Marwan and I met when I was in Jordan earlier this year visiting Syrian Refugee Camps. He stuck out right away because he was the only male teacher amongst several dozen female teachers. Moreover, as I watched him teach, I was struck by his energy and joy.
After observing him teach, we had lunch together and I heard his inspiring story. I’d like to share it with you.
Last Thursday afternoon, just before heading home to New York, I stood on Mount Nebo in Jordan and looked west to the Promised Land. Mount Nebo is where Moses stood at the end of his life, having led the Israelites in the desert for forty years, and died.
Today there is a modern Catholic church built over the remains of an ancient Byzantine church on Mount Nebo. The mosaics from the Byzantine church have been beautifully restored and are displayed as part of the modern church’s design.
Author’s note: The second part of this story reminds us that, even after the most terrible of disasters, we can find hope and healing. I hold onto this as we count the losses of the most recent series of tragedies we are enduring.
The morning after we received the Kumari’s blessing, my daughter and I set out to visit the epicenter of the massive earthquake that struck Nepal on April 25, 2015. The memory of the Kumari’s gaze calmed me as we sat in traffic making our way out of Kathmandu. Continue reading “The Kumari’s Blessing (Part Two)”
Starting on Sunday, as the scope and devastation of Hurricane Harvey became apparent, my email box began to fill with some version of: “What can I do to help?” I praise God for these emails.
When we see images of people suffering, we want to do something. That’s understandable.
As Christians, we are called to seek and serve Christ in all people and never more so than in times of crisis.
