Oh my, March!

How, when the aged are reverently, passionately waiting

For the miraculous birth, there always must be

Children who did not specially want it to happen, skating

On a pond at the edge of the wood

from Auden’s "Musee des Beaux Arts"

Being raised half of my life in the American South, I got used to life sprinkled with a quasi-spiritual dusting, in the “God bless America” and “Lord have mercy” kind of way. The Judaeo-Christian culture is deep set in the southern Bible belt. Here, where I spend the other half of my life, the daily is marked by very different rhythms. Stopping to remember Easter is a radical act. 

Easter morning baptism for our sweet friend Emma!

At Easter morning sunrise, painting vans showed up at 5:59AM at the shop across our street to pack and load, and zip away by 6:20. As I hastily mixed easter cake for our lunch crowd. Skill saws screech from beyond the park where a new neighborhood is going up, as I hang my laundry and ready the house for family and friends.  

It’s not like Jesus was born into a "bible-belt" culture either, really. The world didn’t stop to celebrate his resurrection. Re-birth quietly slipped in, like tulips uncurling one petal at a time. Morning traffic picks up. Dogs bark, kids jostle and fight for space in front of the heater. And the Son of God opens his eyes, for the second miraculous time.

Ryan with a rescued child soldier turned friend

Praise: We’re grateful for a safe and successful trip to northern Thailand for Ryan and the senior class at CAJ. Students put learning into action by building a foundation for a handicapped school and playing with local elementary kids. Ryan was able to meet with the girl we’ve been sponsoring for the past few years, Neung. She is entering university and wants to study to become a nurse to work at her local hospital. We’re so pleased to be able to encourage her through to higher education! 

Prayer: please pray that the learning and connections students made on this trip will transfer back into the classrooms at CAJ and into their hearts. We left funds to help finish the project; please pray that the construction of the handicapped center would continue smoothly.  

Praise: After three months of conversation and planning, a proposal is beginning to take shape for a major project, in collaboration with two local churches. We’re so excited to begin a new ministry to families and needy individuals in our community. Our dream is to open a “kids cafeteria” (think the local soup kitchen, but cozy at grandma’s house), where anyone is welcome to come and eat a meal together, and everyone helps to prepare the meal, and hang out through the day. 

Prayer: As I approach this new project, I am overwhelmed with a need for humility in cross-cultural leadership, and grace and gentleness to truly help those who are hurting in our city. Please pray for humility, grace and gentleness!

Ceiling work with the neighborhood crew

Grandpa came!

Praise: We’re so grateful to be settled into our new house, and that our kids have had their healthiest winter yet! (we were concerned that our previous house had “sick house” syndrome, which leaks chemicals like formaldehyde into the air, causing many breathing problems)

Prayer: We’re doing our own renovation on the house to help improve the insulation and clean the air. Please pray for us as we juggle our various jobs and responsibilities.