FossilFreeUMC

The font of justice springs from the courage of our peacemakers to call out sin and destruction.

Congratulations to Deaconess Norma Dollaga, whose work in the Philippines is testimony to the impact that can be made when the heart is attuned to justice. Deaconess Dollaga is the recipient of this year’s World Methodist Peace Award.

The sheer scope of her effort intersects with justice work across the board. In celebrating her courage and her accomplishments, we are all reminded yet again that the work of justice goes deep. The harms of authoritarianism, sectarian violence, environmental degradation and extraction economics are symptoms undergirded by repressive colonialist power structures that have been a catastrophe for people, ecosystems, and God’s creation.

For this award, her work on human rights is front and center. Yet in addition, Dollaga has led efforts of storytelling and celebration of creation (see Bulatlat, Children Join Call to Save Mother Earth) and she authored Chapter 6, Climate Injustice: Human Consequences in the seminal United Methodist teaching text, Climate Justice, A Call to Hope and Action, edited by Rev. Pat Watkins.

Learn more about Norma Dollaga, her work, her courage, and her impact addressing authoritarian, repressive, and extractive powers in the Philippines at Rise Up for Life and for Rights, and in the articles below.

Most recent, and including a letter from Dollaga, read about this award and its recipient from United Methodist Insight, Filipina UMC Deaconess Honored with World Methodist Peace Award.

Learn the background. Deaconess Dollaga has been speaking and working to address injustice for many years. The recognition in this award includes her work in protecting the innocent, and even helping to bring a case before the International Criminal Court. Read also from UM Insight, Doing Human Rights in the Philippines as a Church amid Shrinking Democracy.

Read also of the War against the poor in the Philippines, by Rev. Paul Jeffrey from Global Lens (originally published in Response Magazine). Rev. Jeffrey is a photojournalist, missionary, and United Methodist who works the world over to amplify the stories of those caught between justice and injustice. His story from 2019 tells of Norma Dollaga and the effort of people of faith to restore hope and peace following former Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte’s violent rule.

Congratulations, and thank you, Deaconess Dollaga.

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Cover photo, Maligcong, Bontoc, Mountain Province, Philippines by Michael Rivera.

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Rev. Richenda Fairhurst is an elder in the Greater Northwest Area, living in Southern Oregon. She volunteers with the United Methodist Creation Justice Movement and a number of other organizations at the intersection of faith and climate change. Find her at justcreation.org