This Remembrance Day, I am remembering my great grandfather Vincent Lawrence, who served with Gandhi in the Indian Volunteer Ambulance Corps during the Boer War (1899-1902). You can see them both in the middle row, with Gandhi to the right of the Rev. Dr. Booth and Lawrence the second to the left (the Rev. Dr. Booth is sitting in the centre). It took courage and conviction to enter the battlefield without a weapon, to usher the wounded to safety. At the time Gandhi felt that Indians needed to do their part for the empire, because they were citizens. His views changed over time, and he lost his faith in the empire and instead led India to independence using non-violent means. Although war seems to be more popular than ever these days, let us also notice that there are many people patiently using non-violent means to bring about real change, for example, the peaceful student protests in Hong Kong, and the work of First Nations activists here in Canada.
Mum and I visit South Africa in 2007 and 2012 to learn about the life and times of my great grandfather, Vincent Lawrence (1872-1965). Lawrence worked with Gandhi when the Mahatma was in South Africa, got involved in the struggle against apartheid, and helped found St. Anthony's Church in Durban.