Injustice in Columbia

I am truly despondent right now.  I was just talking with a Compassion Representative who informed me that the project where our child is located is closing.  We have sponsered Johnis for the last 10 years and in my mind I was dedicated to see him through.  I had hopes of even helping sponsor higher education for him.  I can't tell you how sad I am.  What makes this story so sad is that Compassion tells me that it is very rare and with much despair that they choose to close a project.  They have church partnerships through which they funnel the money to the communities and the families.  The local churches are accountable for the funds that come to them.  Because Johnis' church has lacked leadership and accountability for many months and because the church has had high turnover, Compassion decided to close the program.  The representative was basically implying the leadership in Johnis' community (Columbia)could not be trusted by Compassion and probably wasn't trusted by the community either.  The rep said since Compassion sets up projects in impoverished places and then funnels money to communities, the temptation to abuse the funds is present so it's vital that they have trusted church partnerships.  In order to maintain integrity for Compassion International and their sponsors, they take a tough love stance which means they sometimes close projects.

What I am sick about in all of this is that the children are the ones who suffer. I totally understand and support Compassion's decision. I am sitting here wondering what Johnis and the other children in his community are going through. I am wondering what the families are going through. A program that brought hope and education and opportunity to their community is leaving. Who will help them? How do you help them? Are they Ok? Are they as disappointed as I am? Will Johnis be OK?

I am crying. I am sad. Is God going to take care of Johnis and his community? Will they be ok (as I define Ok)? What do I do? My feelings want to doubt God, but at the same time, I believe that I can trust Him. I believe that he has a purpose and a plan and that I don't have to understand it...

I can send a final letter and a final monetary gift. What do I say?

Developing Thoughts on Truth

The other day I heard an interview with Barbara Brown on NPR's Fresh Air. At one point she said something to the effect of, "There are so many different views and experiences with religion, for anyone to claim that they know truth, that truth is absolute is not possible". Maybe I'm a little uninformed or slow, but that was the first time I have ever heard anyone publicly, actually say there is no such thing as absolute truth. I stopped breathing for a moment when I heard her say it. It was even a moment where I wondered if I actually heard what I thought I did.

Here are my thought processes about her statements:

This statement seems contradictory to me. Isn't she claiming an absolute truth by saying absolute truth is not possible? The problem is defining what is truth and what is absolute truth. Is truth facts or is truth a person.

What do I believe about absolute truth? As a Christian, I believe absolute truth exists, I believe that absolute truth is Jesus.

Do I think that I know truth?
No one knows Truth...because we are not Truth. The best we can do is establish a growing relationship with the one who is Truth...hoping to learn and grow in the knowledge of Truth. We don't know Truth as a set of facts, we know Truth as a person and so we are learning Truth through a relationship.

10 Years!!!

Tom and I celebrate 10 years of marriage today!!! That's a long time!!! We have a friend who often says, "nothing worthwhile is ever easy." While there are times it's not easy, the work is worth it. We have the opportunity to help and observe each other grow. We can see the work God's growing process has done in each of our lives; we have first hand experience with one another.

Well, as I'm trying to type something meaningful, my beautiful 2 1/2 year old daughter is running around stark naked and Lucy Boy has jumped up in my lap and decided that right now is the moment she needs attention.

Anyway, 10 years is a long time!