Rev. Donna Vande Kieft
Rev. Donna Vande Kieft
As I write, it is Day 108 for the monks making their peace walk into Washington, D.C. We are celebrating the Super Bowl win for the Seahawks and reflecting on the half-time performances of Bad Bunny and the alternative show promoted by Turning Point. It has been a controversial time with the recent deaths of two Minnesota citizens.
In the midst of the news of the unfolding tragedy of lives lost in Minnesota in protesting the presence of ICE in Minneapolis, the story of the Buddhist monks passing their halfway mark on a 2,300 mile Walk for Peace through the U.S. came to more prominent news coverage. I have been following the pilgrimage undertaken by 20 monks who set off on Oct. 26 from a Vietnamese Buddhist temple in Fort Worth, Texas. They passed through Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama, on through South Carolina, North Carolina, West Virginia, and on to their destination, Washington, D.C.
The monks believe that Washington, D.C., is the heart of the nation and by reaching the heart of the nation, they can reach the heart of all Americans across the U.S. with the message of peace. The core, foundational stone of the monks’ initiative is peace, unity, compassion, and healing. The walk has not been easy as they have encountered wintry weather, American roads with rocks, glass and nails, as well as injury along the way. Their escort vehicle was hit by a truck that then hit and injured one of the monks, resulting in amputation of his leg. Their rescue dog, Aloka, whose name means “divine light” in Sanskrit underwent surgery in South Carolina for a pre-existing leg injury. Aloka rejoined the monks in North Carolina on his journey of recovery. Aloka is a peace dog, and walked faithfully with the monks, promoters of peace.
The peace walk is not political. The goal of the monks was to raise awareness and consciousness of the need for peace in perilous times. Day 108 is also the cusp of my 70th birthday, and I, as a follower of Jesus, wish that I had the means to join the monks as they enter Washington, D.C. I will be with them online as they offer a peace meditation in arriving at the National Cathedral. Perhaps they, as outsiders of our country and culture, have a clearer understanding of the mission of Jesus. The monks invite us to think outside the box regarding what it means to be a peacemaker.