A warm welcome in a time of war
TORONTO, ON--The general secretary of the Canadian Council of Churches says she was warmly welcomed by both Canadian soldiers and the people of Afghanistan on her recent visit to Kandahar.
"It's a tough country--oh it's a tough country," Karen Hamilton told ChristianWeek. "It's barren and it's desert and it's hot. There is great need in this country. The situation is dire on all kinds of levels. There are structural issues. There are human rights issues. There are government issues. There are agricultural issues. In the witness of the chaplain, we are conveying the message that we know it is difficult for them and we know what they are going through.
The purpose of Hamilton's July 1 to 6 visit was to support and encourage Canada's military chaplains. Canadian chaplains are accredited by the Canadian Council of Churches.
"Showing a ministry of presence is an important part of being a witness to Jesus Christ in the world," Hamilton says, "to be present with people and to be with them, through their times of challenge, darkness and joy. It is something that all of us as Christians are called to, but especially our clergy."
Approximately 180 military chaplains serve with the Canadian military, both at home and abroad. One is Muslim and some others are Jewish. All six serving in Kandahar at the moment are Christians.
"Our chaplains care for people of all faith traditions, including the military and everyone else on the base--many of whom come from very far away to work there. They are there to listen to all, to minister to all, to be of service to all," says Hamilton.
Wounds of war
Hamilton witnessed first-hand some of the brutal realities of life in a war zone.
"I was there in Kandahar when an armored vehicle was blown up. One solider, Cpl. Nick Bulger, died. I was there for the visitation of the coffin, as people came to pay their respects and did their mourning and grieving."
Hamilton said a prayer during the ramp ceremony as the soldier's body was loaded onto a flight for Canada.
"There were five other soldiers wounded in the attacks," Hamilton says. "I then went to the hospital to visit those who were wounded, before they were sent to Germany. They were injured, in pain and on medication. They were very much concerned for each other, and saddened that one of them had died.
"I later ran into the American flight nurse on the boardwalk, who had been with the Canadian wounded before they were flown out to Germany. She said, 'We made sure they were close to each other on the flight, so they could see each other, and they could touch each other.' It was very moving."
The boardwalk is a central community space of life on the Kandahar base, including a traditional market, a Tim Horton's, and an ice-hockey rink which gets busy when the temperature dips down to a "cool" 40 degrees Celsius.
"One of the chaplains sits on the boardwalk every night," Hamilton says, "and talks to everyone and anyone who comes by and wants to talk."
Shared grief
Hamilton also met with the officer who administers all the religious functioning of the Afghan National Army, and two Islamic scholars who are available to the Afghan National Army any time of day or night for conversation, reflection, questions and study.
"He was just bubbling over with enthusiasm for the support he felt from the chaplaincy from the Canadian forces. We are there in relationship, with the assurance that we care and we understand the difficulties. While the Canadian deaths are dreadful, it is the Afghans who are really bearing the brunt of it. We also saw two little Afghan boys who had their legs blown off. The grief of that was very real for me. One was wearing a Canadian pin.
"God loves all the people of Afghanistan--the troops, and the contract workers and the Afghan people living together in a tough situation--and our presence in chaplaincy is a sign and symbol of that reality which we proclaim."
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