MCrosky : Johnny, what can you make outta this? [hands him a piece of paper]
Johnny : This? Why I could make a hat, or a brooch, a pterodactyl. . . (from Airplane!)
There aren't many occasions where my degree is immediately applicable or useful. Most recently, I got to use my training to provide translation for the bits of the Indiana Jones trilogy where the Nazis yell at various characters in the movie (my favorite part in Raiders is when Indy's trying to put on an undersized uniform and gets confronted by an officer).
However, God throws me the occasional curveball and I get to step into practice. One such occasion was the summer of 1998, when I was with a group of students from Boston in Warsaw, Poland. We had just spent three weeks in the mountains for a lingual-cultural exchange, and were headed back to the capital to take part in a European-wide leadership training camp. In exchange for letting us be part of it, the camp's organizers asked those of us who were leading the group to step in and help out as much as we could, which we agreed to wholeheartedly.
There were students from everywhere in Europe from Azerbaijan to Russia, Norway to Italy and virtually every country in between. That made logistics a challenge, especially since the only common language everyone had was English. Most countries had English-speakers among their delegates, or people who could speak English and translate for their friends. It all was working and flowing until the students got paired up with leaders who would serve as their mentors.
Each student got to meet up with a pastor of sorts, and the pairing up went rather well until they came across the group from Hungary. A few of them spoke English, but not the young man they brought with them. And there was no male leader who could speak Hungarian (nor was there any female leader, either). The language he could speak? GERMAN!!!! And I was the only leader available who could speak German.
Cool, huh?
There are other cool stories from this conference, which I'll share in detail at some point. Suffice it to say, I've done more with my degree than make quirky origami projects from it....
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Story Time!
There may be some who think I'm pretty clever with my blog title. I hate to burst bubbles, but I got inspired by the name of an album by a Christian metal band named King's X. The album came out when I was at college, and I got pretty excited by my name being used for anything other than naming a dog (can I tell you how many German Shepherds were named "Gretchen" while I was growing up?). Both the album and the story that goes with it were pretty fun and inspiring. Here's the story (and, by the way; I've never been to Nebraska):
Gretchen Goes To Nebraska by Jerry Gaskill
Seven years ago (not counting today), a small girl with big ideas set forth to a land, somewhere known only to her dreams. Among the tall trees and whispering breeze, in which she sees faint depictions of an inner pointillist forming detailed landscapes, fully dimensional, in various shades of grey (with hints of invading color at a distance), and her boldly hovering, as a spirit would do, above the scenery yet mysteriously also in the midst (an integral part of the picture itself), she hopped merrily along, with a suitcase of memories, a lunchbox of assorted fruits and candy and a knapsack of her writings, her music, and all that is important to her filled to the very top; with an occasional piece of importance making its way out and onto the ground. • A few steps ahead, she noticed (hiding timidly in front of an old oak tree; a grandfather oak if you will) a middle-aged lady wearing a faded purple dress with a small floral print and torn at the shoulder. Her face looked as if she'd been crying then wiped her eyes with dirty hands. • Upon the girls acknowledgment the lady reached into her purse for a smile, found only one then quivered, looked up and shyly said, "Good luck." Although knowing she'd had none herself, she wished it upon others. She still had hope. • The girl spoke kindly but with a slight tinge of disgust to the lady. "Have you traveled this road before?" • "Oh, no," answered the lady. "I've never been encouraged to start. I can't see much past myself. But I greatly admire your strength and courage to have come from somewhere else to here and still see beyond this point and have no desire to stay, but to continue on." • "But I'm scared too. I have no idea what truly awaits me. I only have hope and I believe in that hope." • "The key, though, is that your fear is not king. But this fear or weakness as you may see it becomes your strength, because you see into the greater and possibly even the greatest and this puts your fear to work in the factory of life to produce your good. In a sense, it becomes your slave. I would rejoice if I were you." • Not knowing exactly to respond to such a discreet analysis of her journey, she just graciously and simply replied, "Well, thank you." • "Oh no no" said the lady excitedly. "Thank you. You're the one with the glimmer in your eye." • So, slightly confused and very startled at the apparent reality of this situation, she slowly took two steps backwards, her eyes still gazing intently at the lady, turned cautiously to continue, then immediately found herself smack dab in the middle of a corner. • Her head involuntarily dropped towards the ground with a sigh. As her eyes began to focus on the ground, she noticed a piece of paper with writing on it. It looked familiar, yet she knew it was not quite hers. She picked it up and started to read. It said: Dear broken One, I have no defense at this time, only my empty words of redundant selfishness and vagary. I could struggle to the top of any mountain top, stand tall, fling my arms wide open and shout all the mysteries of my heart known to me at the time, and still I'd end up walking the path of the redundant vague one. The way I see things, there's just too much to see not to be vague or redundant for that matter. I find, though, in light of all that exists, that my measly penetration into the unspeakable vastness of all that there is matters very little if at all to the penetration into all that exists of those who have glued their eyes so steadily upon my reaction to this maze of clarity, pouring out from within, encircling my existence as far as my eye can see, then returning with a new plan and a reconstructed maze of the same origin, leading to the same place. Maybe I'm misunderstanding. Or maybe I'm missing the simplicity of simply not being me. Sometimes I stare because that's where all that I see is. • So you think that you've ridden the clouds I have; or heard the crystal music coming from nowhere; or watched skeletons laugh while dissecting your curiosity? Maybe you have. Maybe you haven't. You see I'm a victim of self imposed knowledge. I'd fallen prey to the wondrous keeper of the keys out of the garden of Eden and quite a few of his cohorts who dipped seeds of truth into vats of contaminated pride then handed them back to me with a greeting that said Good Luck. Although I've been rescued, my backyard still expands enough to have those chained offenders lurking eagerly to recompense evil for good. • Now I don't pretend to know more than the next guy, or maybe I do pretend, but I know better. I only know what I know. And sometimes it's hard to see past what I know. But you know, down the road a bit there's always a major breakthrough waiting- for you know who- me. So let's get on with it and smile our way through the madness. Ok? Sincerely, Also Broken. • After reading this, she turned, looked up straight ahead into what was an entirely new land. Instead of the forest of towering slightly unfamiliar redwoods for miles on end, a clear cut path and that curious, lone "grandfather oak," she now stood upon a vast sea of sand (that greyish white kind you'll find on the beaches of the North Atlantic) that stretched for miles incalculable. At the sight of this, on top of what she'd just read, she fell on her knees, pounded the sand then screamed at the top of her lungs, "DO I HAVE TO TAKE ALL OF THIS JUST TO GET TO NEBRASKA!" • Now at the very second that she had finished this outburst, she noticed a small gentle type of bird flying smoothly overhead. As it become parallel to where she was kneeling, it let go of avery piece of paper it had been carrying its beak. The paper floated effortlessly as if it directed by the master of all wind, landed precisely at her knees and stayed there till she was able to pick it up. When she finally did, it simply and comfortingly read, as though it were smiling at her: YES... • The consolation of this note, mixed with an equally brave sense of fear, brought instant tears to her eyes as she positioned herself limply on the sandy floor about her, contemplating the future in relationship with now and at what intersection does her journey have to do with anything anymore. • After thirty minutes or so another amazing thing began to happen. All around her, the sandy beach began transforming into a paradisiacal land of roaming green hills, crystalline lakes filled with dancing fish, and an occasional curious deer or rabbit adding its innocence to the scene. Daisies and lilac bushes appeared, dotting the land with their beautiful whites and yellows and purples while scenting the air with that gorgeous lilac aroma. The land stretched on perfectly smooth for miles and miles. • "Oh what a wonderful, wonderful surface for me to travel on," thought Gretchen. (By the way, Gretchen is the girl's name and she come from a long line of visionaries, explorers, and well, just plain pioneers of all sorts.) So immediately with a fresh burst of energy and all agog. she gathered her things and headed straightway on her journey. After five minutes or so of delightful running and skipping, the thought occurred to her; I no longer have any concrete direction, this being an entirely new land and all. Then instantaneously, quite like the incident with the bird and the note, she spotted two or three miles ahead what appeared to be a preposterous waterfall. From where she stood (remember she was two or three miles away) it looked as if it was fast approaching the Niagara Falls itself. If ever you've been to the Niagara Falls, you can imagine the monstrosity of this thing; especially at such a distance. Nightmarish! if not for the beauty of this land she roved. And also, what to fear? She was on dry land and no hint of the land forcing her into it. • Once again, with this thought and her next step, a trickling stream began to form beneath her (apparently from nowhere) growing deeper and more forceful with each step. Soon she was surrounded by nothing but water rising quickly to her neck. Now she was carried by it. Nothing but water for miles and it was rapidly heading straight or that preposterous beauty of a waterfall. Nightmarish!!! Fortunately there were no rocks of any sort in that water. She was definitely carried through. No time to think now; only to let go...! • It seemed like hours until she reached what felt to be the sure Cataract of Doom. With eyes closed and all hope of life continuing given up, over the edge she was swept. • Upon opening her eyes, she found herself in no better situation than she expected. She was falling swiftly, engulfed in the bluest, white water imaginable. Then, "How in the world did I ever get here!" she thought. Suddenly everything changed again. Rather than falling, she was now caught up in a whirlpool, guiding her where it willed. Unheard-of dialogue, superficialities, wisdom, philosophical discussions, tainted Christianity, Pantheism, Communism, thisim, thatism, sexual perversity, truest sexual pleasure, laughter (haunting then soothing), T.V., technology from beginning to end; connecting to what she now perceived to be herself, became the life force of this consuming vortex. • Round and round she began to fall again; this time a centripetal force her guide, leading her where, she had no thoughts. She knew only too well that she was its slave. Faster and faster, whirling and spinning, headlong into this relentlessly wicked unknown! • With all the thoughts gone and surrendered to bondage, to her surprise she stopped dead in her tracks (if we can call them hers), was poured forth as if from a tube, flipping as she flowed to feet first position, alighting into a realm of pitch blackness. With a combination of relief and confused anger, she thought, "Now what?" Immediately she heard a knock upon a door. In the midst of this total darkness, her only response was a timid "where?" • A doorknob of purest, transparent gold slowly began to protrude through the wall of blackness directly in front of her. She reached out to turn it. The mere touch of her skin to the knob caused the warmest sentience of ease, comfort and comradery to shoot through her entire being, inside and out as if to prepare her for whatever lurked behind that wall. • The wall promptly melted, revealing a simple man clad in soiled work clothes, against a landscape of indescribable beauty and proportion. Imagine all the wonder of a land you can muster. Add your childhood thoughts of splendor. Subtract nothing. Continue that on and on and still you have only maybe touched the veriest fringe of all its glory. Gretchen would have fallen as dead if not for the magic (the truest magic) of that doorknob. • His eyes blasted forth wisdom. His arms spoke strength forever. His feet could have crushed the very world in which he stood. His chest revealed truth in every direction. His smile lighted the world within and throughout. He stood there grinning; he was a simple man. • After what seemed to have been years of learning and unlearning, He spoke. • "Where are you headed, my child?" • The words "my child" filled Gretchen with all hope. She wanted nothing more than to run and dance and leap into His arms, and yes, truly be His child forevermore. Now after what seemed to be years again, she caught hold of herself and said, "Nebraska, I think." • "Oh don't think my child," He said. "Just be sure." • "Well what I meant was I think, or I know, rather, I want to stay here. I feel like I've arrived at where I've always wanted to be plus so much more. When I started for Nebraska, it was the land of my dreams. It was only inside of me then. Now all that's inside and outside and all direction everywhere is You and this paradise where you stand. Is this Nebraska?" • "To you it is Nebraska. To others it's Narnia. To others Heaven," he whispered. "To others Eden. To still others Truth. and to some, it just is. This the land within; the land of your dreams. But let me explain; you were correct in saying you've arrived. But you haven't quite entered." I must note with each word that He spoke, He was forthwith adorned with the vestments of the kingliest King of Kings, while His stature and brilliance ascended far above the highest reaching peak, till nothing was left but Him and nothing else mattered. • Gretchen hurriedly asked, "How do I enter then, Please?!" At once He transformed into an old dilapidated wooden door, with its paint peeling and barely hanging on its hinges. • "Through here," spoke a voice that rang throughout all eternity and is ringing still for those who can hear. • "Gretchen, without hesitation, rushed through the door, leaving all but Him behind. Awaiting her entrance (with all glory and comradery) stood her King, her friend, her Lord and Love of and for all time, with hand outstretched, desiring her hand in what we'd call marriage (excepting no hint of separation, ever). • "Now off we go," said He. "There's so much for you to see." So off they flew and walked and ran and talked and skipped happily into volumes of indescribable wonder, becoming more and more familiar with each step, yet astonishingly new on each beam of direction. • "Then Gretchen stopped. She gazed at her Lord as if to say, "you sneak, you" and said, "You brought me here, didn't You?" • He began to laugh, inspiring all the land to join in the celebration. Then "Remember the outset of your journey?" He whispered (bringing an attentive intermission in all the land about them). She couldn't recall. She only knew the now. • He continued, " You started within, with only a dream. Within has no end, only beginning. Whether it's known or not makes no difference inside. For sight is blindness; strong is weak; power is failure if based on what's known. Your dream was unseen. Your strength unresolved. Your power unaccounted for. So from whence did you begin? and through what made you your entrance? Your beginning was your arrival and your entrance was through Me. So in other words my child, yes, Any more questions?" • They both smiled; they both laughed. The land relinquished its attentive ear, rejoined the happy jubilation; then off they went, hand in hand to connect with all others' dreams, to see all heretofore unseen, to know all that can't be known, to touch what's never been touched, to taste the sweetness of taste beyond! No turning back, yet leaving nothing behind...
Gretchen Goes To Nebraska by Jerry Gaskill
Seven years ago (not counting today), a small girl with big ideas set forth to a land, somewhere known only to her dreams. Among the tall trees and whispering breeze, in which she sees faint depictions of an inner pointillist forming detailed landscapes, fully dimensional, in various shades of grey (with hints of invading color at a distance), and her boldly hovering, as a spirit would do, above the scenery yet mysteriously also in the midst (an integral part of the picture itself), she hopped merrily along, with a suitcase of memories, a lunchbox of assorted fruits and candy and a knapsack of her writings, her music, and all that is important to her filled to the very top; with an occasional piece of importance making its way out and onto the ground. • A few steps ahead, she noticed (hiding timidly in front of an old oak tree; a grandfather oak if you will) a middle-aged lady wearing a faded purple dress with a small floral print and torn at the shoulder. Her face looked as if she'd been crying then wiped her eyes with dirty hands. • Upon the girls acknowledgment the lady reached into her purse for a smile, found only one then quivered, looked up and shyly said, "Good luck." Although knowing she'd had none herself, she wished it upon others. She still had hope. • The girl spoke kindly but with a slight tinge of disgust to the lady. "Have you traveled this road before?" • "Oh, no," answered the lady. "I've never been encouraged to start. I can't see much past myself. But I greatly admire your strength and courage to have come from somewhere else to here and still see beyond this point and have no desire to stay, but to continue on." • "But I'm scared too. I have no idea what truly awaits me. I only have hope and I believe in that hope." • "The key, though, is that your fear is not king. But this fear or weakness as you may see it becomes your strength, because you see into the greater and possibly even the greatest and this puts your fear to work in the factory of life to produce your good. In a sense, it becomes your slave. I would rejoice if I were you." • Not knowing exactly to respond to such a discreet analysis of her journey, she just graciously and simply replied, "Well, thank you." • "Oh no no" said the lady excitedly. "Thank you. You're the one with the glimmer in your eye." • So, slightly confused and very startled at the apparent reality of this situation, she slowly took two steps backwards, her eyes still gazing intently at the lady, turned cautiously to continue, then immediately found herself smack dab in the middle of a corner. • Her head involuntarily dropped towards the ground with a sigh. As her eyes began to focus on the ground, she noticed a piece of paper with writing on it. It looked familiar, yet she knew it was not quite hers. She picked it up and started to read. It said: Dear broken One, I have no defense at this time, only my empty words of redundant selfishness and vagary. I could struggle to the top of any mountain top, stand tall, fling my arms wide open and shout all the mysteries of my heart known to me at the time, and still I'd end up walking the path of the redundant vague one. The way I see things, there's just too much to see not to be vague or redundant for that matter. I find, though, in light of all that exists, that my measly penetration into the unspeakable vastness of all that there is matters very little if at all to the penetration into all that exists of those who have glued their eyes so steadily upon my reaction to this maze of clarity, pouring out from within, encircling my existence as far as my eye can see, then returning with a new plan and a reconstructed maze of the same origin, leading to the same place. Maybe I'm misunderstanding. Or maybe I'm missing the simplicity of simply not being me. Sometimes I stare because that's where all that I see is. • So you think that you've ridden the clouds I have; or heard the crystal music coming from nowhere; or watched skeletons laugh while dissecting your curiosity? Maybe you have. Maybe you haven't. You see I'm a victim of self imposed knowledge. I'd fallen prey to the wondrous keeper of the keys out of the garden of Eden and quite a few of his cohorts who dipped seeds of truth into vats of contaminated pride then handed them back to me with a greeting that said Good Luck. Although I've been rescued, my backyard still expands enough to have those chained offenders lurking eagerly to recompense evil for good. • Now I don't pretend to know more than the next guy, or maybe I do pretend, but I know better. I only know what I know. And sometimes it's hard to see past what I know. But you know, down the road a bit there's always a major breakthrough waiting- for you know who- me. So let's get on with it and smile our way through the madness. Ok? Sincerely, Also Broken. • After reading this, she turned, looked up straight ahead into what was an entirely new land. Instead of the forest of towering slightly unfamiliar redwoods for miles on end, a clear cut path and that curious, lone "grandfather oak," she now stood upon a vast sea of sand (that greyish white kind you'll find on the beaches of the North Atlantic) that stretched for miles incalculable. At the sight of this, on top of what she'd just read, she fell on her knees, pounded the sand then screamed at the top of her lungs, "DO I HAVE TO TAKE ALL OF THIS JUST TO GET TO NEBRASKA!" • Now at the very second that she had finished this outburst, she noticed a small gentle type of bird flying smoothly overhead. As it become parallel to where she was kneeling, it let go of avery piece of paper it had been carrying its beak. The paper floated effortlessly as if it directed by the master of all wind, landed precisely at her knees and stayed there till she was able to pick it up. When she finally did, it simply and comfortingly read, as though it were smiling at her: YES... • The consolation of this note, mixed with an equally brave sense of fear, brought instant tears to her eyes as she positioned herself limply on the sandy floor about her, contemplating the future in relationship with now and at what intersection does her journey have to do with anything anymore. • After thirty minutes or so another amazing thing began to happen. All around her, the sandy beach began transforming into a paradisiacal land of roaming green hills, crystalline lakes filled with dancing fish, and an occasional curious deer or rabbit adding its innocence to the scene. Daisies and lilac bushes appeared, dotting the land with their beautiful whites and yellows and purples while scenting the air with that gorgeous lilac aroma. The land stretched on perfectly smooth for miles and miles. • "Oh what a wonderful, wonderful surface for me to travel on," thought Gretchen. (By the way, Gretchen is the girl's name and she come from a long line of visionaries, explorers, and well, just plain pioneers of all sorts.) So immediately with a fresh burst of energy and all agog. she gathered her things and headed straightway on her journey. After five minutes or so of delightful running and skipping, the thought occurred to her; I no longer have any concrete direction, this being an entirely new land and all. Then instantaneously, quite like the incident with the bird and the note, she spotted two or three miles ahead what appeared to be a preposterous waterfall. From where she stood (remember she was two or three miles away) it looked as if it was fast approaching the Niagara Falls itself. If ever you've been to the Niagara Falls, you can imagine the monstrosity of this thing; especially at such a distance. Nightmarish! if not for the beauty of this land she roved. And also, what to fear? She was on dry land and no hint of the land forcing her into it. • Once again, with this thought and her next step, a trickling stream began to form beneath her (apparently from nowhere) growing deeper and more forceful with each step. Soon she was surrounded by nothing but water rising quickly to her neck. Now she was carried by it. Nothing but water for miles and it was rapidly heading straight or that preposterous beauty of a waterfall. Nightmarish!!! Fortunately there were no rocks of any sort in that water. She was definitely carried through. No time to think now; only to let go...! • It seemed like hours until she reached what felt to be the sure Cataract of Doom. With eyes closed and all hope of life continuing given up, over the edge she was swept. • Upon opening her eyes, she found herself in no better situation than she expected. She was falling swiftly, engulfed in the bluest, white water imaginable. Then, "How in the world did I ever get here!" she thought. Suddenly everything changed again. Rather than falling, she was now caught up in a whirlpool, guiding her where it willed. Unheard-of dialogue, superficialities, wisdom, philosophical discussions, tainted Christianity, Pantheism, Communism, thisim, thatism, sexual perversity, truest sexual pleasure, laughter (haunting then soothing), T.V., technology from beginning to end; connecting to what she now perceived to be herself, became the life force of this consuming vortex. • Round and round she began to fall again; this time a centripetal force her guide, leading her where, she had no thoughts. She knew only too well that she was its slave. Faster and faster, whirling and spinning, headlong into this relentlessly wicked unknown! • With all the thoughts gone and surrendered to bondage, to her surprise she stopped dead in her tracks (if we can call them hers), was poured forth as if from a tube, flipping as she flowed to feet first position, alighting into a realm of pitch blackness. With a combination of relief and confused anger, she thought, "Now what?" Immediately she heard a knock upon a door. In the midst of this total darkness, her only response was a timid "where?" • A doorknob of purest, transparent gold slowly began to protrude through the wall of blackness directly in front of her. She reached out to turn it. The mere touch of her skin to the knob caused the warmest sentience of ease, comfort and comradery to shoot through her entire being, inside and out as if to prepare her for whatever lurked behind that wall. • The wall promptly melted, revealing a simple man clad in soiled work clothes, against a landscape of indescribable beauty and proportion. Imagine all the wonder of a land you can muster. Add your childhood thoughts of splendor. Subtract nothing. Continue that on and on and still you have only maybe touched the veriest fringe of all its glory. Gretchen would have fallen as dead if not for the magic (the truest magic) of that doorknob. • His eyes blasted forth wisdom. His arms spoke strength forever. His feet could have crushed the very world in which he stood. His chest revealed truth in every direction. His smile lighted the world within and throughout. He stood there grinning; he was a simple man. • After what seemed to have been years of learning and unlearning, He spoke. • "Where are you headed, my child?" • The words "my child" filled Gretchen with all hope. She wanted nothing more than to run and dance and leap into His arms, and yes, truly be His child forevermore. Now after what seemed to be years again, she caught hold of herself and said, "Nebraska, I think." • "Oh don't think my child," He said. "Just be sure." • "Well what I meant was I think, or I know, rather, I want to stay here. I feel like I've arrived at where I've always wanted to be plus so much more. When I started for Nebraska, it was the land of my dreams. It was only inside of me then. Now all that's inside and outside and all direction everywhere is You and this paradise where you stand. Is this Nebraska?" • "To you it is Nebraska. To others it's Narnia. To others Heaven," he whispered. "To others Eden. To still others Truth. and to some, it just is. This the land within; the land of your dreams. But let me explain; you were correct in saying you've arrived. But you haven't quite entered." I must note with each word that He spoke, He was forthwith adorned with the vestments of the kingliest King of Kings, while His stature and brilliance ascended far above the highest reaching peak, till nothing was left but Him and nothing else mattered. • Gretchen hurriedly asked, "How do I enter then, Please?!" At once He transformed into an old dilapidated wooden door, with its paint peeling and barely hanging on its hinges. • "Through here," spoke a voice that rang throughout all eternity and is ringing still for those who can hear. • "Gretchen, without hesitation, rushed through the door, leaving all but Him behind. Awaiting her entrance (with all glory and comradery) stood her King, her friend, her Lord and Love of and for all time, with hand outstretched, desiring her hand in what we'd call marriage (excepting no hint of separation, ever). • "Now off we go," said He. "There's so much for you to see." So off they flew and walked and ran and talked and skipped happily into volumes of indescribable wonder, becoming more and more familiar with each step, yet astonishingly new on each beam of direction. • "Then Gretchen stopped. She gazed at her Lord as if to say, "you sneak, you" and said, "You brought me here, didn't You?" • He began to laugh, inspiring all the land to join in the celebration. Then "Remember the outset of your journey?" He whispered (bringing an attentive intermission in all the land about them). She couldn't recall. She only knew the now. • He continued, " You started within, with only a dream. Within has no end, only beginning. Whether it's known or not makes no difference inside. For sight is blindness; strong is weak; power is failure if based on what's known. Your dream was unseen. Your strength unresolved. Your power unaccounted for. So from whence did you begin? and through what made you your entrance? Your beginning was your arrival and your entrance was through Me. So in other words my child, yes, Any more questions?" • They both smiled; they both laughed. The land relinquished its attentive ear, rejoined the happy jubilation; then off they went, hand in hand to connect with all others' dreams, to see all heretofore unseen, to know all that can't be known, to touch what's never been touched, to taste the sweetness of taste beyond! No turning back, yet leaving nothing behind...
Monday, July 28, 2008
We're going !
Amazingly enough, we had a great conversation on Sunday. The now-for-us-very-usual quandry about when (conflicts arose around whichever weekend we were planning for), but a sort of good resolution that everyone could live with was reached. As we prayed, we felt creativity creeping into our prayers: one member is a dance teacher so we're praying that something dance-related will come up in the trip so she can learn and bring back culture to her students.
Not an adventuresome post, but as Hannibal on the ATeam used to say, "I love it when a plan comes together!" (sans cigar)
Not an adventuresome post, but as Hannibal on the ATeam used to say, "I love it when a plan comes together!" (sans cigar)
Friday, July 25, 2008
I hope I don't jinx us...
but I think we're really going to Haiti this year. It's been a crazy journey- personality and power conflicts galore, two team members dropping out due to job offers (or potential job offers), and shifting to September because of how quickly it had all fallen apart.
Now it looks like we have a smaller but committed team (one member wants to go but needs to check with her doctor to be sure it's okay), a new direction and a new time.
I have mixed feelings. I do want to see our partnership with Haiti move forward. I was hoping we would go back to Pardieu this year, but there was a push for exploring other things Haiti, so we're doing that. It should give us a bigger picture about what's happening, which is ultimately good. It would be fun to leave the country and to get immersed again in the craziness of another culture.
I keep my eye on the problems we're having, at the same time, and wonder if this is really the right time. It's been so good not to have anything major looming over my summer, as has been the case the last couple of years (and probably quite a number more, come to think of it). It's been a crazy year for me emotionally with all sorts of family issues going on. I would just like to rest. Yes, going to Haiti is technically running off to a Caribbean island, but it isn't in the same, restful kind of mindframe that that kind of trip usually generates.
We'll be meeting on Sunday to work on moving forward.
Now it looks like we have a smaller but committed team (one member wants to go but needs to check with her doctor to be sure it's okay), a new direction and a new time.
I have mixed feelings. I do want to see our partnership with Haiti move forward. I was hoping we would go back to Pardieu this year, but there was a push for exploring other things Haiti, so we're doing that. It should give us a bigger picture about what's happening, which is ultimately good. It would be fun to leave the country and to get immersed again in the craziness of another culture.
I keep my eye on the problems we're having, at the same time, and wonder if this is really the right time. It's been so good not to have anything major looming over my summer, as has been the case the last couple of years (and probably quite a number more, come to think of it). It's been a crazy year for me emotionally with all sorts of family issues going on. I would just like to rest. Yes, going to Haiti is technically running off to a Caribbean island, but it isn't in the same, restful kind of mindframe that that kind of trip usually generates.
We'll be meeting on Sunday to work on moving forward.
Thursday, July 24, 2008
The adventure of jobs...
I haven't had a, shall we say, straightforward career path. I entered college wanting to double-major in engineering and German (hoping to build robots for handicapped people and, uh, speak German, I guess), and ended up with a German degree. I wasn't planning on going to graduate school, but to grad school I went due to an incredible last-minute opportunity and I got a Master's in German lit. I flirted with the idea of getting a Ph.D. and moving into academia (following the footsteps of my dad), but instead moved up to Boston to get a low-paying job and be a pastor of international students. From there I moved back into academia, but as support staff (i.e., secretary) in the president's office of a local college.
From there, I got the invitation to go to Warsaw to be a pastor to Polish students through an international Christian student ministry. Then I moved back to Boston to become...support staff for the Boston branch of a national business.
Which means I shouldn't be too darn surprised that my sister emailed me yesterday to say that she spent the day at an FBI open house and found out they're looking for translators, and thought I might be interested. Since her email, I've gotten other emails from family members encouraging me to check it out.
Ah, life is fun!
From there, I got the invitation to go to Warsaw to be a pastor to Polish students through an international Christian student ministry. Then I moved back to Boston to become...support staff for the Boston branch of a national business.
Which means I shouldn't be too darn surprised that my sister emailed me yesterday to say that she spent the day at an FBI open house and found out they're looking for translators, and thought I might be interested. Since her email, I've gotten other emails from family members encouraging me to check it out.
Ah, life is fun!
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
To NGO or not to NGO...
A reader asked me to comment more on what Paul Farmer said about forming more NGOs versus supporting the Public Sector. Dr. Farmer didn't say much more than what I wrote in the blog, but here's the URL for the Partners in Health newsletter, which describes a joint venture between PIH and the Haitian Ministry of Health:
http://www.pih.org/inforesources/newsletters/PIH_e-Bulletin_0108_2.pdf#Haiti
I love a number of things about this. First of all, it's filling a real need in the country. Second, it's Dr. Farmer putting his beliefs into practice. Third, it's fulfilling what Robert Linthicum in his book, Transforming Power, calls "The Iron Rule": get those in need to be part of the solution.
It's clear that if a need isn't getting met, industrious people with the will and resources ought to step up and help. The troubles with creating more NGOs, as good as many of them are, can be many: more NGOs ultimately diffuses the available resources and their ultimate impact; it either creates or perpetuates a "hand-me-down" mentality; and, in the case where America or other powerful countries might be supplying the resources, the temptation is strong to do things "our way" rather than a way that's culturally relevant and effective.
Dr. Farmer's solution seems to bring out the best in an NGO-public sector partnership: the NGO provides needed resources, but not all; it calls the public sector entity to give what they can and be fully involved; and provides empowerment and growth both to the public sector entity and to the local people whose lives would be most directly affected by the project.
Any thoughts?
http://www.pih.org/inforesources/newsletters/PIH_e-Bulletin_0108_2.pdf#Haiti
I love a number of things about this. First of all, it's filling a real need in the country. Second, it's Dr. Farmer putting his beliefs into practice. Third, it's fulfilling what Robert Linthicum in his book, Transforming Power, calls "The Iron Rule": get those in need to be part of the solution.
It's clear that if a need isn't getting met, industrious people with the will and resources ought to step up and help. The troubles with creating more NGOs, as good as many of them are, can be many: more NGOs ultimately diffuses the available resources and their ultimate impact; it either creates or perpetuates a "hand-me-down" mentality; and, in the case where America or other powerful countries might be supplying the resources, the temptation is strong to do things "our way" rather than a way that's culturally relevant and effective.
Dr. Farmer's solution seems to bring out the best in an NGO-public sector partnership: the NGO provides needed resources, but not all; it calls the public sector entity to give what they can and be fully involved; and provides empowerment and growth both to the public sector entity and to the local people whose lives would be most directly affected by the project.
Any thoughts?
Things that make you go hmmmmmmmm...
Monday I sat down for a conversation with my boss about recent doings in the office and my workflow. It was a good conversation with little resolution beyond "I know you're working hard; keep going!" and a vague promise of "someday, we WILL have more support staff!"
Then yesterday, an email was sent from HR noting a new position in the Boston office for a support staff person. Jaws dropped! There was singing in the corridors! OUR CRIES HAD BEEN HEARD!
I'm being a bit dramatic here, but it really seemed almost impossible that we would see this happen anytime soon, due to budget concerns and now, the woes of the economy.
I just ended a 40-day period where a bunch of us collectively prayed for and encouraged each other toward big hopes and dreams. Having extra help at the office wasn't on the list of things I was praying for, but seeing this nigh-near impossible thing happen gives me hope that other nigh-near impossible things just might be around the corner.
Wonder what will happen next...
Then yesterday, an email was sent from HR noting a new position in the Boston office for a support staff person. Jaws dropped! There was singing in the corridors! OUR CRIES HAD BEEN HEARD!
I'm being a bit dramatic here, but it really seemed almost impossible that we would see this happen anytime soon, due to budget concerns and now, the woes of the economy.
I just ended a 40-day period where a bunch of us collectively prayed for and encouraged each other toward big hopes and dreams. Having extra help at the office wasn't on the list of things I was praying for, but seeing this nigh-near impossible thing happen gives me hope that other nigh-near impossible things just might be around the corner.
Wonder what will happen next...
Hitting the mark...
I've been thinking this morning about something I heard on Sunday about the nature of evil and sin. Dave defined sin (as many others do) as "missing the mark" but expanded the picture a bit. If "the mark" is everything good that God has for us (love, joy, peace, abundance, etc.), then missing the mark brings on isolation, misery, and shame.
Beyond some situations in my own life where I know there are specific things I need to recalibrate myself on, it also made me think about the communal aspect of "missing the mark". How does missing the mark collectively affect us? Affect others around us? It seems that isolation and misery end up being experienced on a grander scale, whether we're the ones causing that for others or others cause that for us.
That made me think of something that was curious for me at the time, but makes more sense now. We had been in Pardieu for a couple of days, and I was starting to ask myself why I was there. I knew what got us there, but I was feeling the "I don't speak the language, I'm not doing anything practical; what DIFFERENCE am I making here?" What I got in response was a sense of joy. In that moment, it seemed like God was saying, "I'm glad you're here! It's good you're here. You're hitting the right mark."
While I still don't know what long-term impact, if any, we had on that community, it's good to know that moving in the right direction brings those things God wants for all of us.
Beyond some situations in my own life where I know there are specific things I need to recalibrate myself on, it also made me think about the communal aspect of "missing the mark". How does missing the mark collectively affect us? Affect others around us? It seems that isolation and misery end up being experienced on a grander scale, whether we're the ones causing that for others or others cause that for us.
That made me think of something that was curious for me at the time, but makes more sense now. We had been in Pardieu for a couple of days, and I was starting to ask myself why I was there. I knew what got us there, but I was feeling the "I don't speak the language, I'm not doing anything practical; what DIFFERENCE am I making here?" What I got in response was a sense of joy. In that moment, it seemed like God was saying, "I'm glad you're here! It's good you're here. You're hitting the right mark."
While I still don't know what long-term impact, if any, we had on that community, it's good to know that moving in the right direction brings those things God wants for all of us.
Monday, July 21, 2008
A New Adventure
This weekend my church hosted a "Holy Spirit" day. For those not familiar with the Alpha Course, it's a day in a sequence of classes about different aspects of following Jesus where we explore who is the Holy Spirit, what does He do, etc. etc.
While there's much to say about THAT, what hit me after the end of the day is two different conversations I had with two different friends, which is making me think about new exciting adventures for this blog.
I'm still going to write about Haiti and our upcoming trip (and believe me, there are new things afoot with that- more later). I'm still going to write about my new journey into the realm of global social justice (and for those who are starting to read me and have left comments, thanks! I'd love to get a list of books you'd recommend).
I'm going to add posts on the adventures in life and faith that eventually led me to Haiti (and hopefully, points beyond). Probably also book reviews, since I'm uncovering books that I've collected over the years that deal with thoughtful action to help alleviate poverty.
So, thanks for those who are just starting to tune in! I'm looking forward to hearing back sometime soon.
While there's much to say about THAT, what hit me after the end of the day is two different conversations I had with two different friends, which is making me think about new exciting adventures for this blog.
I'm still going to write about Haiti and our upcoming trip (and believe me, there are new things afoot with that- more later). I'm still going to write about my new journey into the realm of global social justice (and for those who are starting to read me and have left comments, thanks! I'd love to get a list of books you'd recommend).
I'm going to add posts on the adventures in life and faith that eventually led me to Haiti (and hopefully, points beyond). Probably also book reviews, since I'm uncovering books that I've collected over the years that deal with thoughtful action to help alleviate poverty.
So, thanks for those who are just starting to tune in! I'm looking forward to hearing back sometime soon.
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