Leigh
Ramsay
322
Wecker Road
Carindale
QLD
4152
12th
Feb 2013
Dear Leigh
The Lord works in mysterious
ways. A few weeks ago I spoke with a close woman friend of mine who practices a
form of Christianity very different to the one you practice. She is familiar
with Citipointe church’s ongoing human rights abuses. She writes:
“Our church are supporters of
children in the Philippines in Malaybalay city and the pastor has never ever
been involved with these practices. What they do is spend the mission’s money
on supporting whole families stay together and spread the message of love
through providing family's with all they need .”
Paramount in her church’s efforts
to help poor people in the Philipingpines
are (1) The church’s determination to keep families together and (2) Respect
the religious beliefs of those the church is helping. Citipointe does neither
of these things, believing as it does that your church’s interpretation of the
bible, of Christ’s teachings, gives you the right to break up families and to
force the young girls in your care to become Christians. The arrogance is
breathtaking!
My friend, having heard of the
plight of Chanti - denied access to her own children and, of course, of Rosa
and Chita denied meaningful access to their own family - wrote to me:
James
As you know I am a devoted Christian undertaking ministry
and leadership training. It goes against all Christian principles to deny
Chanti assistance .
The bible states (Christian) bible if a man asks for help
you must not refuse him/ her. The principles of the bible are of love
compassion, giving , forgiveness these are called fruits of the spirit. It
seems this church is not adhering to it's foundational Christian principals. Also
a church that steals children to profit themselves would be classed as
fraudulent here in Australia amongst even the poorest of churches.
I am as a Christian surprised at the heartlessness of not
allowing Chanti’s children to return home with their mother. To be without
their mother and siblings I predict that this church will create more long term
suffering on these children long term as they have and are being denied the
very basic of human rights and that is to be bonded with their true family.
As white settlers and the catholic churches in
Australia 100 years ago who systematically removed aboriginal children from
their parents
have created a lost generation who have become welfare
dependent .
James, as a Christian, I ask you, on
what basis will they not return Chanti’s children? If it is financial then they
have no excuse. You and I can support Chanti and her children.
My friend is far from wealthy but she has a very kind heart and
offered, first of all, to take on complete financial responsibility for the
education of all of Chanti’s children. In a conversation with me about her
generous offer it was decided that between the two of us we would buy a house
for Chanti in the provinces so that she can live close to both the family of
her mother (Vanna) and the family of her husband Chhork. As you know, it was
extreme poverty that led to Chanti and Vanna moving to Phnom Penh 18 years ago
to make a living begging. They have wanted to return to the provinces for close
to 20 years and it is fitting that they should return home now.
Yesterday, on a trip to Srey Veng to visit both Chanti and
Chhork’s family’s for the Chinese New Year celebrations, we found a house for
the family to live in that is for sale – just a few metres from the house of
Chhork’s father and mother. In the next week or so my Christian friend and I
will buy it. It is situated 100 meters from a school that all of Chanti’s
children of school age can attend – including Rosa and Chita.
When Chanti and Chhork are the owners of their own house and have
been re-integrated back into the community they both come from, Citipointe will
have no further reasons not to release Rosa and Chita back into the care of
Chanti and Chhork. It is worth pointing out here that neither yourself nor
anyone else associated with Citipointe has once visited the community into
which the family wishes to be reintegrated. It is also worth pointing out that
the cost involved in buying the house is the equivalent of the money spend by
Citipointe in one moth keeping Rosa and Chita incarcerated in an institution.
I will write to you again once the appropriate paper work has
been done to buy the house and trust that Citipointe will not attempt to find
some new reason to refuse the reintegration of Rosa and Chita not just back
into their immediate family but back into the two extended families of Chanti
and Chhork and the village community of which they are a part.
I will be in Phnom Penh for a few more weeks if you wish to
discuss with me and Chanti the practicalities of Rosa and Chita returning to
live with Chanti, Chhork ands the rest of the their family. It may be that
Citipointe wishes to assist myself and my Christian friend in our ongoing help
for the family.
best wishes
James Ricketson
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