anything–is possible in this world. Personally, I’m going to change my prayers for Aijalon to “Lord, perform a miracle in this situation. Use the plight of Aijalon Mahli Gomes to display your majesty and your glory throughout the Earth. Let the whole world know, Father, that the North Korean gulag has absolutely NO power over you, Adonai. May your will be done.”
This issue came to my attention, via an article in Foreign Policy. Here is an excerpt from that piece:
Almost one and a half years into its term, the Obama administration still has yet to even announce the nomination of an IRF Ambassador (as the position is known in the State Department lexicon). In recent months, a growing chorus of disparate voices — including Members of Congress, a bipartisan and multi-faith group of religious leaders and human rights activists, an government commission, an independent study task force, and scholars such as my former colleague Tom Farr here in the pages of Foreign Policy — have all urged the administration to move expeditiously in finally filling the position after 16 months of vacancy. Even if a nominee is announced soon, it could be many more months until the ambassador is sworn in, depending on the vicissitudes of the Senate confirmation schedule. It may well be that President Obama reaches the halfway mark of his term without an IRF ambassador on board.
As the article goes on to state, President Obama has certainly had the time to fill the IRF spot. A plethora of other positions have been filled. At this point in the presidency, a big question mark is beginning to appear: Why is the President ignoring International Religious Freedom? Consider this troubling remark from the Foreign Policy article: [Read more...]
It is Fresh Air Fund time again. That means that some New York City kids are in for a real treat–a trip to the country. If you can volunteer to help with this incredible program, please do.
I can’t help but think of Aijalon Mahli Gomes, prisoner of North Korea for the grave crime of Christianity. Aijalon is likely living in a small, dirty box right now. For him to get free and go to the country would be a tremendous blessing.
And you know what? Many of the kids that the Fresh Air Fund serves are living in conditions that are almost intolerable. Let’s help them get some Fresh Air…
Happy Mother’s Day to all who qualify, or someday will. More and more, I see the wisdom in the idea that “The hand that rocks the cradle rules the world.” Mothers are the primary instructors of the future.
I think of Aijalon Mahli Gomes’ mother today. Her heart must surely be broken, to know that her boy is languishing in a North Korean labor camp.
My prayer is that his release be gained soon–but for this: Aijalon went to North Korea for a purpose. May that purpose be fulfilled, lest his torture be for naught.
All over the globe, human beings are starving and treated like chattel. North Korea is but an example of the injustice. The entire human condition could be changed with one thing: Love.
The entire human condition is embattled by two things: Hate and Greed.
When will we stop? When will we listen?
May this Mother’s Day bring wisdom, hope and change.
Word is out that his North Korean captors permitted Aijalon Mahli Gomes a telephone call home today. North Korea also said that Aijalon was visited by by a Swedish diplomat to whom he delivered a “petition.” A spokesman for the U.S. State Department announced that the developments are a “welcome gesture”, but that the U.S. is calling for Aijalon to be released on “humanitarian grounds.”
Looking for an account of what was said during the phone call home, all I find is this from the Associated Press:
Thaleia Schlesinger, a spokeswoman for the family of Aijalon Mahli Gomes, confirmed Friday that Gomes spoke with his mother on the phone from North Korea.
Schlesinger said Gomes’ mother was very grateful to have the opportunity to speak with her son and hear his voice. Schlesinger said the woman was also grateful to the North Korean government for allowing him to call.
The spokeswoman declined to say what was discussed during the call or give details on Gomes’ condition.
Look, I know how the game goes. The bully must be treated with respect. The strong man must be appeased. Yet, as we enter the rest of another Sabbath, I can’t help but wonder: What if the whole world stopped…and listened? What if everyone who is tired of violence, hate, unjust imprisonment and the misery of the masses in favor of the luxury of the few running unchecked on the Earth–what if they said, “No more.” What if they shouted for freedom and equality? I’m thinking that such a yell would bring down the oppressors as sure as the walls of Jericho fell, never to be rebuilt.
When I think of Aijalon’s mother, having to express her gratitude to those who hold her son in a mean and gruesome imprisonment–lest the tormentor be riled–I want to cry. I want to scream. I want to stand up and be counted as one of those who love freedom and justice for all.
Rather, I’ll look to the Shabbat for healing. I’ll look to the Creator for wisdom. And I will look inside myself to see where I have been the captor, where I have been the jailer, where I have been the one treating a brother or sister unfairly. And I will seek forgiveness for my own acts of malice.
May God bless Aijalon Mahli Gomes, his family, the people of North Korea… may God bless you and me.
Still surprised by the lack of commentary and outcry concerning Aijalon Mahli Gomes–imprisoned by North Korea for the “grave offense” of being a Christian and entering the country without permission–I asked a colleague, who has direct access to the pulse of the South Korean Christian community, for his take on the situation. Here is the response:
Interestingly, the South Korean church has always been rather unfazed by what happens in North Korea. You can’t live next to a crazy neighbor for this long without learning how to tune them out in your head, I guess.
Overall, most of the human rights and religious groups are coming to a recognition that the strategy employed by Park and Gomes was quite a harmful one for the North Korean underground church and for the conduct of missionary work in China.
It may be that the church is ticked at Aijalon for acting like a Christian, the U.S. State Department is ticked at Aijalon for trying to do something about North Korea’s acts of oppression and the rest of the world either doesn’t care or is afraid to care.
Even the other recent captives of North Korea aren’t speaking out on his behalf. I note only myself and two others who have blogged, Twittered and otherwise written more than a blip or two about Aijalon Mahli Gomes. The general consensus, it seems, is that Aijalon made the choice to enter North Korea, so he can stay in North Korea.
Aijalon, if ever there was a roadturn, Buddy, you are on it. My prayer is that your work is effectual and that your mind and body can persevere. Don’t count on your country or your church to step in on your behalf. If the Creator is on your side, you don’t need them anyway.
Real Life in North Korea