Song for Sunday: God Who Touches Earth with Beauty

We sang this hymn in church this morning. It was written by Mary Susanne Edgar as a Sunday School Hymn, but is now very suitable for adult worship. The link I am posting to involves a Children's Choir, however.


The verse that struck me was:

Like the arching of the heavens 
lift my thoughts above, 
turn my dreams to noble action: 
ministries of love.

Time to stop procrastinating on some things, I guess. 


Anyway, enjoy a moment of worship with this beautiful song and have a blessed Sunday.

Beads, Beads, Beads

New Orleans is known for Mardi Gras and Mardi Gras is known for beads (among other things.)

Today was a day when two things that are important to me came to the forefront of our work here: the environment and opportunities for adults with intellectual disabilities.

The Mardi Gras Recycling Company is one of several projects run by the Arc of Greater New Orleans. Tens of thousands of pounds of the beads thrown from parade floats during Carnival Season are put into collection bins and sent to the Arc. There, workers who have intellectual disabilities sort, band, and bag them. Then they sell them back to the krewes (groups) that run parades. Today, a number of us helped them for a few hours. 

This isn't really recycling, it's reusing. That's even better for the environment, as recycling takes significant energy and can put things into the environment that might be better left out. It's worth noting that even with this project and a similar one in the city, most of the beads still end up in landfills. Since the beads are plastic, they'll stay there forever. Quite sad, really. 

Another thing to note is that the workers at the Arc get at least minimum wage, not the piece or percentage rates of sheltered workshops. They also receive training so they can get better jobs later. 

We also toured the French Quarter today and learned a new word. More on that tomorrow. Oh, and by the way, we learned that while the unsavory or risque aspects of Carnival & Mardi Gras get tons of press, much of it is very family friendly. 

What programs do  you know of that do well helping the environment or people with disabilities or both? What causes are important to you?

Song for Sunday: For the Fruit of All Creation

We sang this song in church this morning and two parts grabbed my attention.

In our worldwide task of caring
for the hungry and despairing,
in the harvests we are sharing,
God's will is done.

and

For the wonders that astound us,
for the truths that still confound us,
most of all that love has found us,
thanks be to God.

The first, I suppose, is because of the spotlight those words shine on missions and justice ministry.  We are called to serve our neighbors, wherever they may be. 

 The second, because I have been reading An Acceptable Time by Madeleine L'engle and that story emphasizes the mysterious nature of God. We really can't understand God fully. We must, for now, except some darkness in our comprehension of Him.

It is also a beautiful hymn, written in 1970 by Fred Pratt Green and using the tune of the Welsh folk song, 

Ar hyd y nos. I hope you enjoy "For the Fruit of All Creation."

Inclusive?

Inclusiveness is a positive thing, right? I have always thought so. At CYC we have practiced "intentional inclusivity" for decades, though I am not sure we call it that anymore. Basically, we make sure that every member of our community is part of all our programs and activities in a way that is good for them.

Recently, I heard of a different take on inclusion.

In preparing to go to  Burma, we were advised to call the country "Myanmar" in public because that is what the government wants it to be called.

When we got there, we discovered that that's really not very crucial ... the government isn't concerned overmuch with what tourists call the country, They have chosen to call it Myanmar. They say it is more "inclusive" because "Burma" refers only to the majority ethnic group, the Burmese, while "Myanmar" covers everybody.

We thought that was good, because inclusion is a good thing.

So we believed (and do believe as regards how inclusion is viewed here)

However we were later  told that the government in Myanmar wasn't being positive about inclusion. There attitude is more one of control. Also, they chose "Myanmar" from one of the darkest periods of the history of that nation. They are using the name and the idea of inclusion to assert authority, not to foster equality.


Oh. Well, that's a different story isn't it? The Burmese people in refugee camps outside the country prefer "Burma," even though that's a name that British put on them. Burma is the name I learned and the one used by the people who love the country so that is what I will continue to use.

All this did make me reflect on inclusion, though, and attitudes surrounding it. It may be good to consider why we want to be inclusive and how we want to be inclusive. Certainly it is good to examine how others are using words and what they mean by them.

What are your thoughts?
 

Song for Sunday: Silver & Gold

I was recently the guest of people who had almost nothing. Typically, they eat meat once per week , giving that up when their is a need to use funds to minister in Christ's name to  those around them. However, they fed my companions and I meat twice a day. They went out of their way to pay for cabs, tourist attractions and restauruant meals. They bought us oranges to have as we listened to speakers. They were generous.

I also chatted with a missionary friend who is thrilled that she and her boss are breaking their organization out of "scarcity thinking" to a new reliance on God's abundance.

Oh, yeah, and I like Rudolph....




So here's today's "Song for Sunday": Silver & Gold as sung by Burl Ives in the 1964 TV special Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer."

Merry 4th Day of Christmas!!

Christmas tree in Burma. Plenty of silver and gold. 

Girls & Women

A friend of mine was concerned about the girls of Burma and wanted to learn how they were faring. Here is what I have seen or found out.

 

 

Girls are welcome in Burma's schools. I saw many in the traditional green and white uniforms with bright yellow hair ribbons. Girls can go through the mandatory primary school years and move on to middle school and high school and then join a university at 16 or 17. However, the education situation in the villages isn't all that good for anybody and about 2/3 -3/4 of all children in areas of ethnic conflict drop out of school before fifth grade. More on that in a future post.

 

The seminary we visited started as a women's Bible school and still has more female than male students and many go onto the Myanmar Institute of Theology to earn an M.Div. I am not aware of the student bodies of other schools, but my sense was that women were involved. 

 



Throughout our stay, we saw women in a variety of roles -- immigration workers, airport guards, gas station attendants, waitresses, cashiers, tourist

Exhibition guide who was
intrigued by Jordan

guides, travel agents, store owners, Bhuddist nuns, seamstresses, photographers, nurses, university lecturers and pastors. Women serve in the government and have the ability to interact with government. In fact, the person from the P.K. Baptist Conference who speaks to government officials when injustices arise is a woman and she is both respected and effective.  Generally, we saw girls and women moving around without fear. A government publication noted that women are safe in Myanmar and indeed we never felt threatened on the streets.

 

Unfortunately, it is not all good news. We also saw women begging, often with small children in their laps. I have read that when families can’t afford school fees for all of their children that girls are more likely to lose out on education than boys. That’s true in many parts of the world.

 

The most troubling news regards sexual exploitation. The pamphlet entitled “Do’s and Don’ts for Tourists” is published by the government and urges visitors to practice safe sex. It shows a cartoon sex worker and a potential client wondering if she has HIV. It notes that prostitution is illegal in Myanmar.

 

While we were there, our host noted that recently the P.K. Baptist Conference had rescued 17 girls of one village from human trafficking. Their families had been tricked into believing they would be given good, safe jobs. The woman who works on justice issues spoke to government officials and they were able to locate the girls and return them to their families. Many girls are not so fortunate – thousands from the villages are sold into sextourism. That, fortunately, has not yet taken hold in Myanmar. Most of the girls are taken to neighboring Thailand. Some go voluntarily, believing that it sex work is the best option for supporting their families. Sadly, they will be exploited and most likely end up with HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases. They are far more likely than not to die young.

 

Still, it is hopeful that Myanmar’s government seems to be taking steps to nip sextourism in the bud. Also, they do seem to try to protect village girls when they are made aware of situations.

 

Many girls and women in Burma are doing well. Others are in a precarious or even dangerous position. So prayer list for girls and women in Myanmar:

 

That education will be consistently available

That sextourism will be kept out of Burma

That girls will be safe from safe from human trafficking

That justice will prevail

 

Thank you!!

 

 

 

 

Besides my own observations and conversations, I gathered information from the following sources:

Can Burma Avoid the Curse of Sex Tourism?
http://www.oxfordburmaalliance.org/education-in-burma.html

Taking Risks

There are always risks in travel and more in traveling to developing nations.

We have found a few risks.

I have not, as people insisted I would, needed to watch my son every second. When he got bored at the celebrations (there were some long sessions - giving out awards, extended sermons, etc., all in Burmese) he went to other places in the compound. He could visit stalls, look at the exhibition, or use the computer in the seminary president's office. It is a very safe place, full of Baptists. The worst that happened was that he got his picture taken about 10 million times by people not used to seeing a white child. Outside the compound I have been more vigilant, although at our guest house he can go down to the lobby on his own.

Food, of course, requires care. Jordan took a calculated risk tonight and ate a club sandwich with raw vegetables. At a fine hotel that caters to westerners, though, so most likely not a problem. I'll let you know tomorrow when I post more about food.

Driving is an adventure. There aren't always seatbelts and it's a "blow & go" system. Lean on the horn and pass. Pedestrians have to get out of the way. We have a local driver; we are not crazy enough to get behind the wheel ourselves. Still, it's nowhere near as safe as driving at home.

Then, there is the fire risk. The electrical systems, including the one at our guest house, appear dodgy. There is only one way in and out and that is gated and locked at night. It's worrying.

This trip, though, is thoroughly worth the risks. We have met amazing people and seen wonderful sights. We have been blessed and hope that we have been a blessing. We are learning so much, too! We will have many things to report about ministries, needs, prayer requests, etc when we come back.

As I said, it's worth the risk and we trust that if God called us here he will bring us safely home.

We are all a bit ill, sharing a virus, but it doesn't seem to be a horrible one. Just a tough cold.

We do ask your prayers for our health and safety.

And God bless your day!!

Song for Sunday: Carry the Light

Yesterday at the Judson Celebrations in Myanmar the choir of Christ Church in Ahlone sang this song written by a Southern Baptist Missionary Carla Gonyo especially for the bicentennial anniversary. We were very touched by it.

Here are a few quotes and a link so you can listen to it sung...

"When Judson left America he said, 'This is my delight.
The will of the Father I do with all my might.
I will go to a nation who has never heard before.
I will sacrifice all that I am, no matter what's in store
I'll carry the light...."




"He suffered many hardships, his wife and children died.
But in prison the Word was a pillow for his head.
God's soveriegnty afforded that by you it might be read.."







The great, great, great grandauther
of the man who rescued the Burmese
Bible from the prison trash heap.



"Judson was to you what another was to him.
Handed down, carried on and now it's yours to send.
Jesus is that light, the only way to get to Heaven.."

"Carry the light to Ka'chin, to the Wah, Shan and Chin
Carry the light to Danu, to Rakhine, Kayah, Lahu
Carry the light to Pa-O, to Palong, Karen and Mon
Carrry the light..."




Reconciliation between ethnic groups is a major theme of this conference, thus the listing of the groups in the song.




Here's a link so you can hear it in full:

Carry the Light

                      

                          Carla Gonyo, author of 

                         "Carry the Light" 

Blessings on your Sunday!!

Inherited Honor

Here at the Judson Celebrations, American Baptists are honored.  Why? Because 200 years ago it was two Americans who brought the gospel to Burma. Really, I haven't done anything to deserve this personally, it's all because of the ancestors.

200 years ago, Adoniram and Ann Hasseltine Judson arrived in Burma sick, discouraged and feeling terribly alone. By the grace of God, they survived and learned to teach and preach in Burma. Now, the Burmese consider them theirspiritual parents. It goes the other way, too. Roy Medley, General Secretary of ABC/USA, spoke . He described the Baptist church as "our first children in the faith, now grown and matured and working shoulder to shoulder with us to build God's kingdom." He also called on them to work for peace and justice.

One of the government speakers also asked them to work for peace and unity. He told them he was excited to see the ethnic groups gathered together for celebration.

Historically, there has been much unrest between the ethnic groups in Burma. Some of them, anyway. The government representive tasked the visitors to work for peace a united Mysnmar. Later, we enjoyed dances and songs from various ethnic groups (plus Japan) and others will perform on the other nights. Because this was the opening ceremony many people dressed in their traditional village clothing. (Jordan and I purchased and wore Karen outfits.) Much of this reminds me of the Intercultural Conference I attended last summer. A different set of ethnic groups but the same goal: unite in Christ while preserving and honoring the various cultures.

Have a blessed day!

Views of Worship

In the last few days, we have observed much worship.

The Buddhists we encountered were deeply reverential as they acted out their faith at the pagodas and sometimes in the streets. They used many forms of worship -- meditating on their knees, washing statues, presenting food and flowers as offerings and giving gifts of food and money to the monks. They insist on appropriate decorum and modest dress in the pagodas. You must remove your shoes and socks as a sign of respect, to help keep the place clean and damage free and because traditonally Buddhists are not to be taught wearing shoes. Honoring Buddha seems the center of what they do.

(The pagodas were breathtaking. The architecture, art work, and history are all very impressive.  See Jordan's photo blog for more on that.)

In the midst of Buddhists at Shwe Dagon, I was surprised to see two Muslims in front of a shrine that faced East, praying in their traditional fashion. It was interesting to think that they were praying to one god, while kneeling in front of another. It's the heart that counts I guess. The Buddhists did not seem to notice this happening so perhaps it is a frequent occurence. Devout Muslims will pray at the appointed times regardless of the setting. They are constant.

Tonight 10,000 Christians gathered for a concert blended with worship. There was excitement and joy. People were glad to be together to sing about Christ and to honor the Judsons. My participation was limited by Jordan's brief bout with traveler's stomach. Also, a few songs were in English but most of the  program was in Burmese or maybe Karen. Their were Christmas songs like "Feliz Navidad" and "Mary's Boy Child" included and much of the music was rock style. Our companion, Mei Oo, would summarize the preaching. "He's telling us to think and follow God's plan for our life." " He's talking about Jesus as the Shepherd." But, with all that, it was amazing to be a part of it.  Real worship is exciting.


Let us learn to approach Christ in awe and reverence. Let us learn to be constant in faith and prayer. May the excitement be palpable even when it is just two or three gathered in Jesus' name.

God bless your day!

Adapting

Flexibility is key when your traveling, especially when your traveling to cultures and places very different from your own.

We are adjusting -- to heat and crowds, old buildings, cold showers that are a nozzle in the wall of the bathroom, heavy traffic and a lack of seatbelts. All kinds of things.

We are adjusting, too, to a last minute change in the composition of our group because of a sudden illness that kept two from flying with us from LA. It'll change what we are going to do,  but God will make a way for us to be useful, I am sure.

We were met at the airport by the head of the seminary and his colleagues who drove us to the guest house and took care of our bags. They have dinner planned for us tonight at the school and also told us that they will give us a tour of the city tomorrow. This was totally unexpected and we are very grateful. Not all the things we have to adapt too are difficult.

Our flight was loooooong but even Jordan handled it fine and we had no problems with luggage, customs, security and all that. We made all our connections despite a delay out of LA. We arrived here late, but all was well.

We are getting our feet under as and recovering from jet lag. We look forward to adventure!


What are you adapting to?

Time and Travel. Time Travel?

Our trip is underway. We are excited, nervous, happy, panic-y, a million things.  Here's some of what we had to pack, along with clothes, gifts and toiletries:

 For the moment, more than anything, this trip  has me wondering about the mechanics of time.

We started out on EST time or GMT - 5 hours. Now we are in LA on PST or GMT - 8 hours. Next, we are on a plane for 24 hours and when we land we'll be 11 1/2 hours ahead of Boston. 11 1/2. I had to go looking for the reason for the 1/2. Of all things, it has its roots in the British Colonial Railway System in India. Despite it's large size, India has only one time zone, established well over a century ago to keep the trains running on time. Go figure.

Where we are headed, they don't acknowledge time zones established by England's Royal Observatory back in 1884. No reason they have to. They go by the Indian time zone. By the sundial, there is a 90 minute difference from the east side to the west side of India. We will be just east of the east side of India and so end up with the extra half hour.

Then there is the International Date Line. On the way over, we will skip an entire day. On the way back we get the same day twice. Jordan, musing on this, thought we would be traveling back in time on our way home. And, I suppose, into the future one day on the way there. Time travel. Well, in a manner of speaking.

Time --- today was the perfect time for a tour of LA, our guide told us.  A Saturday so we didn't have to contend with traffic. A day clearer of pollution than most. Excellent weather, though that is typical of LA. So we picked the right time to have our stopover. Our pre-tip adventure. Also, it's helping us adjust more slowly to new time zones and warmer weather -- timely advnatages. A real blessing to have this addition to our trip.

One final aspect of time I am deliberating on -- that day we will be missing is the First Sunday of Advent, the Christian New Year. So I will miss this low-key celebration this year. It makes me wonder -- does the New Year start for me, then? How does it change things that a day of the year - this day in particular -- will not exist? On one level, silly. The day goes on at home. I am on their time. But the overall celebration of Advent may be largely missing for me. It is a time of spritual preparation for Christmas and the Incarnation. My sense is that Baptists in Myanmar are nonliturgical and don't do much, if anything, to obsrve Advent. Plus, the worship services we attend will be largely focused on thanking God for the ministry of the Judsons 200 years ago. How will this change Christmas?

I don't know. Things may be different, but very worth it. To be with these brothers and sisters, to join in their celebrations of their spiritual parents, to see the place where Ann and Adoniram worked -- these are priceless, once in a lifetime opportunities, and I am deeply grateful for them.

What are your thoughts on time?

Song for Sunday: Come Holy Spirit, Dove Divine

The second Sunday of June is "Judson Sunday" for Baptists in Burma. The congregations there plan celebrations in memory of Adoniram and Ann Judson whom they see as their spiritual parents. This year mark the 200th Anniversary of the Judsons arrival in Rangoon so the festivities will be exuberant this year. The major observance, however, is being held in December, because July is the rainy season. In December, Baptists from around the world will gather for four days of worship, remembrance and fellowship.

Amidst his other accomplishments (his translation of the Bible in Burmese is still in use), Adoniram wrote this hymn which is included in Baptist hymnals to this day.

Come, Holy Spirit, Dove divine,
On these baptismal waters shine,
And teach our hearts, in highest strain,
To praise the Lamb for sinners slain.

We love Your name, we love Your laws,
And joyfully embrace Your cause;
We love Your cross, the shame, the pain,
O Lamb of God, for sinners slain.

We sink beneath the water’s face,
And thank You for Your saving grace;
We die to sin and seek a grave
With You, beneath the yielding wave.

And as we rise with You to live,
O let the Holy Spirit give
The sealing unction from above,
The joy of life, the fire of love.

Click here to hear the music to this hymn, which was composed by H. Percy Smith and is used for other hymns as well. 

For a quick overview of the lives of  Adoniram and Ann Hasseltine Judson, try this article and this one.  The books Bless God and Take Courage by Rosalie Hall Hunt and To The Golden Shore by Courtney Anderson are recommended for further study. 

Or if you are a teen come to CYC and learn their story there. Our men's and women's camps are named after these amazing pioneers of the faith. This years dates are August 4-17, it meets in Maine and there is still time to register!

Two Hundred Years Ago Today

It was July 13, 1813 that Adoniram and Ann Judson first set eyes on Rangoon.

Already, they had experienced much adjustment and loss. Ann's best friend Harriet Newell, just 19, had died in childbirth. Ann's baby had been stillborn. They had not been allowed to stay in India. Following their consciences, they had switched denominations and now were unsure of their support.

Ann was so weak she couldn't stand. Adoniram was weary and depressed.

These were the eyes through which they first saw the pagodas of Burma. It was the dreary monsoon season. The streets looked drab and dirty to Adoniram's eyes and that's what he conveyed to Ann.

Ann had to be carried from the ship. They went to the home of Felix Carey and found that he was away. Servants made them as comfortable as they could. With rest and prayer, their spirits rebounded and they began to see the beauty and possibility around them.

These pioneer missionaries went on to accomplish much and to suffer much for the kingdom of Christ. They never gave up, never turned back.

If you would like to learn more about the Judsons, I recommend Rosalie Hall Hunt's book, Bless God and Take Courage. It is highly readable, even for younger folks and contains much information about the Judson's lives and legacy.


Who do you see as role models of the Faith?






I first  learned about the Judsons at the Christian Youth Conference at Ocean Park. If you have teens, they would enjoy this leadership development conference that provides an experience of Christian community on the beautiful southern coast of Maine. This year's dates are August 4-17th and their is still time to register.

Multicultural Experience --Sort of

How did you hear about the Conference? Do you go to this church?

I heard that question a lot today. I was a guest speaker at a conference and was, for much of the time, the only white person present.

I had a great time. I was speaking to (and re-enacting for) a national youth and young adult group. They have a direct connection to the woman I re-enact and their host church had invited me. They are first and second generation Americans. This group was using English, unlike their parents down the hall.  They also dressed like typical American teens and twenty-somethings and their t-shirts proclaimed American interests. This makes sense. They grew up here. They fit in at their schools and colleges. In some ways this was not an intercultural experience because we all share American culture.

 On the other hand, these young folks enjoy their annual weekend conference when they gather as Christians of their specific ethnicity, so much so that they are resisting attempts to make it biennial.

From the moment I walked in this morning, I was welcomed, even by people who didn't know why I was there. I was greeted, directed to the food line, spoken too by everyone. People were curious about my presence, though. I kinda stood out.

Finally, my contact was located, I was given information and shown to my room. Everyone smiled, everyone was friendly. The youths included me in their worship and games.

I couldn't quite get over a sense of being "other", though. Probably because I was.

I mean, yes, we are all brothers and sisters in Christ, yes we all live in the same country,  speak the same language and know the same songs. Still, they were gathered because of ethnicity and I was different. Which is part of what intercultural worship, ministry, and cooperation is about. Being different together.

When I was done speaking I stayed for worship and then excused myself when we got to a long break.

I had enjoyed myself and was grateful for the chance to be part of the celebration.

When have you been involved in an event for another culture?

 

Song for Sunday: Ice Cream

I scream,

 you scream, 

we all scream

 for ice cream!!

Ok. I am being silly, but it's hot out there. 

So today's Song for Sunday is to help us all feel cooler. At least a little. Plus, my son and I are running an ice cream social tonight at our church to help raise funds for the mission trip we are taking to Burma in December. 

So, this is just for fun, but if fits. :)

What's your favorite flavor of ice cream?

Up in Ocean Park, ME, where the Christian Youth Conference at Ocean Park meets, there is a soda fountain with fabulous raspberry lime rickeys and all kinds of ice cream. CYC also provides worship, learning and recreational opportunities to high schoolers for two weeks every August. Check it out!

Rambling

I have no time to blog today. I need to sew like crazy to have the dress done by tomorrow. I signed up for the Ultimate Blogging Challenge, though, so I am going to blog anyway. I don't want to get too far behind.

I get to be somebody else tomorrow. I'll be doing an historical re-enactment of Ann Hasseltine. Re-enacting is rather a geeky hobby, I suppose. I larp, too, which is even geekier, but I am proud of my nerdiness, so I am happy.


Well, that is really all I have time for.  And it's kind of a cheesy post. Maybe I'll upgrade it sometime.

Anyway, have a blessed day!!

Adoniram Judson's Prayer for More Missionaries

Just a prayer. It resonates today, though the world is now on our doorstep as much as it is overseas  (and the word "heathen" isn't exactly pc)...

O God, have mercy on the churches in the United States…
continue and perpetuate the heavenly revivals of religion
which they have begun to enjoy;
and may the time soon come when no church shall dare
to sit under Sabbath and sanctuary privileges
without having one of their number to represent them on heathen ground.

Have mercy on the theological seminaries,
and hasten the time when one half of all who yearly enter the ministry
shall be taken by thine Holy Spirit,
and driven into the wilderness,
feeling a sweet necessity laid on them,
and the precious love of Christ and of souls constraining them.

Hear, O Lord, all the prayers
which are this day presented in all the monthly concerts
throughout the habitable globe,
and hasten the millennial glory,
for which we are all longing, and praying, and laboring…
Come, O our Bridegroom; come, Lord Jesus!

~Adoniram Judson

Two Hundred Years Ago Today

Adoniram and Ann Hasseltine Judson, along with Samuel and Harriet Atwood Newell, sailed on the Caravan for  Calcutta, leaving from Salem, MA. Newly married, newly commissioned and ranging in age from 19 to 24, they were true pioneers.

And so we remember them.


Harriet --still only 19-- became the first US missionary martyr when she died from complications of childbirth and a tropical fever just a few months later.

Samuel carried on, working in Madras, but I know little of his story.

Ann and Adoniram becamc Baptists and ended up working in Burma. Their main work was Bible translation. This was accomplished mostly by Adoniram, but Ann translated the book of Jonah and some other portions into Burmese. She also learned Siamese (Thai) and translated the first portion of Scripure -the Book of Matthew -- into that language. She was also instrumental in preserving the manuscript when Adoniram went to prison in 1824. They labored six long years before they had a single convert to Christianity. They are amzong examples of faith, courage and perserverance.


And so we celebrate them, with worship services here and in Burma (Myanmar), giving thanks to God for their life and work.

It was noted that it would have benn middle aged white men who initially voted the missionary organization that sent the Judsons into being.  But yesterday at worship, the congregation had no majority in terms of age gender or ethnicity. The largest group present were Burmese refugees.


Ann and Adoniram knew that God was for everyone. That's why they went to India and eventually to Burma. Let us remember their thinking and introduce God to everyone and everyone to God.

Have a blessed day.

Judsons waiting.

Isaiah 40:31 But they that wait on the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

After Judson's commissioning, Ann and Adoniram entered into a time of waiting. They had to wait until clear weather allowed the Caravan to sail.  It wouldn't be until February 17 that they would board the ship and it was February 19 when they embarked.

We know little of what they did in that time. As newlyweds, I am sure they were learning to know each other. Probably, they spent time with the family and friends they were leaving behind forever. Certainly, they would have been praying. They may have been tempted toward anxiety because of all the unknowns facing them. They moved forward however, relying on God

We all have times of waiting and uncertainty. Here is a prayer for them, written by Thomas Merton:

My Lord God, I have no idea where I am going.
I do not see the road ahead of me.
I cannot know for certain where it will end.
Nor do I really know myself,
and the fact that I think I am following your will
does not mean that I am actually doing so.
But I believe that the desire to please you
does, in fact, please you.
And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing.
I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire.
And I know that if I do this
you will lead me by the right road,
though I may know nothing about it.
Therefore, I will trust you always though
I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death.
I will not fear, for you are ever with me,
and you will never leave me to face my perils alone.


May all your times of waiting be well repaid.

Have a blessed day!