Her Name Is Soniya
Eva-Margaritha Erickson of Berlin, Germany
Do not repay anyone evil for evil, but take thought for what is noble in the sight of all. If it is possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. -Romans 12:17-18
Her name is Soniya-born in Afghanistan, raised in Iran, now a refugee in Germany. When I found her outside my office building, she looked like just a bundle of clothes. I found her huddled and in such a bad condition that I had to call an ambulance. She was not physically hurt as much as she was in shock and panic because she had been mistreated and abused by other refugees in her refugee home. I later learned that as a single woman from Afghanistan with a name that sounds Christian (though she is Muslim), she was at the bottom of the pecking order, even among refugees.
The Enduring Principle Worth of All Persons comes to mind. There is a hymn we sing, “For Everyone Born, a Place at the Table.” Of course, Soniya has a place at God’s table. She is a victim of a system, a victim of war, a victim even in the country that took her in as a refugee. There is no doubt in my mind that God always has a place for the poor, abused, and broken-hearted. Jesus himself showed us this through his life and ministry.
But it takes much more for me to accept that the abusers, the ones who instigate the wars for purposes of power and wealth, the ones who are refugees themselves but still mistreat a fellow refugee, would also have a place at the table. And yet they do. And yet they do.
In my mind I hold a vision of a world where all God’s children learn to live with each other. I’m so impatient, I want it now! I want Soniya to be safe, yes, but I also want her abusers to experience peace so they won’t feel the need any more to make others unhappy to gain their own happiness. And I want for those who instigate wars to settle their differences over a cup of tea. I want them to learn that life has so much more in store than wealth and power.
Oh, God, teach us your ways!
Prayer Phrase
Are we moving toward Jesus, the peaceful One?
Spiritual Practice
Gospel Contemplation (John 3:1-8)
Each week during Lent, you are invited to pray with a different gospel story from the life of Christ. Use your senses and imagination to enter the text. Allow it to come to life in you, observing details, noticing interactions, even engaging in dialogue. Notice where you find yourself in the story and how you feel about what is happening. Notice what it evokes in you or invites of you. Take time to journal or enter silent prayer to reflect on your experience and to sense where the Spirit may be leading you through this scriptural encounter.
Today’s Prayer for Peace
Engage in a daily practice of praying for peace in our world. Click here to read today’s prayer and be part of this practice of peace.
