Canada

My name is Jisoo Vis, and I am a Korean Canadian wife, mom and lawyer living in Vancouver, British Columbia.  I am a third culture kid, having been raised in Mainland China (as a missionary’s kid) and the rest of my life in various parts of Canada.

As a lawyer exposed to legal thought on people’s fundamental rights and freedoms, I often think about the implications of Section 15 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms (part of Canada’s constitution), which states the following: 

 "God of the poor, Friend of the weak
Give us compassion we pray
Melt our cold hearts, Let tears fall like rain
Come, change our love, From a spark to a flame."

- A prayer in the words of Graham Kendrick

Single Use Plastics

Canada has announced a ban on the manufacture and import of named single use plastics to take effect next December.

Lord of all, even our inventiveness,

In 2018, I was gifted to be one of one hundred and fifty First Nations people chosen to fly to Scotland to be featured in an internationally acclaimed television series. Upon arriving in Glasgow, we were loaded onto a tour bus and given a tour of the city. Our hosts welcomed us by stating, “You’re Indigenous, we’re Indigenous too. You were taken away from your families and put in residential schools; we were taken away from our families and put in industrial schools. You weren’t allowed to play your drums; we weren’t allowed to play our bagpipes.

I once walked out of my church right in the middle of the service. I was with my daughter and I can tell she was embarrassed but followed me out anyways. If you know me, I don’t like to interrupt or cause an interruption so walking out was a pretty drastic move. I didn’t plan on it, I was actually looking forward to the service as the topic was about forgiveness and we were going to hear from Wilma Derkson via a Ted Talk and follow up with a discussion.

"The ancient prophecy of Creator Will Help Us (Isaiah) had finally found its full meaning.  ...  the ones who sit in darkness, where death casts a great shadow, have seen the light of a new sunrise." Matthew 4:14,16 (FNV) 

World Refugee Day is coming up on June 20. The first World Refugee Day was held on June 20, 2001 to mark the 50th anniversary of the 1951 United Nations Convention relating to the Status of Refugees, and serves as a reminder that after the atrocities of World War II, the majority of the world came together in an understanding that we have a moral and legal obligation to protect the lives of people seeking refuge. 

So much of what I’ve been learning in my work is not new, but nevertheless illuminating. There is an incredible amount of power that someone’s story holds. There’s power in sharing our own story, but there’s also power through listening to others' stories. When we see ourselves reflected in the stories of others, it can have a profound impact on our feeling of belonging. So here’s my story. 

Jesus Christ rules over all.
To follow this Lord is
to serve him wherever we are
without fitting in,
light in darkness,
salt in a spoiling world.

- Our World Belongs to God Article 43

Nigerian Church Massacre

A church in Owo, Nigeria was attacked by gunmen on Sunday who killed over 50 people at the end of Pentecost services.   No group has claimed responsibility but the horrendous violence towards people at worship has terrified a region.  We pray for safety, justice and healing for every person affected:

One of the calls of the deacon (as is with all Christians) is to participate in God‘s mission in the world. This work has reformed beyond mere charity and saving of souls; into a much more layered contribution to community. Service looks at physical, emotional and spiritual needs. If Christian faith communities are to have a strengthened relationship with others, we should consider our public witness. Have Christians done the difficult work of self-reflection, with a willingness to hear and examine criticISM’S?

Christians live in "already but not yet" time. The kingdom of God is already here through Jesus’ life, teaching, death, and resurrection. It is present today in this world and it is spreading like "yeast" (Matt 13:33). At the same time, the full manifestation of the kingdom is not here yet. It will be fully established in the eschaton, on the end of the day when Jesus returns with his angels to redeem all the believers and renew everything. So, as the church witnesses and participates in God’s kingdom, we know that it is imperfect.