I had an interesting Tuesday morning. For the first just the fact that I didn't feel rushed to get to work, was really nice - I had a long day ahead of me so I'd decided to get to the office around 11 a.m. At some point I opened the phone and did some work at home, too and got two calls.
The first call was about an ecumenical service on Oct 19th in the Cathedral. I especially liked an idea of an Orthodox lithany which includes blessing of oil, bread and wine and distributing those to the people in the church. Since ecumenism has yet to reach a point when all Christians could go to Holy Communion together this sounded like a really great thing. The idea was that of an agape meal, a meal of love, in a way.
As it turns out, I am not going to be a part of the service, though. The Dean of the Cathderal had appointed one of the pastors of his parish to the service and two Lutheran priests are not necessary :). The good thing is that the day was a day that I was supposed to be off work and now I get to keep it. That week is what is referred to as the Fall Holiday in Finland and for vocational schools it is a whole week - other schools opt for a long weekend. Last year this was the week of preparation for our wedding on the Saturday, and this year - logically - the Sunday is then our very first wedding anniversary.
In addition to celebrating we do have a mission, too. We need to find a pram that fits into the elevator of our block of flats (we live in the 8th floor) and that ain't going to be easy! So we're going to start the BIG SEARCH then.
But getting back to the interesting calls, the second call came from a journalist in Helsinki. There is this program called A-Zoom and the journalist in charge (whom I greatly admire) wanted me to come to Helsinki, to Pasila, for an interview on Friday evening. There's a report of about 20 minutes about illegal aliens in Finland and then an interview which takes about 10 minutes.
Why I was asked, you ask? Well, I've been involved in trying to get our Parish Union to get organized and make a decision on how to deal with people who come to ask us for help when they have gotten the message that they'll be extradited. We who do the everyday work among internationals encounter these situations every now and again and they are always simply heart breaking.
I love my country and I'm proud of the many good things we have but I don't get that we keep our borders so air tight. The percentage of people who get the right to stay is minimal and yet we're headed towards problems in getting enough people to do the work there is to be done when baby boomers retire. My problem is, of course, also the fact that I don't really believe in borders at all. I just don't get them and whenever I look at the globe we have at home it strikes me as odd that we have this insatiable desire to claim pieces of land for ourselves, and ourselves only. But then again, I really would like a house and a big garden, so there's mialogic for you.
Anyhow, I've voiced out my opinion about the plight of illegal aliens and asylum seekers who are not accepted once or twice publically and the journalist had found me that way. For the first, it really was cool to be asked. This is a pretty cool and respected show, you see. For the second, I wish I could have trusted that the questions really stick to things I can talk about i.e. know about. The problem being that I freely admit to huge holes in my understanding of what is happening in the world. They would not make for good journalism, though, but certainly for an embarassing 10 minutes. For the third, I wish I could have been ok for me to be interviewed in national tv and on prime time but it isn't. I do have a public job but I really do not want to be recognized everywhere I go, even if for just those often mentioned 15 minutes. The mere idea gives me the creeps.
The issues that surround this question are also controversial and the fact that the church has indeed taken a stand against the prevailing practises of the government is something that others whole heartedly agree with and others as whole heartedly condemn. I belong to the first group, by the way. It must be the influence of my hippie influenced mom :). Always question those who rule. If they're doing what they're supposed to then accept the answers if not question more!
The first call was about an ecumenical service on Oct 19th in the Cathedral. I especially liked an idea of an Orthodox lithany which includes blessing of oil, bread and wine and distributing those to the people in the church. Since ecumenism has yet to reach a point when all Christians could go to Holy Communion together this sounded like a really great thing. The idea was that of an agape meal, a meal of love, in a way.
As it turns out, I am not going to be a part of the service, though. The Dean of the Cathderal had appointed one of the pastors of his parish to the service and two Lutheran priests are not necessary :). The good thing is that the day was a day that I was supposed to be off work and now I get to keep it. That week is what is referred to as the Fall Holiday in Finland and for vocational schools it is a whole week - other schools opt for a long weekend. Last year this was the week of preparation for our wedding on the Saturday, and this year - logically - the Sunday is then our very first wedding anniversary.
In addition to celebrating we do have a mission, too. We need to find a pram that fits into the elevator of our block of flats (we live in the 8th floor) and that ain't going to be easy! So we're going to start the BIG SEARCH then.
But getting back to the interesting calls, the second call came from a journalist in Helsinki. There is this program called A-Zoom and the journalist in charge (whom I greatly admire) wanted me to come to Helsinki, to Pasila, for an interview on Friday evening. There's a report of about 20 minutes about illegal aliens in Finland and then an interview which takes about 10 minutes.
Why I was asked, you ask? Well, I've been involved in trying to get our Parish Union to get organized and make a decision on how to deal with people who come to ask us for help when they have gotten the message that they'll be extradited. We who do the everyday work among internationals encounter these situations every now and again and they are always simply heart breaking.
I love my country and I'm proud of the many good things we have but I don't get that we keep our borders so air tight. The percentage of people who get the right to stay is minimal and yet we're headed towards problems in getting enough people to do the work there is to be done when baby boomers retire. My problem is, of course, also the fact that I don't really believe in borders at all. I just don't get them and whenever I look at the globe we have at home it strikes me as odd that we have this insatiable desire to claim pieces of land for ourselves, and ourselves only. But then again, I really would like a house and a big garden, so there's mialogic for you.
Anyhow, I've voiced out my opinion about the plight of illegal aliens and asylum seekers who are not accepted once or twice publically and the journalist had found me that way. For the first, it really was cool to be asked. This is a pretty cool and respected show, you see. For the second, I wish I could have trusted that the questions really stick to things I can talk about i.e. know about. The problem being that I freely admit to huge holes in my understanding of what is happening in the world. They would not make for good journalism, though, but certainly for an embarassing 10 minutes. For the third, I wish I could have been ok for me to be interviewed in national tv and on prime time but it isn't. I do have a public job but I really do not want to be recognized everywhere I go, even if for just those often mentioned 15 minutes. The mere idea gives me the creeps.
The issues that surround this question are also controversial and the fact that the church has indeed taken a stand against the prevailing practises of the government is something that others whole heartedly agree with and others as whole heartedly condemn. I belong to the first group, by the way. It must be the influence of my hippie influenced mom :). Always question those who rule. If they're doing what they're supposed to then accept the answers if not question more!
The thing is that if you are on television about something, then everyone feels that they have the right to voice their opinions to you, too, and to challenge you, and I'm not up to that. Call me weak, call me gutless, call me anything but I don't want to become a spokesperson on this. Not because I don't care but because I really do and I don't think I would be the best person for the job. Unfortunately.
So, I skipped on my 15 minutes of fame and it feels good but at the same time I do think that there is huge need for proper discussion on how people should be treated be they refugees, illegal ailiens, legal ailiens or even the least important of ministers. How hard can it be to realize that what matters is the individual's basic needs? People don't leave their countries for an unknown destination with virtually nothing with them unless they really are desperate. Weather their story checks out on every aspect is not the point. Their desperation, grief and consern for the well being of their loved ones is. It has to be. Because, what if we needed help and no one would take us in either? How can we possibly justify ourselves if we think that were the shoe in the other foot we of course should be helped?
So, I skipped on my 15 minutes of fame and it feels good but at the same time I do think that there is huge need for proper discussion on how people should be treated be they refugees, illegal ailiens, legal ailiens or even the least important of ministers. How hard can it be to realize that what matters is the individual's basic needs? People don't leave their countries for an unknown destination with virtually nothing with them unless they really are desperate. Weather their story checks out on every aspect is not the point. Their desperation, grief and consern for the well being of their loved ones is. It has to be. Because, what if we needed help and no one would take us in either? How can we possibly justify ourselves if we think that were the shoe in the other foot we of course should be helped?
1 comment:
1 year wedding anniversay :) it's a blessing
Advice re the pram. We managed quite a big one (with big wheels) by adjusting the handle of the pram so that when we got into the lift the pram was set on release (as if we were about to fold the pram) and that gave us the extra 2-3 cm we needed.
And we stood BY the pram. It worked well. We lived on the 6th floor in those days so I hear you about having to use the lift.
Interesting blog Mia. Re the bread, wine and oil and the interview -even if, as it turns out, you ended up not being involved in either. (I suppose you can still go to the service if you want :)
blessings
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