A Breath of Fresh Air

My monthly blog post did not happen in February and March is well on its way! We are in the season of Lent, beginning with Ash Wednesday on February 18 and ending April 2nd. The first Sunday in Lent I delivered a sermon on the raising of Lazarus. The week before that, I attended the memorial service of a dear friend. The news daily reported the atrocities of war, the killing and maiming of children, the grief stricken wailing of their parents...These were weeks of once more visiting the island of grief...I reminded myself that lent is all about remembering and grieving and that spring would come soon. But it didn't want to come soon enough... 

Then came a lovely reprieve. My daughter and I attended an intercultural art exhibit at Canadian Mennonite University. Four artists, from four different cultures displayed their work together. It was so refreshing to see different people from different cultures sharing their work. Ray Dirks(on the right of the photo below)and his wife, Katy, spent several years in Congo when we were there, and Ray has travelled to several other places since, meeting and appreciating artists of various cultures.

Four artists, from four different cultures

 

         Tibba: Three Pillars of Sikhism

 Lodha: Prayer for Saving the Environment          

Ray Dirks

The painting by Ray Dirks, above, was not part of the exhibit. My daughter was thrilled to find it in one of the Thrift stores in Ontario! I told Ray about it and he chuckled as he said, "my art work turns up in the strangest places!"

Gareth Brandt combines art and history in this wonderful book. The foreword is written by John E. Sharp, whose son, Michael, spent the last years of his life in the forests of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. He was abducted and killed at age 34, while working in the Congo. My heart ached when I read this. 

Two modern Anabaptists on a wild ride!

When our grandchildren were younger they thought their grandparents were quite courageous to do this! 

At times our life resembled such a plunge!

This year marks 25 years since I received my PhD from the University of Waterloo, another reason to celebrate!

My daughter looked up her father's name on ChatGPT and I was surprised at how accurate the information was! My favorite lines:

Schroeder's work is characterized by a "quiet tenacity" and a deep commitment to bridging cultural and linguistic divides through religious and historical texts.

I end with a quote by Paul J Wadell from his book Becoming Friends:

"Human beings are inherently and inescapably social beings who need to live in deep, intimate, enriching relationship with others...Through such relationships we grow as human beings and are drawn out of ourselves..."