Asylum seekers should know us by our love, not our fear

To begin with I want to tell my friends who are of different faith or no faith; this blog is mostly directed to those of us who claim to follow Jesus Christ. Some parts may feel like an internal family debate, but in reality these are crucial questions for everyone. Also, as I write this,…Read more Asylum seekers should know us by our love, not our fear

Burma road continues… by train

Just returned from two wonderful weeks in Burma (also Myanmar) where I was invited to teach. It is a beautiful country with great people. Yes, there are lots of challenges and problems and the country has a long journey ahead toward restoration and development and peace. Still, the energy and hope and times of change…Read more Burma road continues… by train

Mitsubishi and three little words that make grown men cry

Most of us would be quick to point out that there is lots of media coverage of the brokenness of our world – stories of corruption, pollution, conflict, wars, extremism, human trafficking, injustice, etc. It is because the world is broken… so the media does their job and shines the spotlight on the ugliness. I…Read more Mitsubishi and three little words that make grown men cry

I imagine differently than John Lennon

Music is a powerful communicator and musicians have a beautiful way of connecting their message with the audience. There are thousands and millions of melodies that speak without lyrics… Still, I like words. I like musicians who are good story tellers. And I like the ones who use their voice and art for something good.…Read more I imagine differently than John Lennon

Can we have shortcuts in reconciliation?

I will be honest – I struggle with confession. I struggle with acknowledging the truth that I have hurt someone by my words, actions or attitudes. Even when confronted, I try to minimize, avoid, justify or simply hide the truth. I guess some things have not changed since I was a little girl who was…Read more Can we have shortcuts in reconciliation?

Part Two: Unfinished business with our neighbors

We had a wonderful visit to Cambodia and one of the stops was Angkor Wat in Siem Reap. This ancient Hindu/Buddhist temple is one of the most famous landmarks in this part of the world... an amazing monument of history, craftsmanship and art. It is impossible to take a bad photo while visiting these beautiful…Read more Part Two: Unfinished business with our neighbors

Part One: Unfinished business with our neighbors

Have you noticed that once you start paying attention to a certain thing or topic, it seems to appear everywhere? When I started my journey of ‘peaceroads’ and started thinking and studying about forgiveness and restored relationships in a deeper and intentional way, suddenly I heard the word “reconciliation” a lot. Is it just me…Read more Part One: Unfinished business with our neighbors

Discovering empathy, hospitality and embrace

When I was 18 years old and left home for the first time, I stayed in Oslo, Norway. I went to help some relatives of mine with childcare and they gave me an opportunity to experience the beautiful Norway and its culture. During the week I went to study Norwegian in a class for immigrants.…Read more Discovering empathy, hospitality and embrace

The suffering of ‘unwanted’ people

This week I returned to my current home in Thailand and to the news headlines about the human tragedy in the Andaman Sea. This tragedy has been going on for many years since I have lived here. The story of suffering starts in Burma (official name - Myanmar) and it affects the whole region of…Read more The suffering of ‘unwanted’ people