By Sheila Provencher
Christian Peacemaker Team in Baghdad

When the explosion shook the St. Raphael’s Catholic Church doors and windows, the people paused in a brief hush. Then the priest’s quiet voice continued the liturgy:

“Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.”

Like many other times when explosions interrupted the liturgy, everyone just kept on praying, going on instinct, somehow, that it was the best thing to do. Usually the explosions seem close but are actually quite distant.

But when Greg and I left church ten minutes later, we saw billowing black smoke only two blocks away. Was it where Peggy and Doug were worshipping? Greg and Maxine went to try to help while I stayed in our apartment as “communications central” to keep in touch with all four CPTers at the bomb sites. Another explosion shook our apartment and the surrounding streets. From the roof I saw people running a few blocks away, and I could not help but remember the suicide bombing I had witnessed at the Khadhumiya Mosque last March. The same fear, the same grief in the people running from the fire.

For the next hour, I learned what it must be like for all of you most of the time–my main role was to pray for those who were out in the streets, trying not to worry and not always succeeding! While I sat in meditation, a tiny lizard ran across the floor. A brief sign of life, small and silent.

Greg and Maxine called to say they were OK. They were only one block away from the Syrian church, and an Iraqi man beckoned them into his home for safety. There they comforted weeping children and spoke with the families huddled in hallways of the apartment complex. Meanwhile, I learned that Peggy and Doug were near the Armenian church, where they too ended up speaking with families, including a young girl whose father had been shot dead for owning a store that sold alcohol.

Naturally, there is fear in the Christian community. But yesterday when Greg went back to speak to people at the Syrian church, an elderly woman told him, “I am not afraid. I do not believe that Iraqis did this, and I will continue to go to church.” Muslim leaders have condemned the action, and our phone has been ringing since Sunday night, as all of our Muslim friends call to see if we are OK.

“Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.”

On “us”–not, “have mercy on them.”

Us, because in the end the entire “us” and “them” consciousness is what begs for healing. “Us,” because we are all together, all responsible for the world, and also, insha’Allah (God-willing) all part of the healing.