Smiling Away

Last night I went with Dona Gloria to a fund-raiser for a local charity… and got my first taste of the Dominican timeline for events!  The dinner was only 300 pesos (around US$8) for a delicious dinner to support poor children. 

The invitation said dinner would be at 8.  A little late for me, sure, but what a great opportunity to experience culture!

7:30 p.m.:  We leave.  I'm driving, and hope knowing Derecha (Right) and Izquierda (Left) will be enough!  Dona Gloria is wearing a polo shirt with the name of the group (Oratorio Centro Juvenil Don Bosco).  I didn’t know she served on the committee who was putting on this event.  Cool!

The charity is affiliated with the Roman Catholic church, and does work in the community with poor and disadvantaged kids, to help give them an education, skills, medical attention, and more. 

A girl I don’t know comes along with us.  She is as cute as could be, but… despite her repeating it 3 times, I can't catch her name.  I know it starts with an “M” and is very pretty, as are all the names here.  But what it is, I just don't know.   

7:45:  We arrive.  Only a handful of others are there.  A table is set up with coffee.  Dominican coffee is served in the tiny demitasses, very, very strong, black, with lots & lots of sugar.  Hmm, we’re about to eat dinner, so why coffee now? 

Dona Gloria bustles off, and M and I sit down and look at the drink menu.  Prices from 15 pesos (approx 40 cents) for a bottle of water, up to $44 for a bottle of Jack Walker whiskey.  On the menu is also Lays Chips (65 cents).  Again, odd to see potato chips when we’re about to eat dinner! 

"M" is very sweet and patient with my attempts to chat. I find out she is 14, was born in Santiago and lived in Jarabacoa all her life, has one sister, her favorite subject in school is Spanish, her least favorite French. We keep each other company as Dona Gloria spends most of the evening running around working.

8:15: The band members start showing up.  A young guy sets up a laptop and projector. 

8:45:  The room is still less than half full.  A pickup truck drives up and several guys jump off the back and start unloading big trays full of rice.  It smells wonderful!  Oh, good, we’re getting close! 

9:15:  The waitresses bring each table a small plate of peanuts and raisins.  By this time I’ve finished more than half of my bottle of water, and M and I set off for the restroom. 

Coming back, I notice another truck has pulled up.  This one with more big containers, looking (and smelling!) like they might have meat in them.  Oh, yeah, soon now! 

9:30:  Welcome and Opening Remarks.  We watch a short video of a young man in his early 20’s who had been very involved with the project, but died in the past year.  The family is called up and thanked.  Some more remarks, and a priest prays for the dinner.  And then…

This gal actually waitressed in these!

9:45:  Dancing.  The band plays, and couples of all ages, shapes & sizes, get onto the dance floor.  Two things I notice right away.  One, women here love, love, love high heels.  And two, everyone here seems to have rhythm, lots and lots of rhythm. 

Serious gold shoes!

I have to admit to being very jealous of the couples spinning around.  Even the girls in their five and six inch heels (some may even be higher!) are swinging their hips like nobody’s business.  Dona Gloria gets out there, and wow, can she move!

10:10: The pre-dinner dancing stops.  A second prayer, and everyone gets in line.  M and I are pretty far back, and stand in the same spot for a long, long time.  People ahead of us chat with folks, and then let them cut in line.  Not only one or two, sometimes whole families. 

My friend Sissy says that when things here frustrate her, she smiles.  Standing in line I am smiling away, that’s for sure!!

10:35: We sit down with plates heaped full of moro (rice and black beans), bbq pork, tender chicken, plantains, yucca and macaroni salad (with pieces of pepper, ham, and American cheese).  It is all so delicious! 

11:15:  An auction for a really big battery (I think).  I make sure not to move my hands at all in case I accidentally bid on it!  Next a raffle for prizes for each table.  We pull numbers out of a plastic bag.  At other tables people win stuff.  I don’t understand why, but no one at ours seems to win.   

11:30: Post-dinner dancing begins.  M is getting tired, as am I.  Dona Gloria, not so much!  She dances and dances, stopping only to use one of my travel tissues to wipe off her glowing face and then gets back onto the floor. 

Dona Gloria's partner kept spinning her around
so I didn't get her facing me, but wow, can she dance!

She tells me later that she and her husband loved to dance.  (He died two years ago.)  She also tells me that she can teach me to meringue.  We just may have to see if that’s possible! 

12:10:  Dona Gloria notices we’re looking tired and asks me if I want to go to sleep.  Yes, I say, But if you need to stay, that’s okay.  She points to her shirt.  She is part of the committee, she needs to stay.  I smile some more.

12:25:  Dona Gloria announces we are leaving. We get ready, but don't leave.  She wants to dance one more dance.

12:45: Dona Gloria tells us now we're going.  Her sister-in-law comes, too, and between the two of them, they give me directions to get her to her house.

1:00:  We get back home.  My normal bedtime is around 10, so this was a late, late night!!

5:30am, Sunday morning:  My alarm sounds.  I turn it off and sleep another hour.

For me, the evening was good, but also a strain.  Very honestly, I was frustrated with how frustrated I became.  A night of fun, and there I sat, repeatedly glancing at my watch! 

It made me think of what Dominicans must think of typical American events, which generally start when they say and keep to a tight schedule. 

I wonder if it’s as jarring to them to arrive at 8:45 to find dinner already served!  What, no time to visit and settle in?  Or that folks get annoyed if they let folks in line – after all, everyone eventually eats, and standing in line is more time to socialize!  Or that there’s no pre-dinner dance to help work up an appetite! 

Next time, (and I truly do want there to be a next time!) I hope I spend less time looking at my watch, and more time genuinely smiling.  I’ll make sure to eat some crackers & peanut butter before leaving home!  I’ll also get one of those coffees! 

When's Dinner?

Since my last post was pretty intense, I thought I’d write something a bit ‘lighter’ today.  For your enjoyment, I present, Cooking Vegetables, a Study in Contrasts.

In Harrisonburg

1.        Drive to Martin’s (or Kroger or Walmart)

2.       Go to the Frozen Vegetables section

3.       Decide which of the multiple brands, varieties and combos of microwaveable veggies you want

4.       Pay using Self-serve line, Express lane, Regular checkout, using ATM, check or cash

5.       Drive home

6.       Put pack of veggies in microwave for 4-5 minutes

7.       Take out, pour on plate, Enjoy

 

In Jarabacoa

1.       Walk 15 minutes to downtown Vegetable Market as car is in the shop… again

2.       Tell one of the helpful vendors what vegetable you want

3.       If it’s available he or she will bring you some

4.       If there’s no zucchini today, pick something else

5.       Pay with cash – only with cash

6.       Walk back home, kicking yourself for buying a watermelon at the Fruit Market

7.       Fill sink with tap water.  Add approximately 10 drops of iodine.

8.       Let vegetables (and watermelon or other fruit) soak for 10 minutes

9.       Take out of sink, allow to air dry

10.   Cut up vegetables

11.   Light gas stove using matches

12.   Boil water, put in veggies

13.   Turn burner down to simmer

14.   Relight burner when you turn too far

15.   Repeat Step 14 as necessary

16.   Cook 5-7 minutes, or until tender

17.   Enjoy fresh, tasty, preservative-free produce, preferably with some rice, habichuelas (red beans) & mango

The Middle

Today our Wednesday morning Teens came to the site with the news that Nancy, a young woman we’ve been praying for, died in the night.  She did not live in El Callejon, but another community close to us called Los Catorces.  She was 26, and had a nine year old.  She had an infected abscess in her mouth, and somehow that developed into something far worse, and last night she died. 

There were whispers and talk in both communities about the fact that Nancy’s mother had been involved in witchcraft.  She died of cancer last year, and after she did, a dog in the house did, too.  Then Nancy got this infection this year.  Some believe that it’s all because of the mother’s spirit. 

While Nancy was sick, people gave her folk remedies, and supposedly a ‘bruja’ or witch came and spoke incantations.  Daisy went to pray for Nancy’s mother last year and said she felt something strange.  She didn’t know for sure if it was an evil spirit, but something caused this dying woman to sit up straight in bed as Daisy prayed.  

There is often a presence of despair and oppression in El Callejon, Los Catorces, and the surrounding community.  People I know and trust who have worked with SI believe it is the work of Satan. 

Spiritual warfare is real. I come from the United States where we’ve attempted to explain away anything supernatural.  We have nice, neat answers for anything that seems to fall outside of our rational view of the world. 

I remember learning in Perspectives that most of the world understands there is a spiritual component to our lives.  There is Heaven, where God dwells, there is the physical world, where humans live, but in between there is also a spiritual world. 

Westerners, including most ‘mainline’ Christians, choose to ignore this ‘middle’ place.  But ignoring something doesn’t make it any less true.

The Bible is full of stories that point to this reality.  We find ways around this, too, of course.  I recall hearing a speaker at a conference talking about Jesus healing the man possessed by Legion (Mark 5).  This well-intended speaker said that really this man had multiple-personality disorder.  Hmm… perhaps.  But, perhaps it was just what Mark wrote! 

This past weekend as I was pondering and praying about topics for Bible studies for next year, the idea of Spiritual Warfare came to mind.  And, I immediately began dismissing it – I don’t know much about it, it’s a potentially confusing topic, Daisy might think I’m crazy… After this morning, however, I realize this is a darkness which needs the light of Jesus. 

I have to admit, I feel anxious just thinking about starting to research this.  I’m in a somewhat vulnerable place right now.  Satan continues to niggle at me.  (I paid for my car repairs today, and within five hours, the Check Engine Soon light was back on! Argh!!) 

Today during lunch at the site, I read parts of Romans 8.  Do I believe these words?  Do I believe that nothing will separate me from the love of God in Christ Jesus?  If God is for us, who (or what!) can be against us?  I am convinced of these truths?

Jesus came to break the bondage Satan desires for us.  The Holy Spirit lives in all true believers.  He is more powerful than any legion of demons.  I feel He is leading me to explore this topic.  We are wrapping up our year, so I won’t be looking to teach this until sometime in 2012. 

In the meantime, there is much preparing to do.  Reading the Bible, reading other writings by trustworthy Christ-followers, talking with others who know these communities, who have perhaps confront demons in the past... 

Spiritual warfare is a battle, and so I need to spend time in training.  Becoming strengthened and fortified in the Holy Spirit.  Saturating myself with the truths of the Bible.  Pushing down even deeper roots in Christ. 

Yeah, I’m anxious, but I am also clinging to the promise that the One who is in us is greater than anything in the world.  I welcome your prayers for me in the 'middle'. 

Orange Peel Update



Hi, everyone! My orange peel pieces dried out over the weekend, and today I brought home some beads from our site (we've got literally tens of thousands of them!) and got to work. As promised, here is my first attempt. 

I need to figure out a better tying method. Right after I took these pictures one side started to fall apart. I'm thinking maybe a three string braid, or even trying to go way back and macramé!

But, I must admit, it was fun! I'm even ready to do a bit more experimenting. 

So... what do you think? Would people possibly be interested in something like this?

Yeah, headless Kim is a bit creepy!

P.S.  For more on today's adventures at the Site, please check out MeetingJesusinElCallejon.blogspot.com.

A Whole New World

(with apologies to all of you who are now going to be singing the Disney song all day long - just like I've been!)

Yesterday, and again this morning, I spent time online exploring a whole new world.  The world of Crafts.  Did you know there are hundreds, probably thousands of websites dedicated to this stuff?  Who knew?! 

One of my favorite places to shop back home is Ten Thousand Villages.  If you don’t know about it, here’s their website:  http://www.tenthousandvillages.com/

I love the fact that they help restore dignity and give hope to communities around the world by selling fair trade items crafted by people who might not otherwise have the opportunity to earn a living.  I also love the fact that much of what is sold has been made from recycled or re-used items.  A picture frame made from an old bike chain, a purse of recycled sari material, coasters from used newspapers.

That got me thinking of what we could do here in El Callejon.   I’m trying to find ideas which will use things that people here toss out.  So, onto the web I went.  Recycled crafts seem to be popular, and I found lots of cool projects.  Some of them are quite sophisticated! 

Daisy has been helping the women makes things which they can use to beautify their homes, and also sell at the SI Base.  My dream is that we can continue to find ways to expand that, find ways to help the women, and also continue to share their stories. 

If we can use materials which the women can easily find, there will be very little cost, too.  As much as we love having folks from back home send us crafting supplies (and boy, do we ever!!) we also want the women to see that there are things here, too, they can use.

Do not adjust your settings - it's supposed to be green!

Allowing the women to work at something will help them materially, of course.  But, I believe it helps them emotionally, and even spiritually.  Feeling pride in work well done, learning new skills, being able to earn money for their families, all of this fits in with our vision of restoring dignity to the women of El Callejon. 

Beyond that, I believe it may also help the women to see that even things we consider ugly and disposable can be turned into objects of beauty with care and time and attention.  For those who have been told they have little value, seeing garbage recycled, reclaimed, is a tangible way to reinforce how God renews us through Jesus.  That’s a lesson which goes far beyond making a change-purse out of used chip bags!

See... orange!
Quartered and peeled

Of course, the biggest thing right now is finding doable crafts made of the stuff tossed out in El Callejon.  Oh, and by doable I mean things that Daisy can figure out!  As I've mentioned before, she is amazing, and does an awesome job at teaching the women.  I'm hoping she can teach me how to knit and sew, too!

In the meantime, may I present my first foray into recycled crafting:  Orange Peel jewelry.

I got the idea after some of the girls brought Daisy mandarin oranges the other day (also green!).  There are lots of citrus trees in El Callejon.  Last year I found adorable ornaments and figures made of orange peel at... yep, Ten Thousand Villages! 

Shapes drawn into the pith.  Other tools:  a pair of scissors,
a hole punch, a needle & thread.

Hmmm... what other treasures could this garbage make?  A web search brought up a site with a bracelet made of orange peel.  I was in business!

I cut and quartered the orange, and after removing the yummy insides, I drew some shapes on the pith and started cutting.  The website I found used simple shapes for a simple bracelet.  I thought I'd try a couple of twists.  I love crosses, so that was an obvious choice!  I also rolled some strips for a kind of bead, and then did some other shapes. 

Orange peel pieces ready to be dried.

I’m going to let the peels dry for a day or two, and then see how they look.  I hope to string them, possibly using some of the beads we already have at the site.  I promise I’ll post pictures.  Please go easy on me!  Remember, this truly is a whole new world for me!!

P.S.  If any of you have crafts using things like plastic bags, plastic water bottles, chip bags, bottle caps, or even more orange peel ideas, please send me an email! 

Awesome - I'm Being Attacked!!

“Satan is doing everything he can to discourage you.”  These wise words did not come from a book on missions, a veteran missionary, or even an adult!  One of the MKs here (Missionary Kids) said this to me yesterday as we were talking about my less-than-great week.  On Monday my car broke down, my telephone ran out of minutes, and my home Internet continued to not work. 

Discussing car repairs in English is like a foreign language to me.  In an actual foreign language…. horrible!  Trying to get more minutes, trying to get answers about my internet… equally horrid. 

Added to my frustration was a feeling of homesickness and the beginnings of culture shock.  It seems as if everything I know is suddenly useless.  Worse, it’s wrong. 

We learned about this at MTI, too.  Again, discussing in the abstract being treated like a hapless child is very different from having Dona Gloria fuss me out about the water bill and then talk to her family about the Americana and Muchacha, as if I’m a misbehaving five year old. 

I’m sure from her perspective it’s equally frustrating – how can a grown woman not know how to take a shower properly?

All of that ‘home stuff’ is exhausting.  Then, I get to El Callejon, and everyone I meet is disappointed that I’m not Daisy.  Because I’m still learning Dominican Spanish, I can’t blame them for not wanting to talk with me.  Daisy has been at the site for more than six years, so of course they want her help. 

I’ve been helping lead the Bible portion of our activities, and really enjoy that, but once they all start responding, I still get lost.  They look to her to sort out what the Americana is trying to say.  My confidence slips further and further away as I watch Daisy easily interact with them.

So, saying I’m discouraged is a bit of an understatement!  Anna’s words ring true.  Satan truly does seem to be doing everything he can to discourage me.  He’s got lots of experience, and he knows my weaknesses.  And, boy, does he fight dirty, pouncing when I’m already way, way down. 

But, God knows my weaknesses, too.  In this time of transition and turbulence, He is inviting me to abide in His strength.  He is inviting me to take my discouragement and use even it for His glory.  I feel displaced and stupid.  How often does the world treat women in places like El Callejon in this way?  How often do others talk about ‘them’ as if they are somehow lesser? 

This morning during my quiet time, I sat for the longest time, my prayer journal opened, but my pen not moving.  I tried to be thankful for my many (many!) blessings, but all I kept thinking was I’m discouraged and I hate it.  Just admitting that was freeing! 

In that confession, Jesus met me.  Met me and reminded me that He called me here, not because of my strength and skills, but because somehow, through my weakness, I am going to be able to share His love with El Callejon.

Jesus also brought back to mind Anna’s words, but this time, they gave me hope.  Satan is trying to discourage me.  There must be a reason why he’s putting effort into messing with me. 

Could it be… could it possibly be, that even in this sad and pitiful state in which I find myself, I am a threat?  Not in my strength – never in my strength! but in the strength of the One who is with me, the One who is living in me?

Satan is doing his best to discourage me.  Ha!   Today I am choosing to be encouraged by those attacks.  If God wasn’t with me, Satan would have no reason to be bugging me.  Instead, his tactics just prove that the Holy Spirit is at work. 

And so, even though this has been a rough week, even though I'm still not sure about lots (and lots!) of stuff here in the D.R., I will choose to put my faith and hope in the One who has defeated Satan.  In the One who has called me to live out the Lord’s Prayer, being a part of God’s Kingdom coming, of His will being done, on earth as it is in Heaven. 

Satan is trying to discourage and attack me.  It’s the pits, but it’s also awesome!

"Oh, these are the people"...er...

Hopefully some of you are old enough to remember the Sesame Street segment singing about different people and their jobs.  The muppets taught us all about different jobs – Nurses, Conductors, Teachers, Police… 
 

Everyone joined in together for the chorus:  "These are the people in your neighborhood, in your neighborhood, in your neighborhood.  Oh, these are the people in your neighborhood, they're the people that you meet each day!"

Lisa surveys the scene.

Today I thought I’d share some of the people… er… creatures! in my neighborhood.

First up, Lisa, our trusty doggie-guard.  She's got a mean bark, but is super sweet.  (That's my door on the second floor - with the bars.)

Pay no attention to the gecko behind the curtain!

Above my backdoor.  And yes, I have
tried to get him to leave through it!

Here are two pictures of my new room-mate.  I've been told they do a great job of eating bugs.  I'm trying to pretend he stays up on the wall... even though his droppings seem to indicate he's getting around under stuff. 

So far none near my bed, so here's hoping he'll stay clear!



Across the street is a field. There used to be goats, now there are horses. Hopefully you can see this horse's friend, the white bird underneath sharing some yummy grass. I see them hanging out together all the time. 

Friends of a feather... er... mane... stick together! 

I guess she thought the grass was greener...

Pictured above is who met me when I was trying to leave the other day. This is my road, just up from my house.

Don't let them I know I used work for Perdue, please!

Speaking of birds... here are some chickens (black) and a rooster (with a red-feathered head) hiding out in the brush of another yard.  Pretty much each house has one dog (at least), and several chickens and roosters.

So, there you have it.  Just a few of the creatures that I meet when I'm walking (or driving or running!) down the street!!  They're (some of!) the creatures that I meet each day!  

Lifting Up My Eyes

I’m just back from a lovely run, and since I have 20 minutes before the water for my shower is warm, I thought I’d write a bit.

On Saturday I plotted out a simple straight course (only two turns!) of around 3 miles.  Today I woke up singing Matthew West’s song “My Own Little World.”  The last time I ran to that CD (Story of Your Life) was in Harrisonburg. 

The song asks, What if there’s a bigger picture?  What if I’m missing out?  What if there’s a greater purpose I could be living right now?  Back then, I ran looking up at the beauty of the Blue Ridge mountains, past lovely, well-manicured homes, and tried to imagine my life in Jarabacoa…

So today, I ran here, listening to that same CD.  Here, running is a bit of a challenge.  My neighborhood is dirt roads, full of rocks and gouges.  Once onto the main road, there’s a sidewalk, which is good.  The rule of the road here is, bigger always has the right of way.  Dodging trucks, cars, motorcycles all spewing exhaust makes road-running a tad hazardous! 

But, the sidewalk is full of its own obstacles – today I passed 20 manholes (19/20 of them without the covers.  I saw a Mythbusters episode once where they used a manhole cover as a makeshift tire.  Hmmm) 

I passed chickens and roosters, motos parked on the sidewalk, lots of people, a little boy (minus his pants), a dead mouse, a live mouse, dogs, garbage, and plenty of droppings – from all the stray dogs, but horses, too.  I guess the horses, too, don’t fare well on the busy roads!

As I ran, I tried to look up as much as I could.  Jarabacoa is called The Land of Eternal Spring.  The weather is typically mild and spring-like all year round.  The area surrounding Jarabacoa is simply gorgeous, filled with lush, tree-filled mountains.  It’s a vacation area for Dominicans, a place to get away from the heat and congestion of the bigger cities.    

Today the sky a little away from the city was bright blue with just a few clouds.  The mountains were stunning with their various shades of green.  I love mountains.  They fill my soul with joy and awe at God’s creativity and majesty. 

I wanted to look up, but beneath my feet, in my pathway, were all those obstacles.  Without (frequent!) glimpses down, I ran (tee hee) the risk of putting a foot into a manhole or one of those doggie ‘gifts’!

It made me think about my work here.  I want to look up, look up and out to my Source of strength.  But, beneath my feet are so many pitfalls!  How do I minister to those living in the mess, while keeping my focus on God?  Is there a way? 

In order to enjoy the beauty of the mountains, I’m going to have to slow down and walk.  I can run for a while, stretching my muscles and exercising my heart.  That’s a good thing.  But, if I never slow down, I’m going to miss out. 

I was called here to join in God’s work in El Callejon.  I believe I need to work, and work hard.  The Kingdom of God is worth all my energy and focus.  But… if I never slow down, if I never take time to lift my eyes up from the muck… will I miss the whole reason I’m here?

 ¹ I lift up my eyes to the mountains—
where does my help come from?
² My help comes from the LORD,
the Maker of heaven and earth.

³ He will not let your foot slip—
he who watches over you will not slumber;
⁴ indeed, he who watches over Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep.           (Psalm 121:1-4)

I pray that whatever obstacles are in your path today, you, too, take time to look up.  Look up to the One who can help us negotiate the storms and challenges of our lives.  The One whose Son came to run this course with us. 

Trust in Him to keep your feet from slipping.  Trust in Him to keep guard, to not sleep.  Trust in Him to be our Help.

And now… time to see if my shower is ready!  

Tu Sabes

May 13: My final day as a Church Administrator.  It wasn’t just my ‘last day worked’, it was also the last time I felt competent.  The last time I understood what needed to be done, the last time I knew how to do it.  The last time I had answers when people came to me with questions.  
In case you’re counting, that makes five months of feeling utterly lost and completely confused.  And, in case you’re wondering, it’s not a feeling I cherish!

There’s a phrase people use here in the D.R., Tu sabes.  It means You know.  It’s a way to kind of soften things when you’re chiding someone, or pointing out something they need to correct. 

For example, Dona Gloria explained to me, in rapid-fire Spanish, that the hot water in my apartment has a switch I need to turn on.  It’s in the living room.  But, only for 20 minutes before I shower, and after I’m done, I need to turn it off because it’s very expensive.  Tu sabes.

When my car alarm randomly went off (that alarm is a blog post unto itself!), Dona Gloria’s domestica, Maria, told me I need to get someone to fix it.  Maybe this week while you’re at work, she said.  Tu sabes. 

In El Callejon I hear it, too.  About situations, people, problems, needs… More things I don’t have a clue about, but Tu sabes. 

I feel like yelling, No, I don’t sabes.  The fact of the matter is, I don’t sabes anything these days.  (well, yes, I do at least know that I’d actually have to say Yo no se, not Yo no sabes!)

We learned about this at MTI (missionary training).  Sitting in a comfortable classroom in beautiful Colorado, discussing (in English!) feeling confused and incompetent is a far cry from having people repeat their simplest sentences two or three time. 

It’s a far cry from the broken record I am right now.  Every question this week’s team asked me received pretty much one response – I’m sorry, but I don’t know.  (And, quite honestly, I’m sure I wasn’t very gracious about it.)

I’ve been having a grand ol’ time feeling sorry for myself.  I’m serving You, Jesus, and all I feel is useless.  I can’t even go to the store without fretting about finding a place to park and trying to understand how much I need to pay.  It’s just not fair!

And then, just when I was ready to go full-out pity-party, the Holy Spirit gently reminded me (once again!) of Jesus’ sacrifice for our sakes.  Not just the cross, but the very fact that He became one of us.  The Creator and Sustainer of all things, chose to be limited in a frail, human body. 

Did Jesus ever tire of the fact that He couldn’t be in more than one place at a time?  Did He ever feel frustrated that He needed to stop ministering in order to sleep and eat?  Yes, He was God, but He was also human, which meant sore feet, a hungry stomach and heavy eyes.

Jesus was tired, and stopped to rest by a well.  In that resting, He ministered to a woman used by men and rejected by her own people.  If Jesus hadn’t been tired, He wouldn’t have needed to stop.  Instead of bemoaning His human body, He seized the opportunity to share Living Water with the Samaritan woman.

Oh, Jesus!  You gave up far, far more than I can comprehend in order to bring Your Father glory here on earth.  Please forgive my petulant attitude.  Please help me to serve You right now.  Not only ‘someday’ when I feel competent, but today, with these annoyances and frustrations. 

Thank you that You do know – Tu sabes.  Tu sabes todas las cosas.  You know all things.  Tu me sabes.  You know me.  Tu me sabes y tu me amas.  You know me and You love me.

Please help me to live out of that place of being known, that place of being loved. May I turn to You alone for all my hope, all my confidence.  May I never forget that only in You can I do anything, and that in You, all things are truly possible.

Celebrating

This evening, up in Calgary, there will be a memorial service to celebrate the life of Connor.  Connor's color was orange, and so Geraldine has asked that those attending wear something orange.  Their church is not all that big, so I'm not sure how they'll fit all of those I know will attend.  How I wish I could be there, in that sea of orange, celebrating the impact one little boy had on so many lives. 

Geraldine often said that God did not allow Connor to be their son because Connor needed them, but because they needed Connor.  Needed him to help them see what was important. 

Finding joy in the small things?  Important.  Taking opportunities to show love?  Important.  Living each day fully because they weren't sure of tomorrow?  Important.  Finding strength in God to face another day?  Very important. 

Spilled stuff on the floor, not getting everything on the to-do list done?  Not so important.

I look at how I live my life - just this week! - and see that I often spend my time fretting about unimportant things.  Is sticking to my schedule really as important as stopping to hug one of the kids of El Callejon?  Is my to-do list really as essential as I make it?  Am I missing the truly important things because of my need to forge on ahead in my own strength?

Today Geraldine's family and friends will also be celebrating the hope of the resurrection.  Celebrating the fact that though Connor's body and mind here were broken, he is now whole and living in perfect peace and freedom. 

We claim that promise for him, for us.  That our time of pain and confusion will one day be transformed into complete joy.  Don't get me wrong - there are times of happiness here, too, but always tinged by a longing for something more.  Something, SomeONE more. 

Today I will wear orange down here in the DR.  I will celebrate in this place.  I will try to take my grief, my longing for something more, and use it to show Jesus to the people of El Callejon.  Try to help them see that there is hope, because there is Someone who loves them and desires to live in them and through them.

I hope that you, too, will celebrate.  Even if you did not know Connor, that you will celebrate the hope we have in Christ.  That one day all our tears will be wiped away.  That we, too, will live in perfect peace and joy.  I hope that you, too, will seek to live the important stuff - loving Jesus and loving others.  That will be a true celebration!