Sean Major-Campbell | Who is ‘keeping’ our children?

LAST SUNDAY, December 10, we observed the annual service in recognition of International Human Rights Day at Christ Church in Vineyard Town (Diocese of Jamaica and the Cayman Islands). The celebration acknowledges that the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, though a wholesome affirmation, is a yet-to-be-realised experience for many across the globe. Although these rights were officially documented 75 years ago, the fact is that they were always inherently the universal possession of all peoples, and always will.

Unfortunately, human rights can be disregarded, taken away, abused, and completely denied! The beautiful theme of freedom, equality, and justice presents us with a goal for everyone in our nation. The goal is human rights and justice for all.

The guest preacher, the Rev Cynara Dubé-Khan, in her message entitled, ‘Righteousness Prepares a Path’, shared, “My mom and I walked into a small grocery shop and while she was paying at the cashier, a large guy, who was probably made larger in mind because at that age, everyone is ‘bigger’ than you, he came up to me and started giving a sweet talk that at that age didn’t feel sweet. I remember feeling like something was churning raw on my insides, I felt unsafe and scared.

I looked at my mom and she furiously said to him, “That is how allyuh does make jail!” He apologised and said, “Sorry miss, sorry.” But I don’t think he will ever know what he did to that little girl.

That incident changed my entire day. When my family were talking in the living room, I remember listening from the kitchen and feeling so embarrassed and ashamed of myself. Did I wear the wrong clothes? Did I do something wrong?”

This recently married preacher beautifully observed, “Righteousness does not shoot a gun at his wife then shoot himself … you know the story? Righteousness does not gash a throat and leave you for dead … you know the story? Righteousness does not beat you, rape you and mash up your bones ... you know the story?”

The service saw the children of the Sunday school opening with the lighting of the candle of peace for the second Sunday of Advent, on the advent wreath. One child invited us to imagine how many Jamaican children would die if one of those bombs which landed on Gaza, had landed in Jamaica!

In a moving tribute to human rights, Dr Michael Abrahams used the opportunity to highlight the plight of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, while recognising Israel’s understandable reaction to the events of October 7, 2023. He also acknowledged the disproportionate use of power on their part in a conflict that has a larger history of occupation and oppression. The profundity of the moment was amplified when he acknowledged Professor Diana Fox, executive director of the Institute for Gender and Development Studies for the region, a woman of Jewish heritage and avid advocate for human rights, with whom he sat. They agreed that it was okay to affirm freedom, peace, and justice for Palestinians and Jews alike.

In addressing the congregation, Professor Fox highlighted a Hebrew term. It was profound, as she lifted that beautiful Hebrew expression, ‘tikkun olam’. The term speaks to being’repairer of the world’. It is an understanding that Jews have of themselves as agents of repairing whatever is wrong in the world. Tikkun Olam therefore calls for social justice.

Civil society organisations are to be commended for their willingness to participate and to join the church in this annual service in observance of international Human Rights Day. It affirms the place of faith-based organisations (FBOs) and wider civil society working for the good of humanity. The involvement of EU and UN support for programmes such as the Spotlight Initiative will make a world of difference in reaching our various Caribbean contexts for freedom, equality, and justice for all. UN Women therefore has much more work to do in gender-based violence (GBV) sensitisation.

Rev Dubé-Khan was instructive as she noted, “If you want to know how righteousness looks, how righteousness talks and how righteousness behaves, then look to the Son of righteousness himself ... Jesus speaks words of life to women.

Jesus says to the dead daughter … Arise! Jesus says to the sick mother … You are well! Jesus says to the curious woman who sits at his feet, you have chosen better, this will not be taken away from you. When they mocked her for pouring that oil on his feet, Jesus told them leave her alone. When they brought her to be stoned to death, Jesus said I, I don’t condemn you either.

So, friends, help me. Help me this Advent to make a path for the Son of righteousness to walk. Help me make a path so he can bring peace.”

We do well to remember the preacher’s timely lesson. “While remembering this experience with my mom a few days ago, she told me that there was something I didn’t notice that day. After she chastised that man, the rest of the grocery employees called him out on what he did. My parents and those workers were my keepers.” Jamaica needs more keepers for our children.

The preacher reminded us of choice. “On today, International Human Rights Day, we have a choice. We can choose to be on the right side of God. We can choose to be on the right side of history. Our lives of righteousness and justice will make a path to peace. When we are each other’s keeper, we make a path to peace.”

Later that day, at the launch for Jamaicans for Justice celebration, I opened with prayer which included the Tikkun Olam Prayer: Let the time not be distant, O God, when all shall turn to You in love, when all the brokenness in our world is repaired by the work (tikkun olam) of our hands and our hearts, inspired by Your words of Torah.

Fr Sean Major-Campbell is an Anglican priest and advocate for human dignity and human rights. Send feedback to seanmajorcampbell@yahoo.com or columns@gleanerjm.com.