Sunday, April 26, 2009

Some thoughts on The Rescue

I woke up shivering with moist eyes- you might say I was crying.
my bed was the passenger seat of my friends car- a car the served us well this weekend
my toes were numb, and so was my arm
I had dreamed that I had missed my mother- when I found her she was so sad that she invited me to just lay with her and cry a bit
Then I woke up- it was possibly 3 am- the camp site was quiet
We were waiting to be rescued and no one was coming
The car was protecting me from the biting wind- but over a 1000 others laid out in the cold
I had abducted myself to say that the children in Africa matter
My dream reminded me that I do not know there pain
My tears humbled me with the reality that I live a safe life- I have missed my mother many times over the years, but she has not been taken form me, nor was I stolen from her
She is safe in her bed tonight and only by my own choice was I without mine

Monday, April 20, 2009

The Rescue

3 years ago- I slept on the ground in Downtown Waco
2 years ago- I slept in a card board box out side of Austin
this weekend- I am not going to sleep

Why the random updates on odd sleeping arrangements?

I was participating with thousands of people in the US to raise awareness for the Invisible Children- child soldiers forced into slavery by the LRA in Uganda.

This weekend we are at it again.

First we commuted in solidarity with children that cannot sleep in thier own homes for fear of being abducted from their beds; then we slept in make shift refugee camps to remind the world that displacement is not a permanent solution; this weekend we will wait to be rescued. Over a 1000 of us will wait for someone of power to care that we are sleeping in a park- waiting for them to acknowledge the heart breaking war- waiting for President Obama to take a stand on the longest running war in African history.

I am hopeful- I know that people sleep in the parks of my city every night without rescue- nonetheless I will ask for rescue, and I will wait.

Check out the website to learn more: therescue.invisiblechildren.com
Join us if you can- it will change your life.

Thursday, April 16, 2009

it has been too long since I took the time to write something meaningful here- Palm Sunday, Holy Week and Easter all moved me beyond the words I have failed to say.

mostly I have been processing grace a lot lately- I am in am in awe of how painful it can be to be on the receiving end of such a powerful gift. a full on meditation on this will hopefully come soon. right now I am mostly just aware of how it hurts in a way that tells me I am growing and learning.

Wednesday, April 1, 2009

Reflecting on the $1 Challenge

This is a bit late but here it is:

As the week began I made the statement to a friend that I could never really be poor- society would not allow it. I am too involved in my privileged class. As my last post reflects I am using the term privilege loosely to include all of us that have a college education, have ever owned a car, have the freedom to choose to be poor for a week (most people that live on a $1 a day don't do it by choice). I realize these things might not sound like a lot, but when statistics say that anyone with a roof over their head, a bed to sleep in, and a refrigerator are wealthier than 75% of the world- I would have to say I am rich.

With that said here is how my eating and socializing went last week:
  • Sunday- Amy threw a dinner party
  • Monday- Leah's brother was in town, we went to a hookah bar- they knew I was trying to not spend money- they paid
  • Tuesday- Jen made me a great rice and bean dinner
  • Wednesday- we had dinner at staff meeting
  • Thursday- I was invited for wine and tasty treats to discuss a women's conference coming up this summer (PURE- it is going to be beautiful!)
  • Friday- I stayed home b/c you can't do anything social for a dollar- I chatted on the phone with a friend and watched old Grey's episodes I was behind on (it was a great night! I had the apartment to myself and probably would have stayed in even if I had money!)
  • Saturday- Rachel bought me coffee and a coconut at this amazing coffee club in the Sunset (Trouble Coffee) We went to the beach. I broke my $ by getting my groceries. I had to do it Meg had a car!! Cars are so great when you need to buy groceries!! (however I waited on eating the groceries till Sunday so I could at least feel like I hadn't busted my $1) I almost broke the $ again by going dancing (I have decided recently that I should dance more! It is so fun.) Instead I went over to one of my best friend's houses to paint. We painted and had a much needed chat- another wonderful night.
Where in the course of that week do I even slightly appear to have experienced poverty!?!?! No where. Not once. I couldn't buy my coffee, I had to make it; I couldn't grab a drink when I was thirsty, I had to drink water; I skipped out on dancing; seriously- I hung out at the beach and painted, other people provided me with great food. It was a beautiful week, and I am grateful for it.

I might try again soon- and this time not allow others to pamper me. Who knows maybe God just wants me to experience abundance. Statements of that nature make me uneasy- I believe that God desires abundance for all people. Why am I part of the 25% that experiences it so freely?

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