Pray for Fiji on Sunday, April 8, 2012

Pray for Fiji on Sunday, April 8, 2012

Prayers for Fiji: John 20:1-18

Eternal God, we recognize that you are the one who sustains and renews our lives. We are thankful for life and the opportunities it brings to be agents for justice, peace and security. In our world, security has been breached and jeopardized. Last year’s events in Fukushima, Japan are a testament to this reality. A country’s decision to harness nuclear energy has come back in haunting fashion. On a day when Christians from all over the world celebrate the resurrection of Jesus and the presence of the Holy Trinity, there is an Unholy Trinity etched in the forefront of the minds of many Japanese citizens: the earthquake, the tsunami, and the radiation. Because of this series of unfortunate events, over 70,000 citizens have been displaced. But just like in 20th chapter of John, God you are able to roll away the stones of our lives. God you are able to turn despair into optimism, disaster into benefit, and deficiency into surplus. God, you can make the dead things live again. And for this we are thankful in advance for the blessings that are to come. We are hopeful that the catastrophic events of March 2011 will encourage Japan and the rest of the world to strongly consider alternative forms of energy. And, we will not only do this for ourselves but for the peace and security of future generations to come. God around us and God within us, as you continue to roll away the stones of our lives, we will respond by sharing unmitigated love and grace to all lands, creatures, and people. Amen.

Mission Stewardship Moment from Fiji:

Last August I had the privilege of attending the 2011 World Conference against Atomic & Hydrogen Bombs sponsored by the Japan Council against A & H Bombs. This was a two-week gathering commemorating the tragic events of WWII, in which the United States bombed Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

One of the major initiatives of the conference was a signature campaign for the “Appeal for a Total Ban on Nuclear Weapons”. With the help of my partner organization—the Pacific Conference of Churches (PCC)—I arrived to the conference with over 100 signatures. The conference was able to collect over a half million signatures, which will be presented at the Non-Nuclear Proliferation Treaty (NNPT) review in April 2012.

The issue of nuclear weapons is specifically pertinent for the PCC in the Moruroa atoll of French Polynesia. Moruroa (after 30 years of French nuclear testing from 1966-1996) is still fighting for compensation from the nation of France.

Moreover, it is also my role to assist the people of Muaroa in their struggle for justice in the face of three decades worth of irresponsible and inhuman nuclear testing.

But, the fight against “Nuclear” is twofold: nuclear weapons and nuclear energy. March 11 marked the one-year anniversary of the Fukushima disaster in which the nuclear reactors at the Daiichi power plant experienced a catastrophic meltdown. This tragedy occurred as the result of a 9.0 magnitude earthquake and a subsequent tsunami.

Even now, radiation is dangerously high and this has forced the Japanese government to establish an “Exclusion Zone” of a 12-mile radius around the power plant. Once vibrant towns are now empty. Only recently has the government begun to allow former residents an opportunity to revisit their homes in order to obtain personal valuables that were left behind in haste. The nuclear reactor meltdown has prompted the displacement of more than 70,000 people. This is the reality for many of Japan’s citizens.

When calamities such as these arise, it is my responsibility to be an awareness raising-agent for the PCC and relay important news to member churches in the region by writing timely press releases. My goal is to ensure that the constituents of the PCC are updated and abreast to any regional and international matters relating to all things nuclear. With the help of our member churches and partners, we are prayerful that peace and security can be achieved.

(Prayer and Mission Moment by Aaron Wiggins)

Video Resources for Fiji:

Interview with Aaron Wiggins: GM Missionary in Fiji http://globalministries.org/resources/multimedia-resources/videos/video-mission-moments/aaron-wiggins.html

Interview with Rev. Dr. Feleterika Nokise, President of the Pacific Theological College in Fiji: http://globalministries.org/resources/multimedia-resources/videos/video-mission-moments/fiji-nokise.html

Global Ministries International Partners in Fiji:

For more info about Fiji, click here: http://globalministries.org/eap/countries/fiji/

Global Ministries Missionaries in Fiji:

Aaron Wiggins serves with the Pacific Christian Council in Suva, Fiji, as a program associate working with advocacy and justice issues related to global warming and nuclear testing.