Life and laughter in a place of death

9 years ago as an ordinand, fellow student Gareth encouraged me to go on a visit to Ypres and surrounding area with Toc-H. It is one of the most significant trips I have ever made for many reasons, but one event in particular makes me smile.

One of the visits we made that week was to Hill 62 & Sanctuary Wood museum. An emotive place, the remains of trenches and dugouts, the museum not clean and sparkly, but containing uniform badges with mud and blood-stained tatters of cloth - stark reminders of what once occured. Rusty weapons lie piled up in corners and in glass cases. Nothing cleansed or sanitised.

Wandering the grounds, laughter was heard from a group of English schooldchildren, early teenagers by the look of them. The splashed and joked in the puddles in the trenches, until one of them stopped.

” ‘Ere, Miss - are these real trenches?” came a lone voice from the back of the chain of laughing kids

“Yes”

“People really died here?”

“Yes. ” For a moment the class was silent, taking in this new understanding with awe and reverence.

Then a splash, a giggle, and then laughter resounded once more. Remembrance. Light in darkness; Kids playing where kids once died. Powerful imagery which will stay with me a lifetime.

Remembrance

On Sunday, a level of solemnity as we remember all those allied servicemen (and women) who have given their lives, both in the 2 world wars and since. Funny though, I was always taught that we remembered so that we might learn, that no other generation would go through what those before us have suffered. If only. We will be remembering, and we will be praying for peace in this world, as will many churches throughout the world.

Later in the month, I’m planning an ecumenical service of peace (its All Saints’ turn to host the united service with Jordanhill Parish). Similar themes, but presented very differently. I’ve been listening again to one of my favourite pieces of music from the last couple of years. The video still makes my eyes leak.

(yes, that is Jamie Bell from “Billy Elliot” )

James Blunt (not one of my favourite musicians) wrote this whilst serving for the British Army in Kosovo. The video contains some graphic images, not for the squeamish, but a poignant reminder of the damage war does. To real people, real lives.

Do we really think all this pain and violence is how we change the world for the better? God forgive us.

As we remember our own servicemen and women, both living and dead, offering their lives in the service of others (whether or not we agree with the legitimacy of war), remember the innocents on the recieving end. Remember those left behind sick with worry, not knowing when or how children or spouses are coming home. Remember the populations of those towns and cities being bombed, they’re not all “our enemy”. Remember the servicemen and women who have returned home physically unscathed, but lives changed forever by what they have seen, endured and experienced. Lives damaged forever in the name of bringing peace to the world.