Reflections on Hope

The following reflection (used with permission) was written by Heather-Laura Peters, a member of the July 2007 CPT (Christian Peacemaker Team) delegation to Colombia.

Today we met with Pastor Stucky from the Teusaquillo Mennonite Church in Bogota to receive his perspective of the struggle for peace in Colombia. He thanked us for coming and offered us a gift: a message on hope. I waited with anticipation. Having lived in war-ravaged countries and having witnessed situations of bleak domestic violence, I have often struggled to maintain hope. How do those immersed in long-term suffering find the strength to struggle on for peace, justice, and righteousness?

On this delegation, an additional burden weighted down my soul. Previously, I’d been exposed to the suffering of individuals whom I love passionately; in Colombia I’d become exposed to a structural evil whose insidious power seems omnipotent. The hardness of heart in those with the power to devastate the futures of countless people seemed overwhelming.

Pastor Stucky spoke of several sources for hope. He spoke of the miracle of transformed lives which occur individually. He compared the ministry of a few transformed lives to yeast which spreads through a batch of dough. Then he spoke of miracles he had witnessed where God physically protected individuals and rescued them from the hands of their enemies. Beautiful examples, they shone with a brilliance that made us rejoice. But despite the individual stories which glittered like jewels, I couldn’t help but feel the pervasive darkness surrounding them.

Stucky then reminded us of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream of a statue which symbolized the arrogant power of kingdoms which dominate the earth. The golden-headed statue’s splendor weakened toward its foundation: the statue had feet of clay. When a rock rolled down from the hills, it toppled the statue the moment it struck its clay feet.

Now I understand. Today’s empires, whether of political kingdoms, armed forces or other national and international structures that operate on the basis of arrogant self-interest and merciless greed, have clay feet because they are based on lies. They stand on the lie that vengeance triumphs over mercy, that money and power are stronger than love. And that God does not see corruption nor hear the cries of the oppressed.

Our Rock is Christ who declared himself the Truth, and truth is what CPT is dedicated to exposing around the world “Why,” Stucky asked as an example, “does the army become so agitated at the stand of conscientious objectors? We offer no physical threat. Over and over, we see in Colombia that it is truth which causes oppressors to tremble.” They tremble because they are not omnipotent. No earthly power will endure once fully exposed to the light.

We struggle on for truth with this hope and joy, and with this confidence I can join hands with my brothers and sisters in Colombia and around the world in our struggle to shout out the truth. All the colossal monuments of gold will fall one by one because they have clay feet. The weak will endure with God’s foundation. Hallelujah -- there is hope!