My heart is heavy...
My heart is heavy tonight as I think about tomorrow. Many of our friends will be meeting in downtown Panama to protest the government's treatment of the Wounaan communities. They are asking for justice, to be given rights to their land, so that they can defend their precious forests and their children's future. They are asking for the law to be upholded.
I know that much planning has gone into this day, and many have traveled from remote communities to support this cause. And yet I know that humanly speaking, they don't have much of a chance. The Wounaan estimate their population as about 15,000, but the government says they are only 6,000. The law says they should be given rights to the lands where their communities are, and have been for years.
But money is being made from the valuable rainforest wood that is being logged out of their land. Some where, some one is benefitting from this, and so things are held up. The Wounaan leaders have stopped believing anything the government says.
Truly, they are shouting into the wind. Since they do not have money or connections, no one cars to listen.
No one that is, except the one Just Judge who sits above all others. There is One who has promised to hear the cry of the oppressed. There is one who can move the hearts of those in power. There is one who has told us to pray and never give up.
And to that Judge I will be appealing to tomorrow as my friends stand in the gap for their community. I will be thinking of the children, of the elderly, my friend who lost her brother in this fight. I will bring their case before God and ask him to move.
I will ask him to give them an advocate in the government.
I will pray for God to speak to the Wounaan leaders. Now more than ever they need to hear God's voice.
I will pray for protection.
I will pray for justice.
I will pray for mercy.
"And will God not bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly...." Luke 18:7,8
I know that much planning has gone into this day, and many have traveled from remote communities to support this cause. And yet I know that humanly speaking, they don't have much of a chance. The Wounaan estimate their population as about 15,000, but the government says they are only 6,000. The law says they should be given rights to the lands where their communities are, and have been for years.
But money is being made from the valuable rainforest wood that is being logged out of their land. Some where, some one is benefitting from this, and so things are held up. The Wounaan leaders have stopped believing anything the government says.
Truly, they are shouting into the wind. Since they do not have money or connections, no one cars to listen.
No one that is, except the one Just Judge who sits above all others. There is One who has promised to hear the cry of the oppressed. There is one who can move the hearts of those in power. There is one who has told us to pray and never give up.
And to that Judge I will be appealing to tomorrow as my friends stand in the gap for their community. I will be thinking of the children, of the elderly, my friend who lost her brother in this fight. I will bring their case before God and ask him to move.
I will ask him to give them an advocate in the government.
I will pray for God to speak to the Wounaan leaders. Now more than ever they need to hear God's voice.
I will pray for protection.
I will pray for justice.
I will pray for mercy.
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