I Heard a Cardinal Call My Name by Peter A. Black

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Earlier this week I heard a cardinal call my name – at least, I thought it was a cardinal. I looked all around and peered up into the trees, but I couldn’t spot it. And yet, the sweetly haunting, yet distinct Pe-ter, pe-ter, pe-ter sounded out.  

A copy of Margaret Craven’s 1960s novel I Heard the Owl Call My Name sat on my library shelves for decades. A while back I finally began to read it. I thought of it the moment I heard that Pe-ter, pe-ter, pe-ter.

It’s a story of a young Anglican vicar, Mark Brian, whose bishop sent him to serve a small First Nations community in BC, called Kingcome. The bishop knew that Mark was terminally ill, but that fact wasn’t disclosed to the young fellow. He fitted in well with the ‘Kwakiutl’ people. They accepted him as one of theirs, and he accepted them as family and the village as his home.

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The Kwakiutl people believed that when a person heard the owl call their name, they would soon die. One day Mark Brian heard the owl call his name. Not long afterwards he was in his boat near to land when a landslide completely engulfed his small craft and he was killed.

Now, let’s connect with a touching account in the Bible. Jesus had done wonders for Mary Magdalene in healing her ruined, broken life. Very early on that historic morning of His resurrection from the dead, she stood weeping in the garden near the tomb where He had been buried. Not knowing at that point that Jesus had risen, she was evidently bewildered by the empty tomb, and that increased the anguish of her grief-stricken heart.

We read: “. . . she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it

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was Jesus. . . . [He] said ‘why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?’ Thinking he was the gardener, she said, ‘Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.’ Jesus said to her, ‘Mary.’ She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, ‘Rabboni!’ (which means Teacher).”*

She instantly recognized His voice in the calling of her name. It jolted her out of grief and no doubt filled her with inexpressible joy. He then instructed her to go and share the good news with His “brothers.” So she hurried off to tell the disciples. Three years or so before this He’d personally called each of His disciples to follow Him.

Jesus still calls, but seldom with an audible voice; calls in language of the heart. It’s a call to life. I was just a grade-school kid when I ‘heard’ and responded to that call to trust in Him. I reaffirmed it in my teens and also many times since.

I’m glad Jesus called my name. Glad too, that the song of a little bird I couldn’t even see reminded me of these things and warmed my heart with its song.
~~~
*Abbrev. from John 20:11-16  NIV.
~~+~~
Peter is a retired pastor – well, sort of retired – as he is currently engaged as an associate volunteer pastor. He lives in Southwestern Ontario with his wife, May, and writes a weekly inspirational newspaper column and occasional magazine articles. Peter is author of two books: "Parables from the Pond" (Word Alive Press) and "Raise Your Gaze . . . Mindful Musings of a Grateful Heart" (Angel Hope Publishing). He and May are also engaged in leading nursing home / residential chapel services, pulpit supply and music. ~+~

Idle No More - Meyer

In recent days, we have heard a lot about the Idle No More movement.

There is a lot of information out there for people who want to learn more, and I would invite you to do so.

As a non-Aboriginal person who has lived in Aboriginal communities and who has also tried to keep educated about Aboriginal issues, I offer my personal opinion.

I believe that the Idle No More movement is a good thing for two reasons. The first is that it has united First Nations (and to a lesser extent Metis and Inuit) people across Canada, giving them a renewed sense of purpose and of hope for the future. The other good that I see coming out of this is that it is creating a conversation between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people of Canada. True, it is currently a shouting match, but still it is a conversation. Prior to this, there seemed to be just about zero amount of interaction between the average “grassroots” Aboriginal and the average “grassroots” non-Aboriginal Canadian.

What I don’t like about way things are currently going with this movement is that they are being joined, and are in danger of being overshadowed, by people whose primary concern is the environment. This movement is not about the environment; it is about the concerns of Aboriginal people across Canada. There is a problem and it is time for everyone to get on board and start talking about it. There has been this huge fixed wall between the average non-Aboriginal Canadian and the average Aboriginal Canadian. We (as non-Aboriginals) have occasionally thrown things over that wall in a non-educated attempt to help. Boxes of books sent to a community with no attempt to communicate with an actual person in that community would be an example of that.

What I am hoping for (and as a Christian, praying for) is that the Idle No More movement will begin to break down the wall that has been between us. People are people are people. There is no us and them. We are all human beings – mothers, fathers, wives and husbands – yes, with some cultural differences which must be respected but not to the extent that it separates us to the point of noncommunication.

The problems that exist are not easily resolved – they are centuries old. No one – not Chief Spence or Prime Minister Harper – are going to be able to wave a magic wand and solve all the problems with one meeting or with a hundred.

The problems that exist are not getting worse – they are getting much better. Overall, there are many more Aboriginal people who are living better lives than there were fifty years ago. There is less prejudice. There are more people achieving better education. There are, in general, better living conditions. But, we still have a long, long way to go. Fact: The standard of living for the average Aboriginal person is much lower than for the average non-Aboriginal. The Solution to the Problem: not so simple.  And trying to point a finger at any one group or person is not helpful. We all need to start talking and working together towards a solution. And that really, I believe is what Idle No More will achieve – a long over-due dialogue between all Canadians: Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal.  

Other related posts are: http://twgauthors.blogspot.ca/2008/06/legacy-continues-part-1-meyer.html http://twgauthors.blogspot.ca/2008/07/legacy-continues-part-2-meyer.html  http://twgauthors.blogspot.ca/2008/08/legacy-continues-part-3-meyer.html http://twgauthors.blogspot.ca/2009/10/sleeping-giant-awakens.html http://twgauthors.blogspot.ca/2009/12/sleeping-giant-awakens-part-2.html

Dorene Meyer

www.dorenemeyer.com

Publisher at Goldrock Press: www.goldrockpress.com

 

Remembering - Meyer

For the second year in a row, I celebrated Remembrance Day in the First Nations community of Norway House. And once again, I was powerfully moved by the service.

Standing out on a point with an icy wind blowing off the frozen lake, I hear, accompanied by the sound of a cannon firing a 21-gun salute, each of the names of those residents of Norway House who honoured our country by serving in the armed forces. Seven community members gave their lives on the battlefield during World War 1 and seven during World War 2. Approximately 150 people from Norway House have served in the Canadian armed forces.

(Photo: Lowering the flag to half mast for ceremony)

What is significant to note is not just the sacrifice that these young men faced on the battlefield but what was awaiting them upon their returned home. Those who chose to serve their country in this manner lost their treaty rights and that meant that their children and their grandchildren also lost their treaty rights. For many, this meant that after they had risked their lives on the battlefield, they returned to find their homes were gone (First Nations people were not permitted to own their own homes but lived in band housing reserved for those who had treaty rights within that band). Many also found that the easy camaraderie that they felt with their fellow soldiers on the battlefield was replaced with a sense of not belonging anywhere - not back on their home reserves and not in mainstream society.

To all those First Nations soldiers who fought for our freedom and sacrificed so very much...

thank you.

Dorene Meyer

(Photo: Laying the wreath on behalf of mothers and youth)

The Legacy Continues - Part 3- Meyer

I have spent the last five weeks traveling around through 3 Canadian provinces and 5 USA states. What I have found is that people in general have very little knowledge of First Nations/Native American people – their history, culture and the challenges they face. The general consensus on both sides of the border is that “they” should become like “us” – get an education, get a job and stop all the whining, complaining and protesting.

What I have also found is that people in general are not mean-spirited; they are simply unaware – and they are eager to learn and be informed. There just seems to be a real disconnect between the mainstream culture (including Christians) and the First Nations/Native American culture.

The books that I write are set in a fictional First Nations community and have primarily First Nations’ characters in them. They are well-endorsed by First Nations/Native American people. I believe they can build a bridge of understanding between our two cultures. As non-First Nations people read them, they will have an opportunity to learn, even as they are enjoying a fast-paced compelling story.

In the last two blog posts (The Legacy Continues – part 1 and 2), I wrote about what had happened to the First Nations people in my mother’s generation and in my generation. Now, I would like to share a bit about what is happening in my children’s generation.

A couple of days before I left, I had the privilege of attending a high school graduation where we live in Norway House. Most of the kids were First Nations. It was such an awesome moment. The valedictorian was a young man who is Cree. The guest speaker was a doctor, a young lady who was also Cree and had grown up in Norway House. An elderly lady, a residential school survivor, spoke of how wonderful it was to be present at her grandson's graduation. She herself had never had the opportunity to graduate from high school.The principal (non-Aboriginal) spoke of how these graduates, in completing school (some with high honours) had had to face more than most teens their age. Each of the graduates had an escort to walk them into the ceremony. For some that was a boyfriend or girlfriend; for some it was their son or daughter. One young father proudly walked in with his newborn baby - you just know he's going to be a good daddy to her. There is hope for the future for First Nations people. There are many, many good things happening. When thinking about the atrocities committed against the Aboriginal people of Canada, our response should not be pity. It should be a sensitivity to the barriers that have had to be overcome by a people who have been crushed down but not destroyed. Another wrong attitude would be to idealize any one cultural group. Cree and Ojibway people blow it occasionally just as those from Irish or English descent do.

We need to respect each other’s differences, honour each other’s cultures, and understand that we are all created equal and God desires for us all to be brothers and sisters together in His family.There is no them and us. There is only us.

Dorene Meyer
http://www.dorenemeyer.com/
Author of Deep Waters, a compelling contemporary novel that will give you the opportunity to “walk a mile in the shoes” of Gracie, a First Nations residential school survivor, and experience her reconciliation to Sarah, the daughter who had been taken away from her at birth.

The Legacy Continues - Part 2 - Meyer

“The Sixties Scoop” is what Aboriginal people call the en masse removal of Aboriginal children from their homes and communities – and the placement of these children into non-Aboriginal foster homes.

Some people believe this was a direct attempt on the government’s part to further the cultural genocide begun with the residential schools – their stated policy to “kill the Indian in the child.”

But when Prime Minister Stephen Harper apologized on June 11, 2008, to the Aboriginal people of Canada for the residential school fiasco, he was also apologizing to the people who did not go to Indian boarding schools but who still suffered the effects.

The kids that were taken away from their parents at age 4, 5, or 6 and were not returned until they were teens (usually at age 16), found they were no longer equipped (with language and life skills) to live on the reservations but they were also unable to live in white society. Their attempts to disclose about the sexual and physical abuse they had experienced were met with disbelief and denial. Many of these teens turned to alcohol to numb the pain.

Then these kids had kids. And those kids were taken into foster care.

My mother took care of approximately 1,000 First Nations children over a period of about 30 years. The average number in our household was 20-25. (photo insert is of kids at my mother's house - I'm 4th from the left in the back row). Back then, a lot of kids shared rooms and even beds, so that part was fairly normal but the very high number of children in our home didn’t allow for much individuality or personal development. And, as with the residential school system, being taken away from EVERYTHING that was familiar to you and being plunged into a totally foreign environment away from your mom and dad and grandma and grandpa, probably had the most detrimental effect on these children.

And because these were the kids of the kids who had been taken away into residential school facilities, this effected an entire generation (or possibly two or three or four generations, depending on how you want to count it).

The legacy of residential schools will be with us for a while yet. Many, many First Nations people are rising above the crippling effects of this government policy (one organization that is doing great work is http://www.risingabove.ca/). I believe that Stephen Harper’s apology will help. Our attitudes will also help. As representatives of Jesus, let’s not mess up this time ‘round.

Dorene Meyer
http://www.dorenemeyer.com/
Author of Deep Waters, a compelling contemporary novel that will give you the opportunity to “walk a mile in the shoes” of Gracie, a First Nations residential school survivor, and experience her reconciliation to Sarah, the daughter who had been taken away from her at birth.

There is no “them and us” – there is only “us.”

The Legacy Continues: Part 1 - Meyer

On June 11, 2008, Prime Minister Stephen Harper made an historic apology to the Aboriginal people of Canada on behalf of the government of Canada for their 100 year long act of cultural genocide – their stated policy to “kill the Indian in the child.”

Some people might be wondering what all the fuss is about. The last Indian boarding school was closed in the late 70’s. Why are we still talking about this? What good will an apology do? What good will more money do? There will even be those who ask: why can’t they quit their whining, get a job and earn a living like the rest of us?

Of course, for many Aboriginal people, they do “have a job and are earning a living like the rest of us.” What most non-Aboriginal people fail to understand, is the huge barriers that Aboriginal people face to get to this place in their lives.

It goes back to what happened 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 generations ago. It is their legacy and it is our legacy. Not a single one of us is immune from the responsibility. We may not have personally killed a buffalo, pushed people off their land or assaulted an Aboriginal child in a residential facility – but we are living off the benefits of what our ancestors did. Look around: we are rich and successful, and Aboriginal people continue to struggle. It’s way too easy to say it’s their fault – that they are lazy and opportunistic (they’re getting money; why should they work). It eases our consciences but it is nowhere near the truth.

In my lifetime, I have personally witnessed the effects of Indian residential school. I know Ojibway and Cree women my mother’s age who were taken away from their parents as little children – some as young as four-years-old. One man I interviewed (just a few years older than me) didn’t see his family again until he was 16. These children were taken to residential boarding schools. Sometimes their home communities were located hundreds of miles away – and not many people, especially not Indians, had cars back then. Parents had to make appointments to see their children and because of poor communication (no telephone either!) they would sometimes miss their appointed times and only get to see their children through a fence. Sisters and brothers were separated. Children were beaten for speaking their own language. I remember being in a country alone for 6 weeks when I was 18 – I could speak some of the practical aspects of the language but could not express the feelings in my heart. When the Aboriginal children were finally released from residential school, they had been there so long and at such a young age that they could no longer speak the language of their moms and dads. Many came home to find their grandpas and grandmas had passed on. Perhaps the most devastating part was the inability to talk of the abuse that had happened during their time at residential school. The priests and nuns were considered to be next to God – it was unthinkable that they would sexually violate little children. When children who had been physically and sexually abused tried to tell someone, no one believed them.

With nowhere to belong and with the unacknowledged abuse buried deep in their souls, many returning teens turned to alcohol to numb the pain.

Dorene Meyer
http://www.dorenemeyer.com/
Author of Deep Waters, a compelling contemporary novel that will give you the opportunity to “walk a mile in the shoes” of Gracie, a First Nations residential school survivor, and experience her reconciliation to Sarah, the daughter who had been taken away from her at birth.

There is no “them and us” – there is only “us.”

The Way That God Made Me - Meyer

For a variety of reasons, I have struggled all my life with a poor self image. In more recent years, I have come to accept my teeth, and hair, and body size and shape. Most days, I can think and feel beyond the flaws, and interact confidently with people around me. Most days, I feel “comfortable in my own skin.”

Not yesterday…

Yesterday, I wished that God would give me darker skin and jet black hair, if even for just a few hours.

I was at the Norway House Cree Nation 2008 Staff Conference. Out of about 200 people attending the conference, there were maybe one, or perhaps two, white people; the rest were First Nations.

I was invited to have a book table there.

The books that I was selling were written about, and for, First Nations people. The setting of the series is Rabbit Lake, a fictional First Nations community but also includes a tourist camp nearby. The main character in one of my books is Colin Hill, who is Ojibway, although there are many cultural backgrounds represented throughout the series. The stories touch on issues that are common to many cultures (drug and alcohol addiction, and child sexual abuse) but also refer to specific First Nations issues such as Indian Residential School.

The reason why I write in this setting, with these characters, and about these issues, could also quite fairly be described as “the way God made me.” The family that He placed me into, the setting where I grew up, and the issues I encountered as a child, all combined to produce in me this internal story that clamors to be told. I write the things I feel passionate about. I write the things that I can’t not write about.

Sometimes, it’s awkward being a Caucasian of uncertain ancestry writing books for, and about, First Nations people.

But I’ve stopped (almost!) trying to figure out why God made me the way I am. He did it. I trust Him. ‘Nuf said.

Dorene Meyer, author of Deep Waters
http://www.dorenemeyer.com/

“Set in the fictional Ojibway community of Rabbit Lake, Deep Waters will transport you into Canada’s far north for a compelling story of enduring love and sustaining faith.”

You Know You're North When... Meyer

Greetings from Norway House, Manitoba!

The boxes are almost unpacked and most of the pictures hung. Right now, I’m looking out my window at this beautiful peaceful scene – very different from Winnipeg. We’re pretty far up north – around the 55th parallel, which will mean more if I tell you that the equator is 0 and Toronto is around the 40th parallel.

On the way up here, there were definite signs that we were heading north. My husband was greatly impressed when we stopped at a service station and he asked the teenage girl at the counter if they had any tire plugs – and she knew what they were! They also had an interesting sign hanging in their store and I just couldn’t resist taking a picture of it (not sure it will show up too well on the blog - the sign says, "We don't call 911").

As we journeyed closer to Norway House, we were informed that the ice road was closed, a great relief to us since it was only the first of September! We got to drive our big U-Haul truck onto a ferry instead for the journey across the river to Norway House.

The bears up here stroll down the middle of the road as if they own it! Apparently, there aren’t as many moose or deer on the highways, which is good news for those times when we’ll be driving back late at night from Thompson or Winnipeg.

Norway House is about 8-10 hours north of Winnipeg (the distance varies, depending on how far over the speed limit you are willing to go). The nearest large center is Thompson, which is located about two hours down a gravel road followed by another two hours of pavement. Thompson is the third largest city in Manitoba. It’s got a Wal-Mart, Canadian Tire, Home Hardware and even Staples. What it doesn’t have is a bookstore! There are in fact no bookstores anywhere up here. The Northern Store carries a rack of some popular titles but that’s it. Thompson has a nice little library and our church in Norway House has a little room with books for sale in it that is open when the church is open. Yep, so already I’ve explored all the marketing opportunities in the region for my books – the Thompson Public Library and the Norway House Bible Church bookstore!

But it’s great. I feel like I’ve come home. The people are very friendly and the pace is so much slower. People smile and wave as you go by. I really missed that in the city.

Norway House is also, of course, a great place to write, especially since all of my books are set in a fictional First Nations community. My newest book, Deep Waters, is set to be launched on November 22 at McNally Robinson Booksellers in Winnipeg. So, if you’re not able to make the journey up to Norway House, maybe I’ll get a chance to see some of you then. Winnipeg is only around the 50th parallel!