Listen to their eyes

Last night I shared my photos (DVD style with African music in the background, thanks to Michael, my son) with my friends who are teaching in the area. When it was over, someone asked "What can we do?"
That is the question for all of us to ask: What can we do?
Crossroads UMC is planning another trip in the near future. We will be drilling wells and researching ways to supply clean water to the communities. You can support that endeavor prayerfully or financially; however you might be led. There is much to be done, to be sure.
Be wary of the tendency to feel overwhelmed (I am coming from experience here). Do not feel guilty that you were born into such abundance~simply share the abundance. Feeling guilty does not help. It will immobilize you. We are called as Christ followers to act, to "do" something when we recognize social injustice and poverty. If you want to do something to make a difference in Mozambique, let me know. I'll get you connected with someone who can direct your desire act on your feelings.
In contrast to this photo, I also want to share this one:
There is a lot in their eyes, too. I see laughter and joy living in the midst of despair. It is difficult for us to comprehend, but let it sink into your heart. Don't be afraid to respond to what you feel. That is the only way you will ever begin to make a real difference in this world.
Look around you in your own community. Look down the street where you live. Let what you see tug at your heart and respond. That is what you can do. Thanks for listening!

Transitions

This lovely little flower seemed so familiar~The sun was blazing through the Southern Hemisphere where everything is different; yet here was this reminder that we are not as far from home as we might think. The corn plants, the pigs, the raised beds of the Methodist farm property where the well-drilling machinery resides were all part of our transition toward home. There was still a long way to go on our journey: through Maputo, through the border into South Africa, through Kruger Park, through Johannesburg, through the air, through Charles de Gaulle airport during the height of a security alert, through regular customs, through agricultural customs ~ through it all we were rising like divers from the deep, trying not to rise too fast, trying not to forget what we saw and felt, trying to breathe in all we were experiencing, trying to reconcile the contrast between one border and the other. Suddenly, we were bouncing into Pittsburgh, rushing into familiar time zones, blinking, crying, laughing ~ happy to be home~longing to hold on to something so fleeting, so beyond our grasp.
Experience changes us~profound experiences change us profoundly.

Transitions

Some things seem to be the same all over the world. As we l

Transitions

Some things seem to be the same all over the world.

Dawn in Kruger/as close as I got to photographing the night sky.

Night Skies

One of the things I miss the most from my time in Mozambique is the night sky. It was beyond amazing~it seemed like the Southern Cross was over my head every time I lifted my eyes to gaze at this incredible view of the Universe. One night, while the cooking team was cooking wood sausages over an open fire pit at Bethel Center, we gathered to stare into the flames and wait for dinner. One of the guys from South Africa began naming the constellations and introducing us to this new night sky. He used a flashlight~a flashlight! It was as if he had a pointer and could trace each constellation with this simple beam of light.
Imagine~something as ordinary as a flashlight, in the right hands, could make such a difference. I hope and pray that God uses me in that way.
I miss the night sky like I miss the wind.