Choose Light

Choose Light

You have a choice.  Future generations are watching.   Dr. Howard Thurman, grandson of an enslaved woman, lays out the options:  I will light Candles this Christmas:Candles of joy despite all sadness,Candles of hope where despair keeps watch,Candles of courage for...
A Different Focus

A Different Focus

“So, how do you change hard places?” asked my new friend. “Oh, we don’t necessarily change them,” I responded, “Our aim is more profound.”  “What do you mean?  Then, why are you in hard places?”  Her curiosity was piqued. I answered, “We believe that lights can shine...
20 Years in Hard Places

20 Years in Hard Places

I woke early, rolled over, glanced at my phone. Coup d’état! My eyes popped wide open. Dignitaries arrested. Internet cut. Airport closed. Banks shuttered. Roads blocked. It was this country’s last straw. After a generation of armed sectarian clashes. And...
Transforming an Enemy into a Friend

Transforming an Enemy into a Friend

My blood pressure was climbing in that long airport security line. I impatiently shifted from one foot to the other as my line inched forward. Then I felt a tug on my backpack. A bit more irritated, I pivoted to investigate. Behind me stood a mom, eyes wide with fear...
Dignity in the Dark

Dignity in the Dark

His tears flowed. This refugee just couldn’t help it. You would have wept, too. He’d been a successful businessman. Then his home and business were bombed. He and his family are now displaced, skimping to survive in their own country. But that’s not why he burst into...