Tuesday, April 16, 2013

Endings and Beginnings





Yesterday I sat in a coffee shop watching a five year old building be torn apart for no reason other than the fact that the land it was on was bought by someone else. I browsed my computer and marveled at how slow a building can be created, but how quickly it can be torn down. It was nearing 4:00 and I sighed. "Life just keeps changing" I told myself. It's a shame such a new building couldn't have found a new purpose. Was land just land? Did the building mean nothing?  I refreshed Facebook again.

BOSTON MARATHON RUNNERS BOMBED AT FINISH LINE

I didn't even know what to think. I hadn't even thought about this race until this hour. I kept refreshing my news page. Hundreds hurt. Casualties. 2 dead. 3 dead. Was this for real? Such a happy event- one thousands trained months for, the one moment of success, the dream of a lifetime simply- gone.

But there is the aspect of hurt- when many people share it at one time and one event, we turn to help each other. I can hear the stories of success come out of this tragedy.



AMPUTEES RUN MARATHON FOR FIRST TIME

ATHLETES RUN TO SUPPORT VICTIMS

AMERICANS LIVE WITHOUT FEAR

(to paraphrase) Lemony Snicket, "these are the words I so desperately wish I could type"

We can do this America. Stay strong and have faith.


Monday, April 15, 2013

So everyone has a celebration picture

Ironically I took this picture yesterday, but I had an idea. In the wake of this tragedy, I feel everyone who did not get to take a celebratory picture should have one-I challenge you to take a photo of yourself running with a smile on your face in memory of those who will forever remember this day as a day of sadness.


Monday, April 8, 2013

Alba's prayers

From Sara:

This week please pray for Alba, a woman who runs a ministry to prostitutes in Bogota called "New Life for Women." This is a house that women live in for a period of time, with the goal of beginning a new life away from prostitution. Alba is a former prostitute who became saved as a young woman. She now devotes her life to working with these women. As you can probably imagine this can be a very discouraging ministry! Alba runs the program almost entirely on her own. This summer we will have the privilege of spending an afternoon with Alba and helping out in any way we can. Please pray that God will give Alba the strength and passion required to continue on with such difficult work. Pray that she would be encouraged this week.

Galatians 6:9 “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”


Thursday, April 4, 2013

McConn, Missions, and Meat (off the bone)

Out of the 12 members going on our trip, three of us live out of state, so it was great being able to meet our team leaders over coffee. We were able to talk trip details, get to know each other, and share some laughs (for me it was over personal food choices I may have to sacrifice). This is sure to be an interesting trip, as I have never been on a plane or in another country. We hope to be able to meet up again as team in the next month to talk more details, and get to know each other some more.

Monday, April 1, 2013

Home to You

Here's a prayer request from our team leader, Sara.

This week, please pray for the children of CRAN. We know that tomorrow (April 2), three of these children will be joining their forever family. This will be a huge transition for them, and they are probably feeling a mixture of many different emotions. Pray for them as they say good-bye to their home for the past several years, and pray for them to bond with their new family. We also want to remember the other children that will remain at the orphanage. We pray that God will comfort them as they say good-bye (probably for forever) to these 3 friends, and that they will remember God's promise to them that they have a hope and a future. Waiting, as we all know, can be so difficult! It is a miracle that these 3 now have a new family, but also heart-breaking to think about the many, many more that still need homes.