Ebenezer Totem

1 Samuel 7:12 "Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen and called its name Ebenezer [meaning 'stone of help'], for he said, "Till now the LORD has helped us."

One very fortunate advantage of living this crazy between-two-worlds missionary life is the frequent book-ends that mark and divide my time. Quarterly goal reviews with team leaders; yearly team vision retreats; the welcome trek back home to Philadelphia and Canada once a year; and the regular cadence of birthing projects and reporting back as the different seasons unroll themselves like ticker tape.

Thursday Morning Prayer

The vitality of God be mine this day
the vitality of the God of life.

The passion of Christ be mine this day
the passion of the Christ of love.

The wakefulness of the Spirit be mine this day
the wakefulness of the spirit of justice.

The vitality and passion and wakefulness of God be mine
that I may be fully alive this day.

The vitality and passion and wakefulness of God
that I may be fully alive this day.

Amen.

-J. Philip Newell Celtic Benediction

Olofo Ngwa Te (Lit: The Baby Was Taken Out)

Yawn. Yep, that was pretty much my sentiment when the clock went off at 6:15 to rouse me to yoga this morning. It was dark and raining (as it seems to be all the time these days). At 7:30 my eyes opened again and I attempted to shoot my tired body out of bed. It ended up more like a drag, but I made it out, and that's what counts on days like this! 

Tea, homemade yogurt and granola, starting four workers into their work on the compound, doing some dishes, getting in some reading in Genesis and Psalms, and I was off to Mama Viviana's house to celebrate!

Teaching Ag at BNTC

It's 6:39pm on the clock. I've been banished from my garden by a feisty afternoon rainstorm. I'm not complaining - grow cucumbers!  Grow radish!  Grow squash!  Grow tomatoes!  Grow! And actually, it's a good moment to sit down and share some exciting and much-overdue thoughts about BNTC.

Encouraged by Peter this morning

Prepare your mind for ACTION.

Be sober-minded . . .

obedient . . .

not conforming to the passion of your former ignorance . . .

being holy in all your conduct, like God.

Call on Him as father.