About five and a half years ago, I selected a 10-year-old African girl from World Vision's list of "Hope Children" - children whose communities had been devastated by AIDS. Over the past five years, we have exchanged cards and letters, and I have received annual pictures that allowed me to watch her grow from a child into a young woman. World Vision allows sponsors to send additional donations earmarked, for example, as a Christmas gift to a sponsored child. Last Christmas she used her money to purchase not only some school clothes and household goods but to invest in some livestock to support her family. I was proud of her wisdom and the entrepreneurial spirit she was developing.
I guess I always sort of assumed I would be supporting her until she aged out of the system, and I hoped that as an adult, she might still wish to be in contact with me as friends. However, I recently received notice from World Vision that her family has moved outside of the service area and she is thus no longer in the sponsorship program. With all my heart, I hope this move means more opportunities and resources for her and her family, but at the same time I am deeply saddened at the loss of our relationship. In fact, I has been far harder on me than I had anticipated, probably because of the suddenness and the finality. I will probably never know where she went, how she is doing, or what happens to her in the future. All I can do is continue praying for her well-being and be grateful for the short time that I was blessed to know her.
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
God Is Love
Many years ago, I took a road trip that involved a few days touring Arizona - visiting the petrified forest, wandering through Flagstaff, hiking the Grand Canyon, and basking in the glory of the desert. I was so impressed with my time there that I chose my graduate school primarily because of its location in northern Arizona.
During my short residence there, I fell further in love with the physical beauty and geographical diversity of the state, as well as the climate, but also with the people, particularly those in northern Arizona. There was a friendly, Libertarian spirit there; a sense of freedom with a little hint of the "wild West." Everyone was earthy, open, accepting. (Sure, you'll meet some nasty people wherever you go, but I found them to be few and far between.) This is one of very few places I have ever felt I fit in, perhaps because all of us there were peculiar in some way but were happy to embrace the differences.
What's more, I had some spectacular spiritual experiences there. I like to say that although I have been a Christian for most of my life, I met God in Arizona; and though I believe God is everywhere, I also like to say that God lives in northern Arizona.
It's been years since I left Arizona, and I believe I'm where I am supposed to be, but I still feel a connection and a draw "home." I still feel a kinship with the people there. So when I heard of the shooting in Tucson over the weekend, my heart ached. This was an attack on my people. I mourn for the victims and their families.
The political bickering over it has been hard to bear, but what has brought me to tears is the Westboro Church's plans to protest at the funerals. Make no mistake about it - these people are not Christian. They parade around behind signs that say "God hates you," and in the process dishonor God. Yes, there are things that God hates... lies, pride, murder, people who "sow discord" (Proverbs 6), but the Westboro Church chooses to ignore these. The overwhelming message of the Bible is that God loves, that God IS love.
My prayers are with the people affected by the shooting.
During my short residence there, I fell further in love with the physical beauty and geographical diversity of the state, as well as the climate, but also with the people, particularly those in northern Arizona. There was a friendly, Libertarian spirit there; a sense of freedom with a little hint of the "wild West." Everyone was earthy, open, accepting. (Sure, you'll meet some nasty people wherever you go, but I found them to be few and far between.) This is one of very few places I have ever felt I fit in, perhaps because all of us there were peculiar in some way but were happy to embrace the differences.
What's more, I had some spectacular spiritual experiences there. I like to say that although I have been a Christian for most of my life, I met God in Arizona; and though I believe God is everywhere, I also like to say that God lives in northern Arizona.
It's been years since I left Arizona, and I believe I'm where I am supposed to be, but I still feel a connection and a draw "home." I still feel a kinship with the people there. So when I heard of the shooting in Tucson over the weekend, my heart ached. This was an attack on my people. I mourn for the victims and their families.
The political bickering over it has been hard to bear, but what has brought me to tears is the Westboro Church's plans to protest at the funerals. Make no mistake about it - these people are not Christian. They parade around behind signs that say "God hates you," and in the process dishonor God. Yes, there are things that God hates... lies, pride, murder, people who "sow discord" (Proverbs 6), but the Westboro Church chooses to ignore these. The overwhelming message of the Bible is that God loves, that God IS love.
My prayers are with the people affected by the shooting.
God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. I John 4:16
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