Category: Human Rights

Surfers Not Street Children

Twenty years ago in 2000, Christ Church, Virginia Water funded Tom Hewitt to enable him to launch the street child charity, Umthombo in Durban, South Africa. Now twenty years on, Peacemaker Trust is pleased to promote his continuing work with Surfers not Street Children. In the light of the devastating impact of Covid-19, Tom has written,

“I could never have imagined that within the space of a few weeks our programmes would completely change and a number of our longstanding donors around the world would be struggling financially. It is heart-breaking.” Tom Hewitt MBE

Surfers Not Street Children has faced many challenges to ensure that street-connected children have access to safe play and development through surfing, mentorship & care in South Africa & Mozambique. 

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Peacemaker Spring Update

If you are anything at all like me, you are not finding this lockdown easy to live with. I am an activist raised on Bible verses such as  “be doers of the word, and not hearers only” (James 1:22).

Through this time of confinement, the Lord is teaching me to depend on him in new ways, knowing “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens.” (Ecclesiastes 3:1). What is God teaching you through this time of isolation? I would love to hear from you.

Having to put on hold projects we had planned with partners in Ireland, East Africa and the Middle East, as well as locally in Southampton supporting asylum seekers, has been very frustrating. More so, since the Covid-19 pandemic has exacerbated already unbearable levels of suffering and injustices in many of the world’s trouble spots.

For a summary of recent projects and initiatives, please read the latest Peacemaker News. To receive the occasional Peacemaker News directly, please sign up here.

There is no mercy without love nor kindness or tenderness: Bishop Atallah Hanna

Beloved sisters and brothers,

God being merciful means God is love. John the apostle tells us that God is love. There is no mercy without love nor kindness or tenderness. The most beautiful thing that we discover together in the glory of lent, and at the height of the bleak and terrifying circumstances that we are going through, is probably God’s kindness and tenderness with the abundance of
love that flows like fresh water of God’s blessings and generosity; a love that cleanses our sins, purges our diseases, and grants us strength and steadfastness.

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From Balfour to Banksy

Miranda Pinch is pleased to release, for free viewing, the final cut of the film: From ‘Balfour to Banksy: Divisions and Visions in Palestine’ (2020). Written and Directed by Martin Buckley. Produced by Miranda Pinch. Filmed and edited by Alexander Wilks.

This film looks at other visions — including a wide range of views from occupied Palestine today, ranging from anger to attempts at envisioning a future.

It also shows the vision of another Englishman: the contemporary artist Banksy, who has created in Palestine a hotel that is also a remarkable satirical art installation.

How do today’s Palestinians live, behind the ‘security wall’? What change must come?

Please share widely. https://www.balfourtobanksy.com/

With God On Our Side

‘With God On Our Side‘ produced by Porter Speakman Jr and Kevin Miller, takes a hard look at the theology and politics of Christian Zionism, which teaches that because the Jews are God’s chosen people, Israeli government policies should not be questioned, even when these policies are unjust.

Aspects of this belief system lead some Christians in the West to give uncritical support to Israeli government policies, even those that privilege Jews at the expense of Palestinians, leading to great suffering among Muslim and Christian Palestinians alike and threatening Israel’s security as a whole.

This film demonstrates that there is a biblical alternative for Christians who want to love and support the people of Israel, a theology that doesn’t favor one people group over another but instead promotes peace and reconciliation for both Jews and Palestinians.

‘With God On Our Side’ is now available to view on Amazon Prime. Purchase a copy here

Christ at the Checkpoint: 10-14 June 2021

It has been decided to postpone the conference to June 10th-14th of 2021. We may organize something smaller online for this year.  

We believe that the subject of Hope and Resilience in a Broken World is even more relevant in light of the challenges we are facing across the world and are committed to keeping this subject for next year’s conference. Unfortunately even in this current situation, we continue to see human rights violations taking place across the Occupied Palestinian Territories and therefore will continue to speak out against these injustices.

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