March 3

March 2, 2014

Dear Friends and Family,

Sheep (and goat) without a shepherd

We awoke this morning to heavy snow, though not like the snows many of you in IA and MD have been experiencing. It was just wet and heavy. Sometime during the night, the rains sogged up the fallen snow.  We enjoyed the surprise and the beauty anyway. Later this afternoon, one of the young guys wanted to cook a recipe from his new Indian (in Asia) cookbook (Remember many don’t have kitchens because we eat in the dining hall.), so we enjoyed lamb curry with him and some friends. What a treat! Anyway, lamb became the segue for what I had intended to write about all along.

Earlier this week I was reading in Mark 6 the familiar story of Jesus feeding the 4,000. Notice how Jesus had compassion on the multitudes because they were like  sheep without a shepherd. Jesus’ compassion was noted by the disciples, but they didn’t understand at that time that they were Jesus’ hands and feet. He said, “You feed them.” (37) Huh, what?! Yes, feed the hungry, tired, seeking crowd with what you have. (38) And as our example, Jesus was generous with his healing touch. (56)

We are challenged to be shepherds to these children every day. Each person on the staff has one specific child to mentor. My child is already a joyous Christian who seems eager to learn and please Jesus. I also acquired another child last week,  because the entire staff cannot always be in chapel, and M* will not call herself a Christian because she admits there are still things in her life that she wants to cling to -- like a sheep yearning to roll around in the dirt instead of following the Good Shepherd. The school year is almost ¾ over, and we feel strongly that we must be diligent to bring in the sheep.

We love you all,

Fresh eggs anyone?

At the Petrified Forest