Word Made Flesh is a contemplative community. One of the ways that we contemplate what God is doing in the world and in our lives is through the reflection articles that we write. We invite you to read, learn, and celebrate with us.
The home behind the old wooden fence…
Do You Love Your Neighbors Pt. 2
Last week, I wrote about loving your neighbor. Or, rather, how I had witnessed another Word Made Flesh community loving their neighbors really, really well. I wrote about how they had inspired me and how I wanted to pursue friendship and community here in Kigali in the same way that they do in Kroo Bay. Turns out,…
Privilege
I LEFT THAILAND about 1 month ago, but it seems much longer. Life is slower when you live at home and don’t have a job. Culture shock is real and I’ve been experiencing it, whether obviously or subtly. Thankfully, I’ve had plenty of time processing with friends who (for whatever reason) are more than willing…
Finding Hope In Dusty Spaces
In the cold corner of a drafty room we’re huddled together. Our only comforts: a small space heater, our friends, and the grace of God. It’s January in Moldova, and morning prayer is about to begin. Over the sounds of mixing cement we give thanks. At times, the dull whining of drill reaches a peak…
Word Made Flesh And The Idea Of Beloved Community
Hi, WMF friends. This last week, Asbury University invited me to speak for its MLK Jr. chapel. I’m deeply thankful to have shared for this event as so much of MLK’s work resonates with both who Word Made Flesh is and seeks to be as an organization. For instance, an important aspect of MLK’s work is about…
“Do you love your neighbor?”
This was shouted from Kumba and Bala’s cabin (just next door to ours) on a frequent basis over the course of our retreat. It’s a trick question, obviously, to which we could only respond that we did, in fact, love our neighbors. This joke carried on through the whole retreat; “Do you love your neighbor” called out to neighboring…
“Are we awake during the great revolutions of today?”
Taken on the march from Selma to Montgomery, I love how this photo showcases deep and diverse bonds of camaraderie forged while striving for justice. The friendship of Martin Luther King Jr. and Abraham Joshua Heschel (two of the good folk in this photo) continues to inspire me; so, I added a quote to the…
The Nine-Year-Old Girl Who Inspired A New Program
As the weather is turning cold and the daylight is getting shorter in Romania, we continue to develop relationships with vulnerable children. Let me tell you about one of our second-graders, a 9-year-old, who I will call Anca. We have known Anca since she was a baby. Over the past 14 years, we helped two of Anca’s older…
Back Home
I flew back to the United States one week ago. I have returned to my family, the Blue Ridge Mountains, & my sweet, sweet fiancé. Reverse culture shock has never been easier, but I still deeply miss the people of WMF and Moldova. As I sat around the Christmas dinner table—and many other moments in these last few days—I…
The Creative Way We’re Cutting Food Costs
At our Community Center and Day Center, we serve over 60 meals a day to vulnerable children. As you can imagine, after salaries and utilities, food is our biggest expense. In order to decrease our expenditures on food – especially vegetables – we plan to combine two technologies that promote the healthy stewardship of creation. The first is…
We’re Putting Down New Roots
Early in the month of December as we decorated our artificial Christmas tree one fifth grader exclaimed with delight as she hung the last ornament, “How beautiful!” then added pensively, “We don’t have a Christmas tree at home.” As we plugged in the lights, a second grader came into the room and drew close to…