‘As a Church, we often focus on unity within our own walls. But maybe our true calling is to be a source of light and love to those hurting around us,’ says British Asian Navi Aulkh in the response to the recent riots across Britian.
Growing up as a British Asian in a multicultural city, I’ve always loved the diversity and sense of community. Living among people from different backgrounds, especially a significant Muslim population, has taught me so much about love, compassion, and understanding. For over three years, I’ve worked in Whitmore Reans, Wolverhampton sharing the love of Jesus with everyone, whether they wanted to hear it or not. My mission has always been simple: to love my neighbour.
As a woman of faith, it’s easy to get wrapped up in my own life, but my faith reminds me to look beyond myself and care for others.
The recent riots broke my heart. Seeing the fear and pain on the news was overwhelming. Then, on Thursday, I was sent home from Wolverhampton City Centre due to a suspected attack at the Britannia Hotel.
Suddenly, I was acutely aware of my skin colour and felt the same fear my father experienced when he faced racism in the 70s.
Suddenly, I was acutely aware of my skin colour and felt the same fear my father experienced when he faced racism in the 70s. It has been heart-breaking to see the progress we’ve made towards unity being overshadowed by hate and fear.
Amid this turmoil, I remembered a piece of artwork I created a few years ago for Love Black Country. It was called WE ARE ONE. This artwork was inspired by our diverse, multicultural church and the idea that, despite our differences, we are all united by love and our shared humanity.
The grayscale images in the artwork depicted continuity and similarity in faces, emphasising our unity. Looking at this piece now, I see a new perspective. It feels like God is asking us to be peacemakers and bring unity to the world. This message feels even more important now.
It’s important that we pray for those who are causing the riots, that they might have encounters with Jesus
As a Church, we often focus on unity within our own walls. But maybe our true calling is to be a source of light and love to those hurting around us. Our faith should drive us to support and pray for our communities, showing that we stand together with them. In Matthew 5:43-48, the Bible says, “But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven.”
It’s important that we pray for those who are causing the riots, that they might have encounters with Jesus—just as Saul, who persecuted the early Church, became a believer. Perhaps God is calling us to be more like Ananias, who was obedient and prayed for Saul, enabling him to see the Truth. Additionally, we must pray for the media, as there is a lot of misinformation and fear being instilled into people. We need wisdom and discernment to know how to manoeuvre through these times.
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Even though fear and anxiety are trying to divide us, we must come together and show love. It’s a personal and collective response to the chaos around us. We need to change the narrative from one of hate to one of love and solidarity.
I felt a deep urge to pray for my city and my Muslim neighbours, who are probably feeling the same fear. Every Tuesday, churches in Whitmore Reans gather to pray online, and now we are focusing our prayer on protecting and uniting our communities. It feels like our prayers and actions are more important than ever.
In these tough times, love and unity are our strongest tools. Our multicultural nation needs a Multicultural Church to pray, support, and show love in action, serving as the hope and compassion our nation needs right now.
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