October 15, 2007
Dear Friends and Family,
This is starting to feel normal. The awkwardness of the beginning is fading. I am continually reminded of the enormous pile of things I don't know about life in Omaha when new responsibilities at the office surface or I become hopelessly disoriented on the streets of the city. But I happily note that my questions and confusion are cushioned in the context of deepening relationships with friends in Omaha, which bring a sense of familiarity.
At the office, I sit at my desk surrounded by photos of memories and dozens of post-its scribbled with my hardly legible notes from moments of inspiration and less inspiring phone messages. At the moment my file cabinets are organized exactly how I want them and I'm learning to put things where they belong. Currently, I am deep in the Servant Team application review process. A Servant Teams is a four-month trip that allows participants to spend some time with the international Word Made Flesh communities seeking intimacy with God and serving the poor in community. I coordinate the application process, which includes receiving applications and references and conducting phone interviews. Then I present all that information to the international community for review and collaboratively we start making decisions about team placement. I am excited and nervous to see the first applicants that I began the process with placed on teams and preparing to travel in February of next year.
At home I have arranged my books according to the color spectrum and I am brainstorming workable solutions for my oddly shaped closet. In the living room, I often find myself with a book in the chair we designated for reading. Recently, I have found myself deeply penetrated by books I read whether it is Philip Yancey's reflections on the Sermon on the Mount or Paulo Coehlo's descriptions of the interior life of his characters. My heart is awakening in new ways as I encounter God and humanity on the pages of books. I am encouraged to discover different ways of learning and growth as I move into this stage of my life.
In my first few months at Word Made Flesh, I have been well taken care of with all kinds of support from you. Financially, my support account is healthy. However, as I look to the future I am praying for more monthly supporters to stand with me consistently for the years I have committed to working at Word Made Flesh. Please consider supporting me monthly. I know so many of you pray for me. Please remember me in your prayers as my schedule at the office becomes busier and I work to stay connected to the heart of Jesus in our ministry at Word Made Flesh. Pray for me also as I am sensing a new season of growth in my life as well. Thank you so much for all the ways you offer your friendship and support.
Peace,
Marcia Ghali