From: omolo.ouko
Voices of Justice for Peace
Regional News
BY FR JOACHIM OMOLO OUKO, AJ
NAIROBI-KENYA
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2012
Today is November 15, 2012.There are 15 days remaining to enter December and 24 days to go home for my holidays. I will be travelling home on December 10, 2012 where I will remain till the first week of January when my new appointment commences. I have not known exactly where but will keep you updated.
For my Christmas best wishes to you all my colleagues and friends of Regional News, allow me to share with you the inspired words of Robert Jalbert, M.M, the Editor of Magazine of the Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers in its editorial, November/December 2012 issue.
“In order for us to recognize and accept Good News, we had to have heard and seen it proclaimed by others. Along life’s journey, even as we ourselves announce this Good News to others, we also hear and receive it anew from them as well”.
For about 13 years working with People for Peace in Africa (PPA) where I continued to advocate human rights and justice through networking with other peace groups, sharing our vision of peace with human dignity, exchanging communication experiences through Internet Journalism.
Apart from journalism I took part in a pilot program of peace education in the schools, particularly at Tangaza College, a constituent of Catholic University of Eastern Africa (CUEA). I also provided guidance and counseling to refugees and displaced persons, using Africa Refugee Day to raise awareness about the plight of refugees.
I also supported peace initiatives in the Horn of Africa with particular emphasis on the Sudan, encouraging warlords, warring factions, religious leaders, and elders to talk peace and justice wherever and whenever they were willing.
Over the years, I have done this by giving long term support to initiatives, groups and processes that are working for sustainable democracy and peace, as well as by limiting and weakening the forces that prolong and aggravate conflict.
I also continued using PPA capacity to engage directly with other stake holders to ensure that existing African traditional conflict resolution methods are documented and that both the religious and civil society in the region are sufficiently trained on Human Rights.
This year’s Christmas first reading is taken from Isaiah 52:7-10: How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring Good News, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, for the Lord has comforted his people he has redeemed Jerusalem. The Lord will lay bare his holy arm in the sight of all the nations, and all the ends of the earth will see the salvation of our God.
The responsorial song is taken from Psalm 99: The King is mighty, he loves justice— you have established equity; in Jacob you have done what is just and right. Moses and Aaron were among his priests, Samuel was among those who called on his name; they called on the Lord and he answered them.
He spoke to them from the pillar of cloud; they kept his statutes and the decrees he gave them. Lord our God, you answered them; you were to Israel a forgiving God, though you punished their misdeeds. Exalt the Lord our God and worship at his holy mountain, for the Lord our God is holy.
Second reading is taken from Hebrews 1: Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever; a scepter of justice will be the scepter of your kingdom. You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions by anointing you with the oil of joy.
The Gospel is from John 1:1-18: In Him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. There was a man sent from God whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe.
He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light. He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive.
Fr Joachim Omolo Ouko, AJ
People for Peace in Africa
Tel +254-7350-14559/+254-722-623-578
E-mail omolo.ouko@gmail.com
Peaceful world is the greatest heritage That this generation can give to the generations To come- All of us have a role.