RETURNING
The bittersweet reality of departure haunts each ending of
mission service experience. I have been
a winter Texan two years and I have told God it is OK with me if I have that
designation again next year.
Reality of chores waiting in Michigan is requiring focusing
and prioritizing. Praise God with me
that my Daughter-in-law, Gale, has offered to fly to Texas and is going to
drive/ride with me cross-country.
TIME
We all have the same amount, but how often it seems to stand
still or fly! Walking in 80+-degree
weather while in Texas, January thru March is one of the joys.
Some white pelicans show up in San Benito
every 3-5 years. This was the year and I
was blessed to see them!
God continues to teach me life lessons because of my “yes”
to ministry.
Circumstances are gifts for listening and growing in understanding God’s Providence and Prevenient
Grace in our lives.
GUN ISSUES:
We are having a national conversation about guns. It is a needed conversation.
At the same time, it is morally responsible to include in
the conversation the number of deaths occurring because of the guns of
war.
How many of the bullets bombs and drones that killed
people worldwide have USA stamped on them or were produced by our military
industrial complex?
Statistics of 2017, guns of war.
Start of conflict
|
Conflict
|
Continent
|
Location
|
Cumulative fatalities
|
Fatalities in 2017
|
1978
|
Asia
|
||||
2003
|
Asia
|
||||
2006
|
North America
|
Mexico
|
|||
2011
|
Asia
|
Jesus shows no partiality to country or persons,
we are all called to
nonviolent living,
“Love Your Enemies.”
Saying “Yes” to Serve at La Posada
Tuesday in Texas is the title of the newsletter produced by La
Posada where I served. The statistics
below show the realities as of Tuesday 3/20/18.
Present Client Census: 19 Clients representing 9 different
countries
6 Women: 3-El Salvador, 1-Mexico, 1-Congo, 1-Guatemala
5 Children: 2-El Salvador, 2-Congo, 1-Guatemala
8 Men: 1-Mexico, 1-Eritrea, 2-Cuba, 1-Nigeria 1-USA, 1-Cameroon, 1-Congo
6 Women: 3-El Salvador, 1-Mexico, 1-Congo, 1-Guatemala
5 Children: 2-El Salvador, 2-Congo, 1-Guatemala
8 Men: 1-Mexico, 1-Eritrea, 2-Cuba, 1-Nigeria 1-USA, 1-Cameroon, 1-Congo
These are names and numbers to anyone who reads this,
however, to me, now; they are people who received God’s Prevenient Grace at La
Posada. I have had the privilege of
seeing Christ in them.
It was my privilege as Sister Therese leads us in the
opening of each day of school. Each day
we say the pledge of allegiance and sing together, God Bless America.
As part of the cultural orientation in January, Sister
Therese taught about Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. I loved hearing these suffering asylum
seekers singing, “We Shall Overcome.”
It was my joy to see the progress as everyone worked hard to
learn English. For some it was their
third or fourth language. With the young
students each week, we were worked on learning the alphabet. I discovered that for one eight year-old English
is the third language going into his head.
Serving at La Posada was my joy, joy, joy down
in my heart. We also sang This Little Light of Mine. It is fun watching everyone do the motions
and enjoy singing together.
It is a worshipful soul re-commitment for me as I heard the
multi-national singers' voices singing of God’s light. “Jesus gave it to me, I’m going to let shine.
The
residents are here because of bombs, bullets and violence. Jesus is the answer.
May rivers of justice flow from each of our choices in our 24/7’s!
UNITED METHODIST CHURCH FAMILY
Finding Family at First United Methodist Church of San Benito was a joy.
The United Methodist Women's Unit visited La Posada.
The discussions in the Sunday school class were opportunities to ponder perspectives.
The first Sunday I attended, I was invited to sit in the "Michigan Row." I also was invited to join them for lunch after church.
I also attended some events where most live, at Sun and Fun!
My Added Journey
I have added another “Yes” to God and am studying to
becoming a Certified Lay Minister, CLM, with the United Methodist Church. I still have CLM course work and other requirements to
complete. An area of my training,
interactions with an established congregation, will be accomplished in the
family of God that is the Grawn United Methodist Church. As
I learn and serve in the capacity of a Certified Lay Minister, CLM, I look
forward to growing in community with all at Grawn United Methodist Church. Part of my service will be as the Peace with Justice Coordinator
for District 2 of the Michigan Conference of the United Methodist Church.
Pray and Act for Peace with Justice
[i]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_ongoing_armed_conflicts#10,000_or_more_deaths_in_current_or_past_year
