Amazing Friends

I am continually amazed by the people that we get to rub shoulders with while working here.  This morning I read a letter by a friend named Beth in a sister business up the road and her thoughts were just too good not to pass along.  I'd just link you to the letter, but it's pretty location specific.

About life where we live:
"It is dark, it is discouraging.  It is not fun or romantic.  We do not always see the fruit we want to, and often our pryers go unanswered.  I often question the goodness of G-d, and his absence in our lives here seems more prevalent than a felt presence.  Six years ago when I first came to ____, I pryed that G-d would send me to the place where people had the hardest time believing he was good.  Little did I know that I myself would become one of those people.  And yet, in the presence of darkness comes the freedom to be honest, with oneself, and with G-d.  I did not know what I was getting into, when I arrived…"

About how she sees her 'job':

"M_____ for me is not about recruiting people to the C_____ faith…it is deeper and less quantifiable…it is about journeying alongside people in their brokenness.  It is about celebration and mourning...and walking alongside friends who are seeking a voice to say they are valued, loved, and forgiven.  It is about fleshing out a mercy and grace that does not exclude any of us. M_______ is a fancy word we like to use to describe a job particularly overseas but in fact, the truth is our work, our call if you will, is to live out the promise of redemption…Our call is to dance the awkward dance of mourning and celebration…"

About how she sees our area: 

".....but as I looked about me, what I saw was a picture of the wedding feast of the Lamb…a very random group of misfits…a very perfect picture of Chr1st’s celebration feast…a table full of prostitutes, cross dressers, abusive bastards, and me…yes, and it is a picture of hope and promise.  It is the only table left I can think of worthy to sit at, when Chr1st makes all things new."