|
April 2001
Dear Friends,
Warm spring greetings from Italy!
The sun has finally come out, and we are seeing genuine evidence
that there is going to be a spring in Rome this year! We were
beginning to wonder, as the cold and rain droned on, seemingly
endless. The gloom we’ve experienced with our weather serves
to mirror our hearts, as we are normally in Israel-Palestine at
this time of year with Confronti’s yearly travel/study seminar.
However, the increased conflict there has curtailed our travel
for the time being. Our concern for brothers and sisters there
continues to deepen daily as the news brings an endless litany
of suffering and reprisal. In its enduring efforts to understand
the many conflicts that plague our world and work as a vehicle
for peacemaking and interfaith dialogue, Confronti has expanded
its program to other parts of the world. We learned about sister
churches and their affiliated work on our visit to Prague during
the month of March. Not only was the trip educational, but we
fell in love with the charm and beauty of the city, most especially
the Charles Bridge gracefully spanning the River Vltava.
Two weeks ago we made our inaugural trip to Croatia and Bosnia,
which was fascinating. Many of you know we were the organizers
of this trip two years ago, but it was postponed when the problems
erupted in Kosovo. The bullet holes in abandon buildings, cement-filled
craters in the pavement from grenades and bombs (many which have
been painted red to signify where deaths resulted), along with
a multitude of pictures nailed to trees memorializing those who
died in the conflict—all serve as constant reminders of the
inescapable atrocities of war. The small town of Mostar still
grieves the destruction of its most stunning feature, the 16th-century
Turkish bridge, which arched over the Neretva River, connecting
the Muslim community on one side of the river to the Catholic
community on the other. Yet with the immense unemployment rate
and very little money with which to rebuild, a country quickly
forgotten to the more recent tides of escalating "hot spots"
around the world, finds itself trying to heal, pick up the pieces,
and start over again. To many (especially in areas like Sarajevo,
where they had lived for hundreds of years side by side with ethnically
diverse next-door neighbors) it remains a mystery how it came
to pass that one morning they woke up and found that those with
whom they had lived so amicably were suddenly their enemies, to
be feared and distrusted. War scattered long time friends and
neighbors like leaves to the wind and when it was all over, left
them wondering how they could ever go back to life as it was.
As some return to reclaim home sites, they disrupt the lives of
other refugees, who like them, have taken up shelter in the ruins
of another’s abandoned property, causing constant shifting
and moving. Suffering is a constant companion of many there, yet
they opened their hearts and shared their time and stories with
us. These experiences confirm Confronti’s commitment to break
down walls, and build new bridges between people through interfaith
dialogue, conferences, its magazine and Web page, etc.
We will be going on home leave to the U.S. starting in June.
We’re looking forward to rest, relaxation, time with family
and friends, and a chance to share about our work and life here
in Italy. During June and July we will be in Thousand Oaks, California,
and can be reached at: (805) 497-2293 or (805) 984-2794. Our mailing
address will be: C/o Malia Finseth, 101 Memorial Parkway, #4231,
Thousand Oaks, California, 91360. Also, Terry’s father (Arnold
and Elizabeth Finseth) will always be able to get a message to
us. They can be contacted at (209) 526-1161 in Modesto, California.
August will be a travel month for us, as we will visit PC(USA)’s
home offices in Louisville, Kentucky, attend a conference, return
to California for a short time, then to Mississippi, and finally,
head back to Rome.
Many of you have written, sent your newsletters and financial
support, and continue to be our partners in prayer. Our continuing
prayer request would be for those places of conflict—that
they might be compelled to search even harder for a peaceful means
to resolution, and then they, along with the many others who continue
in the fragile rebuilding process, might find the conviction to
remain committed to that upon which they agreed! We also ask prayers
for a safe journey, meaningful togetherness with those at home,
and energizing for the coming return to our work.
We are so very blessed by what God has provided for us to participate
in here, and that He constantly keeps a vigilant watch over us,
as demonstrated by the love and support of all of you!
Grace and Peace,
Terry and Michele Finseth
The 2001 Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study, p. 87
|
