The Best of all is God with us

SRI LANKA WRESTLES AGAINST POWERS IN THE HEAVENS ABOVE  AND T HE KINGS OF THE EARTH Have you ever felt that it is so hard and difficult to fight against “the powers that be”, particularly in Sri Lanka? The “………Go Gama” concept was initially set up at Galle Face in Sri Lanka, which made all of us feel very hopeful about seeing the exit of certain people who were in power. However, this is what we hear now from the public: ·         “However much we tell him to go he is not going” ·         “Though he resigned and went he will control everything through their agent……..” ·         “The expected national government and an all-party Cabinet will never come because the  dynasty will never allow it” ·         “ I am giving up my fight because as long as they remain in power we will see no change” ·         “Th...

                                                                   The Aragalaya – The Struggle   Sri Lanka is an island that has had quite a few arm struggles. Especially the 1971 and 1989 uprisings in the south and the 30-year uprising in the North and east have left wounds and scars in the hearts of so many. The sufferings that people had to go through during such times did not provide much public support for those who led the struggles. The turn of events due to the economic and political chaos created by the politicians especially the Rajapaksha government, has certainly spurt the people into the streets and built up a struggle without the use of arms. At the time of writing, 47 days have been completed to the ‘ARAGALAYA’ that is staged in front of the Presidential Secretari...

  My wife and I flew out of Sri Lanka in early November 2021 to spend a few days with our family. We are returning in a few days and the news I have gathered during this time makes me realize that we are returning to a country that is drastically different from what it was two and a half months ago. A prorogued Parliament, Gas explosions, power cuts, fuel crisis, unresolved fertilizer crisis, price escalations of essential items and scarceness of milk powder are waiting to welcome us! While we started packing our bags, on the 10th January I received the following from a close friend of mine. "I weep for my country when seeing how people seem to have descended into the abyss of cruelty and callousness....yesterday a heart patient of the Ragama hospital went to a nearby supermarket and for reasons not yet known...had lifted a cake of baby soap and a cologne bottle. He was apprehended by a person on the road who got stabbed by the accused. An armed group of people hammered mercil...

  On the 30th of December 2021, the centennial birth anniversary of the late Rev. Somasiri Kumaradas Perera was remembered. As a student and a ministerial colleague of Rev Soma, I am writing this while reminiscing on very happy memories of Rev. Soma and also his beloved wife Aunty Ruvini. The late Rev. Soma and my late father Rev. Theodore hailed from the Charles Place, Rawatawatte, Moratuwa. My father's ancestral home was at Galle Rd. end while Rev. Soma's was at the Lunawa end of Charles Place. Both of them offered to the Methodist Ministry from the Rawatawatte Methodist Church and were close friends. My close acquaintance with Rev. Soma and Aunty Ruvini came on track when I entered Theological College of Lanka, Pilimathalawa in July 1977. Rev. Soma was my Principal for one and a half years of my training until he moved over to Kurana Negombo Circuit at the end of 1978. While doing my registration in his office at TCL he commented on my age 19 + with his unique smile sayi...

    SHEEP  STEALING  SYNDROME                 In the Farming world, Sheep stealing is considered a crime. A Farmer who has had 25 sheep stolen from his flock described his pain as follows: "When you find they have been stolen it's heartbreaking because even though you don't know everyone, you do know your own sheep. It just adds to the hardship of shepherding, if you get a couple stolen from a big herd you can absorb it, but if you've only got a few, it can be serious and it can put you out of sheep-keeping." When reflecting on these words, my thoughts went over to the shepherd in the parable of the lost sheep. Though the lost sheep was not stolen, there was the heart of the Good Shepherd crying and going out for the one lost sheep. Further reflection on the whole experience of sheep-stealing prevalent in the church, made me realize no Pastor is free from the pain of losing the sheep. This is a bone of contention bet...

                                                             THE CALL TO THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX                                                                                                             At school, I learnt about a frog leader and his frog community who lived in a well and could not fathom that there is a world outside the well. When another frog from outside told the frog community in the well about the wonder of the world outside the well, all except the frog leader, got ou...