Rev. Ebenezer Joseph receives 2022 Peace Award Presentation

‘Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God.’

The Assembly Hall of Wesley College, Colombo, was filled to capacity on Saturday, February 18th, as friends, colleagues and representatives of churches and faith communities gathered to honour the Rev. Ebenezer Joseph, recipient of the World Methodist Peace Award 2022.

The event was suffused with music from the bands and choirs of Wesley College and Methodist College – the presence of so many young people from these Methodist schools was a token of hope and promise in a land where signs of peace and reconciliation are emerging after years of war and civil unrest compounded by political corruption and economic difficulty.

During a ceremony framed by worship, tributes were paid to ‘Ebey’ for his courage, creativity and consistency in addressing issues of peace and justice from his youth. Speakers included Rohan Perera who had been a student at Wesley College with Ebey, and Bala Gnanapragasam, former Vice President of the British Methodist Conference. Affirmed by words from the Rev. Dr. JC Park, President of the World Methodist Council, and with the Award medallion placed round his neck by WMC General Secretary, Bishop Ivan Abrahams, Ebey spoke in moving terms of his parents who had passed on to him the values by which he lives and he paid tribute to his wife, Patmini, and to their children, Meshach and Hadsha.

Quoting St. Paul, he declared that God had chosen the foolish and weak to confound the powerful. Peace making is not an option, but is something which is at the core of Methodism, enabling us to walk hand-inhand with those from whom we differ.

Ebey wanted to thank many people, but would only single out a few: the Rev. Duleep Fernando, former President of the Church; his van-drivers who had always transported him safely from one place to another; the national security personnel, doing a difficult job in challenging circumstances.

He observed that 2023 is a year of commemoration for the people of Sri Lanka, being the 40th anniversary of the riots which had taken the lives of many; the 200th anniversary of the plantation community which had been the backbone of the economy, the 150th anniversary of a significant Methodist/Buddhist debate on faith. He noted that next year would see the 150 th anniversary of Wesley College, the school which had taught him to recognize and respect every human being.

Ebey recalled times when he had been in significant danger, saying that, on three such occasions, his life had been saved by those of other faiths: a Sinhala Buddhist, a Hindu priest and a Muslim beggar.

Reflecting that Sri Lanka has been the longest colonized nation in Asia, in turn by the Dutch, the Portuguese and the British, he asked ‘Who am I?’ – a person of a minority within several minorities, a Methodist Tamil of Indian descent. But, through peace, justice and reconciliation, Sri Lankans will find ‘an authentic identity which binds us together.’

Those present left inspired by ta modest, self-effacing servant of God, one whose courageous, consistent and creative ministry is richly deserving of celebration.

Officers of the WMC processed in with the recipient to an overflowing assembly on Wesley College Campus