We began this year in gratitude for things we've taken for granted in the past. We're thankful for the freedom to work on behalf of others and the awareness that if we're ever to make a difference in this world, it will be by loving.
Transformation
Because of the events of September 11, my annual retreat to Snowmass was delayed until January. For years it has been a place where I go to live in silence with other retreatants for ten days. Amazing thing, I always return knowing something I didn't know before.
There's a wonderful monk in Snowmass by the name of Theophane. He has written a book of stories called Tales of a Magic Monastery. One of his stories is:
"The House of Perfect Love"
As I was strolling around the grounds, I came across one building with a sign outside: "House of Perfect Love." Don't ask me why I didn't go in. I didn't even look in, but hurried away.
The next morning, when I was leaving, I saw a beggar at the foot of the hill, and stopped to give him some money. "why are you weeping?" he asked.
"Me? I'm not weeping."
"You're not weeping outside, but you're weeping inside."
It was true. I was weeping inside because I hadn't been man enough to go into that house. I was afraid there'd be a cross there. When I admitted this to him, he said, "I can understand that. My own name used to be Fear. I know that sometimes we just can't go into the magic place - but then maybe we can go into the REAL place. And sometimes it's the other way around - we can manage the magic place, but not yet the REAL place. Why don't you sit down here beside me? Together we'll go into the real House of Perfect Love. People won't suspect a thing. They''ll just think we're poor beggars. They'll look down on us, and give us their money." God bless that beggar.
We are all asked to enter the House of Perfect Love, but when we can't there is this other way. How often I hear people tell of being transformed by their acts of kindness!
Qerim and Blerim Gjocaj
On my first trip to Kosova in 1999, I met a wonderful man in Junik. He was the principal of the elementary school. When I returned to Kosova in January last year, I met two of his sons who had been seriously injured during the war and were in need of further treatment. After months of work on the part of many people, Qerim arrived here in December.
Soon after his arrival Qerim underwent his 14th surgery - this one to remove scar tissue. He is in the process of being fitted for a prosthetic for his right hand. We expect his brother, Blerim to arrive in the next couple of months.
The greatest gift we give Qerim is not the needed surgery and his new hand. It is the gift of ourselves that says to him, "We are your brother, sister, mother, and father."
Containers
Today a young man came by the office with Bob Striler. According to Bob, he's been preparing for this visit for about two months. That's the time it took him to figure out when he would have enough money ($7,000) to send a 40-foot container of clothes to Uganda. He will then fly to Mambosi where the ship docks to escort it to its destination - Sudanese refugee camps in Uganda.
David is from the Sudan and has been here since 1994. He has a wife and child that he supports with his night security job and goes to school during the day. We expected that he was appealing to churches or individuals for that money but he said, "I'm saving that money and I will have it by September." It's easy to see that with a few more Davids in the world, there would be no poverty.
Conclusion
It is right for us to live in gratitude for so many blessings and to look for new ways to respond to a hurting world. Thank you for joining with us to answer the cry of our suffering neighbor.
In Gratitude,
Rae England
Executive Director