MercyWork

Art in the Lewiston Maine? You Bet!

I just spent a couple hours with Andrew Harris ED and Cheri Donahue Marketing Director at L/A Arts. We discussed the art of Tahir Saleh. Tahir is a refugee from the Sudan and moved here about 2.5 months ago. I met him shortly after he came and have been enchanted by him and his art. I took Tahir to met with Andrew and Cheri and they were stunned by his work. It looks as though two of his pieces will be in an upcoming show at Gallery 5 in July called "On the Rocks". It's a beautiful new space next to Fuel (resturant) and is a donated space from Eric and Carrie Agren who are also the owners of Fuel. If you have a chance please stop by. This is an incredible partnership in the revitalization of downtown. We will be doing an interview with Tahir in the near future and Andrew is letting us to film in Gallery 5.

Fuel is a great story in itself. Who would have thought that a resturant on Lisbon Street could have reservations extending out 2 weeks in advance (weekends). It is beautifully designed and would rival any place in Portland or Boston. Urban art hangs on the walls and the understated elegance of the furniture and design is as Peter Fonda once said, "very, very cool." In this one small part of Lewiston Stigma has been replaced by Beauty. 

I'm excited about us being a small part of these projects. I think redemption/recovery is about helping to elevate the quality of life in our community. I think it's about finding out where the communities best interests lie.

  "The fundemental modern heresy is

that it is the trees that  move the wind."

                                                   leonard sweet

I learned this again tonight in our recovery group. Listening to stories of pain, shame, grief, progress, joy and hope again reminded me of God's infinite care and wisdom. My recovery is threatened and my walk with Jesus is sidetracked by the above heresy. I'm listening to Peter Gabriel's  song Mercy Street. Our friend Cindy Lafrance wrote us recently of the Shakespeare line "The quality of mercy is not strain'd". Some of you will remember Michelle Shocked song of that title in the soundtrack of Dead Man Walking. Cindy has sent an updated newsletter of the work in Costa Rica. Harvest Hands is the name and they are doing wonderful work among the dispossessed in Anonos. Here's a brief part.

We are close to wrapping up a week with our first big
team.  There are 11- 9 teens and two leaders.  Oh,
they have been a blessing!  These kids are workers,
who love the Lord deeply.  Their devotional life may
put many of us to shame!  As of tomorrow, some of them
will have spent three full days digging dirt out of
the basement of a church here in Anonos. This is such
a witness to the community.  And they want to finish
what they've  started. The pastor of this particular
church plans on making the space into a bathroom and
shower for the addicts and the homeless in Anonos.
Keep the Columbus Vineyard youth group in your
prayers.  May God bless them richly for their hearts!

We also know that prayers are being answered.   The
people of Anonos, at least most that we meet are
hungry, thirsty and expectant.  I think of Isaiah 55,
where the Lord gives an invitation for those who have
no money to come and buy.  Strange, how He says to
come and buy, without money and without cost.  It
sounds like an oxymoron.  What do they use?  How do
you buy wine and milk without money?   

The local government is considering the relocation of
many of the homes in Anonos.  Many of these homes sit
on the steep riverbank and in danger of sliding into
the river, if there was a mudslide.  Also,  there are
all bunched together and if there were a fire, they
would all burn.  It would create great damage and
probably injure many.  Many of the people here are
from Nicaragua and don't have papers.  The one without
papers will be the first to go. 

Continue to keep Rodney and Cindy in your prayers. This is a great work they are doing and we need to support them with our prayers and thoughts.

Echoing Silence

Speaking of which...I have been silent for some time now here. Sorry. I recently spent a week in Boise ID. at the Vineyard there. Good week of learning and spending time with there leaders. Beautiful country and really, really a good time to reflect and refocus on God and his mission in the world. Folks from Seeds of Hope where there for a 4 day training. Vineyard Boise is taking on a huge task of creating a base in Zambia Africa. Seed's of Hope are doing great work there supplying clean drinking water and helping to create health education. Another team will be going in August. Zambia is a orphan nation of 600,000 children who have lost their parents to AIDS and disease related deaths. Boise is setting up a compound in a town of 48,000 with 45% children. Most are being raised by older siblings. Zambia is the 13th poorest country in the world. Please pray for the work there and ways that we can integrate our work here with world missions.

I've just begun reading Echoing Silence by Thomas Merton. It's an interesting look at what he calls the Vocation of Writing. He writes powerfully about the Plague of Power and its symptoms of a language greatly reduced. He calls it the illness of political language. Here's a quote..."The language of Auschwitz is one of the vulnerable spots through which we get a clear view of the demonic. It's been a while since I've read Merton and I'm reminded of the loss after picking up this book. (Or it picking me up.) Merton also says that "Alienation begins when culture divides me against myself, puts a mask on me, gives me a role I may or may not want to play. Alienation is complete when I become completely identified with my mask, totally satisfied with my role...

I'll write more about our neighborhood and post some photo's of Tahir Selah's artwork. He is a political refugee that I've gotten to know over the past month or so. His work is brilliant and I'd like to see us create an art show with him.

New music

Bruce Springsteen with the sessions band Live in Dublin is a wonder to behold. Check out Clear Channels sneak peek for a video vesion of "Oh Mary Don't You Weep". It's enough to make you weep! Great music and the band is awesome. I think PBS will be airing the live concert over the summer months. I'm not really a big springsteen fan but his last CD "Devils and Dust" and this one sure have changed my thinking.

MercyWorks had a great Monday evening meal last night. The driving rain kept alot of folks away but we forged ahead with a great time of fellowhsip. We currently have 28 volunteers working in and around that neighborhood. We continue to give away bedding to 4 families a week. We  have a clothing and small appliance giveaway on 6.22.07. Next week we'll be handing out bottled water to the kids at the skatepark. The neighborhood is cleaner since our teams began trash pickup. That in itself is very, very cool. Or, incarnational. I met with Lot's for Gardens this morning and some of our volunteers will be preparing lunch for their youth team once a month. Also, we'll be asking folks to adopt a lot in the next couple of weeks. I read something yesterday that impacted the way I see this.

Divining Hours

Here is a wonderful prayer from the daily office yesterday in The Divine Hours

O Lord my God, to you and to your service I devote myself, body, soul, and spirit. Fill my memory with the record of your mighty works; enlighten my understanding with the light of your Holy Spirit; and may all the desires of my heart and will center in what you would have me do. Make me an instrument of your salvation for the people entrusted to my care, and grant that by my life and teaching I may set forth your true and living Word. Be always with me in carrying out the duties of my faith. In prayer, quicken my devotion; in praises, heighten my love and gratitude; in conversation give me readiness of thought and expression; and grant that, by the clearness and brightness of your holy Word, all the world may be drawn into your blessed kingdom. All this I ask for the sake of your Son our Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.