Volunteer Service at the farm with some of our clients
It is the early hours of Tuesday morning when I slowly steered awake. My eyes quickly sought my beside table for my clock to see what time it is. I shuddered, when I realized that it is time for to get up. “Where did time go?” I wondered. Then I looked out of my window and muttered: “phew! it is raining” I looked beyond the rain to the beautiful sea of green leaves all around. Suddenly an unexpected peace and solitude enveloped me, I felt the presence of the Lord and an urge to listen more attentively to him. Deliberately and slowly, I raised myself to a sitting position on the bed, took a deep breath and gently slid down to the floor, or more precisely made myself comfortable in the prayer space in my room. Soon after I felt more relaxed after taking a few deep breaths and having thanked the Lord for the gift of yet another beautiful day.
I looked and saw that everything God created is indeed very good!
I sat there with no expectations, just a deep longing to be
with the Lord. I waited, but not for long. The more I yearned for God’s
presence, the more I hear the tack, tush, tack tush whistling sound of the rain.
I looked out the window again and told myself that spring must be the most
beautiful season of the year. Everything my eyes fell on sparkled with indescribable
beauty. Trees, and flower, even the bushes looked happy as they swayed to and
fro, as if dancing to a secret tune played by some invisible angelic being.
“But I must pray now!” I said out loud for the third time. I read
from Living with Christ lying beside
me. Since it is still Easter season, the
readings reminded me that those called by the name of the Lord are made perfect
through the power of his resurrection. Our weak and sinful nature may be a
curse unto us as a result of sin. But the power of Christ’s resurrection has
freed us from that burden and obtained eternal salvation for us.
Bus tour with some of our clients
The first reading talks also about perseverance in suffering,
and about how our “brothers and sisters all over the world” experience all
types of suffering. This phrase stayed with me for a long time. I thought about
all of God’s children who through no fault of theirs, are experiencing all
types of suffering all over the world. I held them in my heart and prayers,
especially a newly arrived refugee family of 8 which the agency I work with is resettling.
Before finally making it to the United States, this family lived
in a refugee camp somewhere in Africa for over 13 years, waiting, hoping and
praying for their springtime. They all have little or no formal education, so
could neither understand or communicate in English Language. They have seen/known
nothing but violence, wars, guns and killings. Though they will forever carry
the scars of their painful past lives, the glow I see on their faces after they
go here makes me believe that they have found their spring. Even though some scars
are still ongoing, such as their frail looking pregnant mother and her young teenage
alcoholic oldest son who has anger problems. I know that God will perfect hat
he has started. They may be poor, tired, emotionally and financially saturated,
yet I see the buddings of new life because the Lord of Springtime has brought
them in this land of the free and the home of the brave. Most importantly, it
will be spring henceforth for them because the Lord has promised to perfect the
works of his disciples by restoring all to himself. God will restore all their brokenness
and I am humbled to have the great opportunity to share his love with them and
all his anawims whom we serve daily. As long as we continue to be present,
offer our smiles, our prayers and support our clients are sure that their long
forgotten springtime has finally returned.
