A Year of Blessings and more to come....
Harpenden and The School of Reconciliation and Justice How does one sum up what incredible blessings flow when we learn how to build a community that seeks to work together with a heart for moving out to train others to solve community problems.
For part of the group, we went to Belfast to work in area of the city where YWAM NI has been working in the midst of various other organizations that are helping to make a difference in this war-torn area. There are still walls that separate Protestants and Catholics, but often those walls are in the minds and attitudes of people that live in the inner city. But gradually the Church and agencies are making a difference. The team started a sports club and worked with neighborhood kids. Sports and reconciliation issues go hand in hand. As the youth of that neighborhood gathered together, we learned a lot about the issues that need to be changed in the lives of this youth. In an area where each family is defined as Catholic or Protestant, we found most of these young people had no concepts about who God is. 
One draws a crowd with the team is from Rwanda, Nigeria and India...and they have lots to share about how to live together peacefully. More than football was being learned. As we sat together and started talking about life, hopefully hearts were also learning new values that will bring change.Another blessing of this year: Our Journey of Understanding group that went to Israel/Palestine in July. A mix of Americans, Irish and Brits makes for a lively trip of learning about each other's views on the world at the same time tackling learning about the people of Israel and Palestine. The trip is designed for each participant to meet people who live in the midst of this conflict and to ask more questions about how can we pray and how can we help to see transformation happening. Always challenging to one's own journey of forgiveness and concepts of what this conflict is all about. Lots to learn from the people of the Middle East. If you have time, come with us on one of these trips.
The posts below have also been a part of the blessings as I so enjoyed seeing Yan Yan lead her first School of Intercultural Studies. You can see more on that story in the last post.
The Fall saw me heading home and the blessings of the fall have been the friends and family who have seen me through this crazy career. Living with so many different cultures this year, it was also a blessing to go home to Texas and to soak up a bit of my "Texas" flavor. It was a blessing to see my Father and to have time with him after many years as well as to meet my first "great niece". I could keep going on this blessing list.
So finally I ended 2010 with two wonderful Christmas celebrations. One ranged from a party for Chinese students in Luton to celebrating with my friends here at the Oval and watching Facebook for new pictures and events at home.
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| celebrate, celebrate, celebrate |
So a new year is coming and new friends will join us for the next School of Reconciliation and Justice very soon. As I have worked this year in areas of conflict both here and with my friends from around the world, there have been days when I have seen more of the sorrow of living with the challenges of this life, but there has always been a way forward with God's mercy and grace leading the way. And so I've also experienced so much more joy seeing what our God can accomplish through us. So be encouraged in these days, God is able to teach us how to live with hope.
I wish each of you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Thank you for you love and concern through the years. I am so grateful for you as well. May your days be filled with new revelations of God's love for you and for this incredible world we have been given. Keep praying!
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| And to all a peaceful new year |
