Subversive Courage
A book, a writing space, a longing
In my last Midway Prayer post, I mentioned moseying with a friend through some green spaces in Singapore. We were travelling together, and the lay-over was looooonnnngggg - 22 hours - giving us good time to explore.
We exited the airport, dumped our luggage where we were staying, and jumped in a taxi, rain pouring down. At the last minute we had grabbed a couple of large umbrellas, providing us with broad protection and ensconcing us in a narrower world.
And we wandered… through the long and looping pathways, in and through the orchid garden, and around the pond (hoping to see the never-appearing otters). It was only when we were heading towards the exit that we spotted something truly unexpected, subversive even. A mark of courage past.
Monthly Musings: Subversive Courage
I had seen a statue of a girl swinging, and called my friend over. But then, to my right, was an archway full and green, leading down a staircase to a lilypond. “Let’s have a look,” I said with a twinkle and smile.
I didn’t realise what we were stumbling upon, but we soon became somber, reflective.
The stairs were saturated in colour from the recent rain - burnt orange, smokey grey and pale tangerine. Most of them had arrows carved into them, some leading upwards, some leading down towards the pond.
During the almost 4 years of Japanese occupation of Singapore, prisoners of war - many of whom were Australians - were forced to make bricks. As an act of subversive courage, they drew arrows on the unfired blocks, a sign that these bricks were made by those detained against their will. It was risky, daring, but it was also an undertaking of hope.
Now, carefully and respectfully gathered together, these bricks form a staircase of lingering memory, of wordless courage, of subversive resistance during dark days. But these steps, these lined bricks also lead down to gentle beauty and up into open greenery, reminding us that they did not stay in that prison.
I wonder, what acts of courage might be required of us today? Of you and me? How can these be gifts of hope to those around us?
Book News
Here is a little bit more news about the collection of people who have contributed to The Barnabas Factor. With each chapter written by a different person, let me introduce you to another two:
Lazarus Phiri is a globally recognised Zambian scholar and leader deeply invested in Christian mission, theological education, and anticorruption advocacy. His international academic training and leadership roles—including at Lausanne congresses and in higher education—equip him to contribute to the missiological reflection of the global church. Lazarus currently serves with Pioneers and actively leads integrity-focused initiatives that call the global church to ethical, justice-oriented engagement. Lazarus has written Ch. 6 - The Koinōnia Factor.
I first got to know Ladislao (Layo) Leiva, who is originally from El Salvador, when we did a Podcast together for MissionShift back in mid-January. For almost five decades, Ladislao and his wife have discipled, taught, mentored, and coached multiple generations of professionals, executives, politicians, mission workers, students, and entrepreneurs, helping them become principled leaders impacting their cities and nations with the gospel of the kingdom. Layo has written Ch. 10 - The Visibility Factor.
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