Dear Friend... Do you remember the FIRST TIME you rode a bike without training wheels?! (Um. Like 40 years ago, Jt?!) Ok. Yeah. Me neither. But perhaps the past few years alongside an "emerging HOPE family" here in the Heartland...we have been given some reminders of what that's like?! The exhileration of moving from early + clunky efforts = purposeful pedaling. Dizzying speed. Brilliant horizons. (The brilliant horizon below took my breath away during a prayer & retreat day at Buffalo Ridge; you should check it out: http://www.hiswayministries.org/ ) |
well, ok, yes: admittedly... It's often better in our heads--inside of our own imagination, huh?! The simple truth? Early-stage efforts (bike-riding 101) involves... Loads of energy. Precious little momentum. Pecarious Balance. And yet, dear ones, we press ahead... We peddle. We pray. And one day (for me this happened last year!) we look up from the mechanics just long enough to see a moving landscape! What?? Beyond the blacktop...flowers, trees, sunshine beaming through clouds on the horizon?!!! |
^^wow^^ The landscape. It's moving... Smiling faces eager to learn more about HOPE. New connections between local + global entrepreneurs. Church and Organizational Leaders pressing into collaboration. Brilliant stories God is telling thru the lives of HOPE clients + partners = the centerpiece of it all! |
a highlight of 2019 for me was meeting Aimable during our Staff Leadership Summit. He shared about his journey from prison to purpose, serving (now) on our Internal Audit team in Berundi. Moving Landscape! |
of course, even with movement... (especially then?!)...things get messy. all great ideas degenerating to work, as they say... |
but i'm standing by the lessons i learned in year two (https://myalbum.com/album/SH8eGUjghiqP) cute babies + white boards + cheerleaders = survival. |
the kleenex gift (right) may or may not have been torn open for tears later that very day! |
beyond survival: sunshine beaming through clouds on the horizon... |
so many cheerleaders peddling, praying, pressing ahead |
my regional team (pictured right) |
five events in the heartland last year. |
stout coffee from fav spots: amen! |
Friend, when we started... (the year before I joined the team at HOPE) 17 accounts in the Heartland Region gave just under $14,000 in 2016. Last year, in 2019, 108 accounts in the Heartland Region gave $659,000. That's the Heartland coming alongside more than 34,000 individuals & families (based on ave cost of $19.37 to serve a HOPE client/year). [Self-discipline here to refrain from waxing poetic about ALL of the non-financial, generational, communal, & spiritual implications here.] (Ok: maybe a smidge.) Dear ones: so many ways to tell the beautiful story God is writing in & through His people: community, love, dignity, fullness, generosity, life! |
With joy and anticipation |