Justice

 "Bangladesh hangs killers of the Nations Founding Father."
January 27, 2010

      Nearly 35 years after Bangladesh's founding father Sheikh Mujibur Rahmand was assassinated with his entire family and several of his officials, five army officers who were among those convicted for this killing were hung at Dhaka Central Jail this past Thursday.  This brought to end a very long manhunt and the quest for justice of Mujib's daughter, current Prime Minister, Sheikh Hasina.  Out of the other 7 convicted for this killing, one has died, and the other 6 are on the run.
      Two hangmen put nooses around their necks at 12:05 am, and the convicts were left to hang for nearly thirty minutes to confirm their death.  The news hit that justice had been served.  

It was interesting to talk to some of the locals about their thoughts on the hanging.  I asked them questions about whether or not they thought it was 'fair' or 'just' that these men were killed for their actions.  I received a number of mixed responses yet most stated strongly that these men should have been put to death, and defined justice as an "eye for an eye."   

Although I am not opinionated on this particular subject of capital punishment as it is shown here, I spend most of my time feeling humbled by it.  When I heard this news and the story about why these individuals were hung, it made me think... "what if I got everything I deserved in my life?"  

How many of you have ever "gotten away" with something?  I suppose we all have at some point or another... we have lied and no one ever found out, or we have perhaps snuck out of the house when we were kids and our parents still don't know.... justice goes both ways.  

I can't tell you much about life, but I can tell you that I am thankful for God's justice in mine.
Romans 3:23 states that 

"For ALL have sinned and have fallen short of the Glory of God"

and Romans 6:23 states:

"For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life"

So if I have fallen short, and my penalty is death.... should I not also be hanging from that noose?...or worse.... be cast into hell to spend an eternity away from God?  

A lot of people think that if you are simply a "good person" that you will end up at the pearly gates of heaven with a God who loves all welcoming you in...  is that Justice?  Is it?   What kind of God would He be if He allowed everyone into His eternal kingdom?  What about these men?  Maybe they were really "good" children, and their friends talked them into being a part in this murder?  Why can't they "make up for it" with "good deeds?"......  how often do we live our lives like that.... we do something horrible, and rather than feeling the weight of what we deserve, we simply try to "make up for it"... is that justice?

I can tell you one thing: 

God is just, and because of that, and because of HIS love, He has provided a way for EACH and EVERY soul here on Earth to come to Him in Heaven and be welcomed.  This came in the life of His Son Jesus Christ.

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, so that all who believe in Him shall NOT perish, but shall have ETERNAL LIFE".  (John 3:16).

You have a chance to NOT have the Justice that you deserve, but rather, to live in the GRACE of God.  Is that not the best form of Justice that there is?  If you stood before a judge today.... if you stood before THE JUDGE of the world that is GOD, would He find you guilty?.... or would He grant you life because you accepted the gift of Christ.  It's a big decision isn't it.... don't let it go unanswered.  

Thank each of you for all of your prayers during this time here, they are needed and appreciated.  

In Christ,

Corinne 


3:54 AM | | 2 Comments  

Design Boat Competition!

My first week back at teaching was a huge blessing and I really did enjoy it.  I missed the students and it was good to see that all of them were back and ready to learn, happy and healthy.  Praise God!

To finish off my weeks, I teach a Design and Technology course to my Year 8 students, and this time, rather than doing the boring approach of writing notes on how to build a boat on the board, I had them do it.  They had the following instructions:

1) you have only 1 hour to complete the task
2) you must use all your materials (a stick, 3 straws, 1 sq ft of aluminum foil, a bottle, and a piece of pink paper).
3) your boat must be able to hold 50, 1 Taka Coins without sinking.

So they went at it and the results were great, we then tested them in a giant bowl of water.  It was fun, and although a bit chaotic (as most things are not only in Dhaka, but at the Year 8 level in any school), I think the students enjoyed actually being able to DO something in order to learn, rather than listening to me blab a the front of the room for an hour and a half!



Other than these simple events, my week has had a few trials, as most do, and I am still growing in faith.  I am learning to trust in God more than I ever had, and by this I mean REALLY trust Him.   I used to, and perhaps you can relate, state that I was trusting Him, and make a "plan B" in the back of my mind whilst still hoping that the God of the universe would "pull through."  How many times in your life do you "trust God" but have a "plan B"?  Is that really trust?

I am learning quickly here that there is no room for an escape route with God, that either I trust Him completely or I fail and fall apart.  It has been a new experience for me.  The best part about trusting in God is that He is the ONLY person who will NEVER let you down.

More soon, I have a busy weekend ahead of me.  :)

In Christ,

Corinne.

10:25 AM | | 3 Comments  

Home and Back Again.... a new year.

Well here I am again, in Dhaka.  I must start firstly by apologizing to any of you who I meant to call or email during my very short stay in Canada.

I have to say that I had a hard time returning to Dhaka after seeing those I loved at Christmas.   When I first left several months ago, I had a new energy, a desire for change, a "bright-eyed" feel that craved understanding of a new society... a willingness to let go of my life in Edmonton to try something new...

Now I know what I am getting myself into :)

I know that it will be difficult, but I appreciate still the wonderful opportunity to learn ahead of me.  Part of me has a hard time realizing that my time here is half done.  What a precious point in my life to be able to come here and serve God and allow my relationship with Him to grow, while at the same point building bonds with those close to me back home.  God is amazing.

The blaring differences between the West and the East are fresh in my mind now, with a bag of Mom's Christmas baking still in my room, sitting not far from the cockroaches I killed this morning.  It is hard to realize that I was hugging those I loved in the Toronto airport 2 days ago, yet 2 days from now, I will be standing in front of students I love teaching them again for another term.  It somehow makes the world feel small, and time seem as nothing more than the medium with which we span distance.

I wish I could sit here and tell you these marvelous aspirations for my "new year" here in Dhaka.  I wish I could sit here and spew wisdom on how I am going to set "resolutions" that will out-do any other... when really I have come to a point of simplicity.

In previous years, as most of us can relate, we set these resolutions against ourselves, we say "I will lose weight" when clearly our bodies and minds don't want us to.... or we say "I will exercise" when really our bodies and minds would really rather not...

This year I want to get "me" at my source.... I am going to focus on my mind.

"and be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God" (Romans 12:2)

Lord willing I will renew my mind and my focus each day.... Lord willing, I will rely on Him, and not on the things of this world which will fail.  Lord willing I will grow because my mind will be focused on the ONLY One who can change us.

Can I suggest the same for you?  Let Christ be your focus this year.

Rely on God, let Him renew your mind, you would be surprised where that will take you.

In Christ's love,

Corinne

8:47 PM | | 2 Comments  

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Justice  

Posted by: Corinne

 "Bangladesh hangs killers of the Nations Founding Father."
January 27, 2010

      Nearly 35 years after Bangladesh's founding father Sheikh Mujibur Rahmand was assassinated with his entire family and several of his officials, five army officers who were among those convicted for this killing were hung at Dhaka Central Jail this past Thursday.  This brought to end a very long manhunt and the quest for justice of Mujib's daughter, current Prime Minister, Sheikh Hasina.  Out of the other 7 convicted for this killing, one has died, and the other 6 are on the run.
      Two hangmen put nooses around their necks at 12:05 am, and the convicts were left to hang for nearly thirty minutes to confirm their death.  The news hit that justice had been served.  

It was interesting to talk to some of the locals about their thoughts on the hanging.  I asked them questions about whether or not they thought it was 'fair' or 'just' that these men were killed for their actions.  I received a number of mixed responses yet most stated strongly that these men should have been put to death, and defined justice as an "eye for an eye."   

Although I am not opinionated on this particular subject of capital punishment as it is shown here, I spend most of my time feeling humbled by it.  When I heard this news and the story about why these individuals were hung, it made me think... "what if I got everything I deserved in my life?"  

How many of you have ever "gotten away" with something?  I suppose we all have at some point or another... we have lied and no one ever found out, or we have perhaps snuck out of the house when we were kids and our parents still don't know.... justice goes both ways.  

I can't tell you much about life, but I can tell you that I am thankful for God's justice in mine.
Romans 3:23 states that 

"For ALL have sinned and have fallen short of the Glory of God"

and Romans 6:23 states:

"For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life"

So if I have fallen short, and my penalty is death.... should I not also be hanging from that noose?...or worse.... be cast into hell to spend an eternity away from God?  

A lot of people think that if you are simply a "good person" that you will end up at the pearly gates of heaven with a God who loves all welcoming you in...  is that Justice?  Is it?   What kind of God would He be if He allowed everyone into His eternal kingdom?  What about these men?  Maybe they were really "good" children, and their friends talked them into being a part in this murder?  Why can't they "make up for it" with "good deeds?"......  how often do we live our lives like that.... we do something horrible, and rather than feeling the weight of what we deserve, we simply try to "make up for it"... is that justice?

I can tell you one thing: 

God is just, and because of that, and because of HIS love, He has provided a way for EACH and EVERY soul here on Earth to come to Him in Heaven and be welcomed.  This came in the life of His Son Jesus Christ.

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, so that all who believe in Him shall NOT perish, but shall have ETERNAL LIFE".  (John 3:16).

You have a chance to NOT have the Justice that you deserve, but rather, to live in the GRACE of God.  Is that not the best form of Justice that there is?  If you stood before a judge today.... if you stood before THE JUDGE of the world that is GOD, would He find you guilty?.... or would He grant you life because you accepted the gift of Christ.  It's a big decision isn't it.... don't let it go unanswered.  

Thank each of you for all of your prayers during this time here, they are needed and appreciated.  

In Christ,

Corinne 


2 comments

Design Boat Competition!  

Posted by: Corinne

My first week back at teaching was a huge blessing and I really did enjoy it.  I missed the students and it was good to see that all of them were back and ready to learn, happy and healthy.  Praise God!

To finish off my weeks, I teach a Design and Technology course to my Year 8 students, and this time, rather than doing the boring approach of writing notes on how to build a boat on the board, I had them do it.  They had the following instructions:

1) you have only 1 hour to complete the task
2) you must use all your materials (a stick, 3 straws, 1 sq ft of aluminum foil, a bottle, and a piece of pink paper).
3) your boat must be able to hold 50, 1 Taka Coins without sinking.

So they went at it and the results were great, we then tested them in a giant bowl of water.  It was fun, and although a bit chaotic (as most things are not only in Dhaka, but at the Year 8 level in any school), I think the students enjoyed actually being able to DO something in order to learn, rather than listening to me blab a the front of the room for an hour and a half!



Other than these simple events, my week has had a few trials, as most do, and I am still growing in faith.  I am learning to trust in God more than I ever had, and by this I mean REALLY trust Him.   I used to, and perhaps you can relate, state that I was trusting Him, and make a "plan B" in the back of my mind whilst still hoping that the God of the universe would "pull through."  How many times in your life do you "trust God" but have a "plan B"?  Is that really trust?

I am learning quickly here that there is no room for an escape route with God, that either I trust Him completely or I fail and fall apart.  It has been a new experience for me.  The best part about trusting in God is that He is the ONLY person who will NEVER let you down.

More soon, I have a busy weekend ahead of me.  :)

In Christ,

Corinne.

3 comments

Home and Back Again.... a new year.  

Posted by: Corinne

Well here I am again, in Dhaka.  I must start firstly by apologizing to any of you who I meant to call or email during my very short stay in Canada.

I have to say that I had a hard time returning to Dhaka after seeing those I loved at Christmas.   When I first left several months ago, I had a new energy, a desire for change, a "bright-eyed" feel that craved understanding of a new society... a willingness to let go of my life in Edmonton to try something new...

Now I know what I am getting myself into :)

I know that it will be difficult, but I appreciate still the wonderful opportunity to learn ahead of me.  Part of me has a hard time realizing that my time here is half done.  What a precious point in my life to be able to come here and serve God and allow my relationship with Him to grow, while at the same point building bonds with those close to me back home.  God is amazing.

The blaring differences between the West and the East are fresh in my mind now, with a bag of Mom's Christmas baking still in my room, sitting not far from the cockroaches I killed this morning.  It is hard to realize that I was hugging those I loved in the Toronto airport 2 days ago, yet 2 days from now, I will be standing in front of students I love teaching them again for another term.  It somehow makes the world feel small, and time seem as nothing more than the medium with which we span distance.

I wish I could sit here and tell you these marvelous aspirations for my "new year" here in Dhaka.  I wish I could sit here and spew wisdom on how I am going to set "resolutions" that will out-do any other... when really I have come to a point of simplicity.

In previous years, as most of us can relate, we set these resolutions against ourselves, we say "I will lose weight" when clearly our bodies and minds don't want us to.... or we say "I will exercise" when really our bodies and minds would really rather not...

This year I want to get "me" at my source.... I am going to focus on my mind.

"and be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God" (Romans 12:2)

Lord willing I will renew my mind and my focus each day.... Lord willing, I will rely on Him, and not on the things of this world which will fail.  Lord willing I will grow because my mind will be focused on the ONLY One who can change us.

Can I suggest the same for you?  Let Christ be your focus this year.

Rely on God, let Him renew your mind, you would be surprised where that will take you.

In Christ's love,

Corinne

2 comments
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