27th July, 2010- A moment, not so monumental.
Power outage at work closed me down early for the night. (Well, i guess 8 p.m. isn't all that early.) Packed up my things and headed out into the storm. Don't know when it started or when it's going to end, all i know is that it made me smile. Walked through the rain, trying to navigate around dark puddles. No light from the buildings, seems the storm knocked out all the power on my street. The only light is provided by oncoming traffic and the lightning tearing up the sky. Bright light flashing - but there's no thunder to accompany the lightning and the rain. Sights of a storm, but not the sounds of one. I'm dancing around puddles and smiling because i can't help it. People take refuge in shops, but i just gotta dance! Then the sound of the Muslim Call to Prayer rips into the night air.
The rain, the honking, the calling... it was my perfect South Asia moment. So unique, yet so normal. I've had so many moments like this since i've been here, but for some reason- like the lightning in the sky, this moment struck me. As i walked under the cover of our apartment stairwell, my eyes felt blinded as they tried to adjust to an even darker darkness. Sitting silently below the staircase was our watchman, who soon piped up: "No current here, madam!" Oh good golly, it startled me so badly! "I didn't see you there! You scared me!" I laughed to him. He probably bobbled his head and smiled. I don't know, i didn't see. I laughed to myself the whole way up the stairs. The watchman's startling voice from the dark stairwell hadn't interrupted my moment, it added to it.
So here i am, standing in the dark, relying on flashes of lightning to recall this recent moment. It's a small tale, really. An unmonumental moment. But i know i'll remember it and i'll smile. And i know that i'll wish i recorded more moments like this. Hair dripping wet, feet muddy, eyes wide. South Asia- you're not so bad. Don't tell anyone this but, i'm going to miss these moments we shared.
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Thursday, July 1, 2010
5 Weeks for Freedom – From cotton fields in Alabama to rice mills in South Asia
I come to you moved to tears by this great organization that the good Lord has brought me to and the great work they do. Moved to sorrow by the slavery infecting our world today and the diseased mindset that it’s ok. Moved to anger by disgusting racism and degrading prejudice. But IJM stands against these things, and they do so with all their might.
Recently I learned about IJM’s new campaign: “5 Weeks For Freedom” (www.5weeksforfreedom.org), which just kicked off in Mobile, Alabama. 15 people are bicycling 1800 miles from Mobile, AL to Buffalo, NY along the Underground Railroad to raise awareness, funds, and to ignite a fight to “bring hope to the millions of people waiting for freedom.” The journey began on the 28th of June, aiming to remember the tragedy of slavery in our own history and to connect it with the new faces of slavery today. Learning about it stopped me in my tracks and left me truly inspired. It reminded me of the importance of our work. It reminded me that they are raising awareness for something that I’ve seen with my own eyes. It reminded me that I’m on the front lines. My heart beats faster every time I realize that I’m a part of it all. I’m fighting for freedom; how silly that I should forget it so often right here in the midst of it! It’d be like a soldier in battle forgetting that he’s at war. But today I see the battle and I remember why I’m fighting. More importantly, I see that this is a battle we can win. We are well-armed with great passion, great dedication, and great love. We fight and someday, we will win. Praise the Lord!
So many lives have been lost to slavery, scattered across all time and all space. Dreams are continually crushed and hearts constantly trampled. The past five years have taken me on a journey to awareness, which usually turned into anger, and often dissolved into helplessness. I’ve shed so many tears over these tragedies (past and present) and I’ve shouted curses at these repeated offenses, as if my shouts could be heard by all the slave-owners in the history of time. It’s me vs. them, I thought. I vented until I lost steam and faced total silence. I’d be lying if I said my education/experience hadn’t jaded me a little bit. I used to feel jaded without solutions. When I learned about this new campaign (5 weeks for freedom) all my questions, fears, frustrations, and feelings of uselessness came flooding back to me. But this time, they come back as mere memory and not reality. The good Lord has built up a dam around me against these unwelcomed feelings. They crash and break against me: dammed and damned. Satan can take that deceit back, cuz I don’t hear his lies today. We are not useless, and I am not helpless. I have a voice. I’m raising it. And I’m joined by millions. Can you hear that noise? I pray every day for continued love and support, for motivation and inspiration, for blessing and for victory. We serve a great God – a God of freedom. I write to you now, proud to serve an organization like IJM, thrilled to seek a God like Yahweh, and excited that you are supporting me in this endeavor.
Please take the time to learn more about IJM’s 5 Weeks for Freedom by visiting wwww.5weeksforfreedom.org. Watch the intro video to find out more details on this awesome campaign and the support we are rallying across the USA. If you feel led, you can make donations by clicking on the “getting involved” tab. If you are in the area, which all of you OHIOANS are, check out the “events” tab to find events near you (Cincinnati, Columbus, and Cleveland). [And in case you were wondering, Ohio actually had more Underground Railroad stations than any other state! Doesn’t that make you proud to be an Ohioan??] If nothing else, please pray for this amazing journey and tell your friends to do the same!
Signing off prouder than ever to serve IJM,
Lauren.Susan.
5 Weeks For Freedom Prayer Requests: Health and safety of the bikers. Success of IJM’s events (those already planned and those still being planned). That the needed funds will be raised. That new relationships would be formed and that everyone can get excited about IJM’s great work.
Recently I learned about IJM’s new campaign: “5 Weeks For Freedom” (www.5weeksforfreedom.org), which just kicked off in Mobile, Alabama. 15 people are bicycling 1800 miles from Mobile, AL to Buffalo, NY along the Underground Railroad to raise awareness, funds, and to ignite a fight to “bring hope to the millions of people waiting for freedom.” The journey began on the 28th of June, aiming to remember the tragedy of slavery in our own history and to connect it with the new faces of slavery today. Learning about it stopped me in my tracks and left me truly inspired. It reminded me of the importance of our work. It reminded me that they are raising awareness for something that I’ve seen with my own eyes. It reminded me that I’m on the front lines. My heart beats faster every time I realize that I’m a part of it all. I’m fighting for freedom; how silly that I should forget it so often right here in the midst of it! It’d be like a soldier in battle forgetting that he’s at war. But today I see the battle and I remember why I’m fighting. More importantly, I see that this is a battle we can win. We are well-armed with great passion, great dedication, and great love. We fight and someday, we will win. Praise the Lord!
So many lives have been lost to slavery, scattered across all time and all space. Dreams are continually crushed and hearts constantly trampled. The past five years have taken me on a journey to awareness, which usually turned into anger, and often dissolved into helplessness. I’ve shed so many tears over these tragedies (past and present) and I’ve shouted curses at these repeated offenses, as if my shouts could be heard by all the slave-owners in the history of time. It’s me vs. them, I thought. I vented until I lost steam and faced total silence. I’d be lying if I said my education/experience hadn’t jaded me a little bit. I used to feel jaded without solutions. When I learned about this new campaign (5 weeks for freedom) all my questions, fears, frustrations, and feelings of uselessness came flooding back to me. But this time, they come back as mere memory and not reality. The good Lord has built up a dam around me against these unwelcomed feelings. They crash and break against me: dammed and damned. Satan can take that deceit back, cuz I don’t hear his lies today. We are not useless, and I am not helpless. I have a voice. I’m raising it. And I’m joined by millions. Can you hear that noise? I pray every day for continued love and support, for motivation and inspiration, for blessing and for victory. We serve a great God – a God of freedom. I write to you now, proud to serve an organization like IJM, thrilled to seek a God like Yahweh, and excited that you are supporting me in this endeavor.
Please take the time to learn more about IJM’s 5 Weeks for Freedom by visiting wwww.5weeksforfreedom.org. Watch the intro video to find out more details on this awesome campaign and the support we are rallying across the USA. If you feel led, you can make donations by clicking on the “getting involved” tab. If you are in the area, which all of you OHIOANS are, check out the “events” tab to find events near you (Cincinnati, Columbus, and Cleveland). [And in case you were wondering, Ohio actually had more Underground Railroad stations than any other state! Doesn’t that make you proud to be an Ohioan??] If nothing else, please pray for this amazing journey and tell your friends to do the same!
Signing off prouder than ever to serve IJM,
Lauren.Susan.
5 Weeks For Freedom Prayer Requests: Health and safety of the bikers. Success of IJM’s events (those already planned and those still being planned). That the needed funds will be raised. That new relationships would be formed and that everyone can get excited about IJM’s great work.
Red, White, and Used.
As the fourth of July rapidly approaches, America prepares to celebrate Independence. Fireworks will light the sky and people will don their best reds, whites, and blues. We’ll throw out the word freedom over and over and over. But I wonder what it really means to most of us and I wonder how many of us truly appreciate it. Still, on the fourth day of July we stand behind our flag with confidence. I mean no disrespect (especially to those who have fought for freedom), but this July 4th I don’t know how to stand behind a flag. I don’t know how to celebrate my freedom while the freedom of so many is being taken away. This year I hope that anyone who is aware of the 27 million slaves worldwide will think of freedom as being much bigger than a roadside carnival with cotton candy and fireworks. It’s bigger even than red, white and blue. I am mindful of global slavery in an entirely new way and that means this Independence Day will be entirely different for me. This year, these lessons, won’t let me forget.
One month ago, I spent 2 days with rescued slaves, some who were born into slavery and others driven to it by poverty. I watched their hopeful, yet uncertain eyes as they saw their new reality: freedom. I had the great honor of twirling and running around with the beautiful little kids: kids who initially didn’t quite know how to play because they hadn’t really had the opportunity to do so before. (I hope to provide you more details about this experience later. It was so surreal, with plenty of amazing and an ample amount of terrible.) All that is to say, this year as Independence Day rolls around I won’t be singing God Bless America and I won’t be missing the firecrackers. I’ll be thinking of those faces of newly freed slaves not so long ago. I’ll be seeing a bigger picture of independence than I’ve ever seen before. I’ll be focused on IJM’s past success in freeing slaves and I’ll be aware of the work that lies ahead. As you prepare for July 4th, maybe you can join me in thinking on these things. Maybe freedom will take on a different meaning for all of us. Oh how great that would be! Glory, Glory, Hallelujah.
Freedom is not a given, let us use it well.
Lauren.Susan.
One month ago, I spent 2 days with rescued slaves, some who were born into slavery and others driven to it by poverty. I watched their hopeful, yet uncertain eyes as they saw their new reality: freedom. I had the great honor of twirling and running around with the beautiful little kids: kids who initially didn’t quite know how to play because they hadn’t really had the opportunity to do so before. (I hope to provide you more details about this experience later. It was so surreal, with plenty of amazing and an ample amount of terrible.) All that is to say, this year as Independence Day rolls around I won’t be singing God Bless America and I won’t be missing the firecrackers. I’ll be thinking of those faces of newly freed slaves not so long ago. I’ll be seeing a bigger picture of independence than I’ve ever seen before. I’ll be focused on IJM’s past success in freeing slaves and I’ll be aware of the work that lies ahead. As you prepare for July 4th, maybe you can join me in thinking on these things. Maybe freedom will take on a different meaning for all of us. Oh how great that would be! Glory, Glory, Hallelujah.
Freedom is not a given, let us use it well.
Lauren.Susan.
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