Monday 05 July 2010

Background

Toussaint Louverture was the person who led the slave rebellionin Haiti to its success and independence from France in 1804, after14 years of struggle. Like the children of Israel remembered theirfreedom from Egypt, Haitians look to Toussaint Louverture as theMoses who led them to freedom.

Haiti is the poorest nation in the western hemisphere but Haitiansare a people who value their freedom. In today's passage, theprophet Hosea realises what this freedom means and utters thispoem. He was watching his people enslave themselves to other gods,forgetting what that first love and joy of freedom had meant.

Hosea lived this in himself through his marriage. Rather than giveup on an unfaithful wife, he has children by her. His childrentherefore also become symbols of the consequences of idolatry. Yeteven though the prophet is painted as a pitiful figure who seems toallow his wife to constantly betray his faithfulness, there is,within him, a man who cherishes hope in the worst of circumstances.Hosea's words about his wife - "I will now allure her ... and speaktenderly to her" - echo how God will win back the people ofIsrael.

But freedom cannot be guaranteed by force. This is seen in the nowdesolate ruins of once mighty empires, or in Toussaint Louverture'scase, from a lonely exile in a French prison cell. The God ofjustice, the father of our Lord Jesus Christ, promises peace. Thispeace is spoken about in words like covenant, truth, faith,constant love and mercy. True justice is established not onlybetween humans, but with all creation.

William Wordsworth wrote about the captivity of ToussaintLouverture and said that this most "unhappy man of men" would beremembered and claim as his ally "man's unconquerable mind". Forover 200 years Haitians have cherished this freedom and despitemany setbacks, have demonstrated an unconquerable faith in God.

To Ponder

Hosea's children with Gomer were given names thatecho the pain of a broken marriage - "punishment", "unloved", "notmy people" (Hosea 1:2-8). In what ways do children todayecho the troubles of their parents' lives?

Haiti's barren hillsides were once covered inlush tropical woodland; many clouded rivers in the UK once ranclear and produced a rich harvest of fish; shores of the world'soceans can be nurseries for all kinds of birds and fish instead ofoily traps of death. To what extent can economic development beachieved without justice for the environment being compromised?