Dear readers, let me create a moment for you: I am sitting in the only corner I can claim--it is more like a cove situated in between my dresser and Emily’s, where there is just enough room for my elbows to sit comfortably. I have my Chinese lanterns and mellow Nick Drake to set a mood and a spread of photos of people I love above my head on the wall. Another moment ripe for introspection, briefly interrupted for a blog-post.
Last week was the first week of classes, and this semester is bringing on a different kind of busyness. Academically, I think it is going to be breezy and challenging in all ways good. But there is a busyness and a new energy to life lately--it mostly has to do with a new Burmese family that is resettling a few blocks from my church. Long story short, we were contacted by a resettlement agency in Lancaster last week and they are resettling a family and asked us to be cosponsors. In response, Pastor Cedra and I have been tapping into all of our resources, giving lists and ways congregation members and Messiah students and friends and acquaintances can participate and help provide for and welcome this new family. I have felt so energized working on this--I am so excited to meet this family that I have been thinking nonstop about as I collect donations, prepare informational meetings, and send nonstop emails to recruit volunteers. I never felt this kind of energy and hope when I was trying to raise awareness and tell people about the political/social situation in Burma. I appreciate advocacy and we need it, but I’m starting to see why knowing and being with the people makes the difference for me. Relational connection. This experience, also, is making me wonder about pursuing something with refugee resettlement in the future...but that will be discourse for another distant day.
Today is filled with other things: brainstorming for the ESL program, celebrating Doug’s arrival to the Sycamore House, giving thanks for answered prayer, rejoicing in the thawing of the world, and many moments of Sabbath. The whirlwind can have me tomorrow and the to-do list can claim my time then, but for now, I will sit quietly and think about timing and Nick’s pink moon.
