As Crystal shared, earlier this year we were in a series of MCC Asia leadership virtual workshops on PSEA (Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse) that stretched over several weeks. I was asked to prepare a devotional for one of the workshops and I decided to read a passage from Jean Vanier’s book The Broken…
Tag: Scripture
What do we mean by Peace?
Mennonite Central Committee is a global, nonprofit organization that strives to share God’s love and compassion for all through relief, development and peace. One question that we get a lot is… What do we mean by Peace? By peace, we do not mean the simple absence of armed conflict or even reaching surface level harmony….
Second Timothy 1:7
On Monday, the rains came and washed the dry season away. It’s a remarkable time of year here in Cambodia. Overnight, the dusty brown countryside turns vibrant green. Even here, in the city, you can feel the shift of the seasons in the air. It’s much like the cool crisp snap of Autumn in North…
Holding Grief, Holding Hope
The last weeks have been sad ones for me. I haven’t been able to talk publicly on why until now. MCC is, like the rest of the world, weathering the economic impact of COVID-19. This has forced MCC to make significant program changes. It’s important to note that MCC is celebrating its 100th anniversary this…
COVID-19: Because they feed the poor
In my last post on COVID-19, I suggested that perhaps we are in our positions for such a time as this. I ended that post by sharing photos of generosity from North America that I’d seen on social media. “Blessed are those who are generous, because they feed the poor.” Proverbs 22:9 (NLT) Since then…
COVID-19: For such a time as this
What a whirlwind the last weeks have been. It feels like the world has been suddenly and fundamentally changed. The disruptions. The cancelled plans. The disappointments. The uncertain future. The distanced relationships. The livelihoods interrupted. The fear of disease. The fear of death. We don’t know what the world will look like after this. Indeed,…
Follow Me
Matthew 4:18-22 8 One day as Jesus was walking along the shore of the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers—Simon, also called Peter, and Andrew—throwing a net into the water, for they fished for a living. 19 Jesus called out to them, “Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people!” 20 And they left their…
First Monday Devotion
Crystal led team devotion this morning for MCC Cambodia. She had us build a house with Duplos without using our thumbs. Then, halfway through, she let us start using our thumbs but told us we couldn’t bend our elbows! Crystal asked us if it was harder to complete a task without using a part of…
Saltiness
Last week we had a meditative devotion on Matthew 5:13-16. Throughout the service the verse on “the salt of the earth” was read several times and we were asked us to reflect on “saltiness.” You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its flavor? Can you make…
Calling in Scripture and Song
I love when the Bible includes “human” moments. Moses, Elijah, Isaiah, and Mary each respond to God’s calling in ways we can relate to and learn from. I think these examples teach us about ourselves and about God. Facing the Burning Bush, after “the place where you stand is holy ground” and “I am the…