Soul Food for Sundays & Spirituality

26^th June each year marks the United Nations (UN) International Day in Support of Victims of Torture. 

Many displaced people are survivors of torture.  Some embark on a boat journey in the open seas, crossing international borders to seek protection.  The kind of boats they use are often ramshackle, not sea-worthy, and overloaded.  At the mercy of the elements and vulnerable to exploitation, they not only have to endure a storm at sea but also a storm in their hearts.

In the passage of Mark’s Gospel this Sunday (Mark 4:35-41), the vivid narrative of the stormy voyage of the disciples has a happy ending.  They all reached safety and were filled with awe.  For people forced to flee by boat, however, the storm-tossed situation and trauma often do not end on reaching the shore.  In fact, after landing, these displaced people have to confront a hurricane of challenges of various sorts.

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