Glory's memorial service

Here's a picture of Glory from Eugene and my wedding. I was so grateful she could be there (Theresa is on the left, Wonhee on the right).

Although the funeral was heartbreaking, it also showed a life that was already complete and beautiful. Her transplant doctor seemed broken that the second transplant had caused her so much pain and yet been unsuccessful. Her second umbilical cord transplant was a very new treatment. Many people said how she had thought of them and their wellbeing even in her most difficult times. I can also testify to that. Although I wasn't there at all the past 3 months so I can't know, but I thought that she could think of other people because she had already worked through her own stuff, and she was already living as she would even if it were last day here on earth.

One person, who had known Glory since before she first had bonecancer at age 14, said that she was a small, quiet, good little girl. She said, how could it be that this little girl became an incredibly powerful woman? She said it must be that Glory allowed things to happen as they happened, and allowed God to shape her in the midst of everything she went through. She was an ordinary person made extraordinary by the way that she dealt with difficult circumstances. She inspired many many people. One person who had also had cancer, and had also relapsed in the past, said that he had tried to deal with things through theology and logic-- working through difficult times through knowledge and faith that God is sovereign. He said, not that that isn't true, but Glory helped him to realise that he could also get through his treatment in a very human way, knowing that God had given him enjoyment in some moments-- spending time with Glory waiting for treatment, laughing together. I am not sure I'm explaining it very well, but I thought that what he said was a profound truth, that God does not expect us to be more than human, but only expects hopes for us to be humans who are living first of all in relation to God.

http://www.jgospel.net/list.aspx?subid=35

Glory

Our friend Glory passed away this morning during her fourth fight against cancer, as a result of complications with kidney dialysis. She was so strong and lived a really beautiful life, without trying to stand out too much. She was so Godly in a very genuine way. She was a really amazing student at Wellesley. She managed to never make her cancer the focus of any situation-- even one time I was visiting specifically because she was sick she was concerned about my well-being as much as her own. I'm so grateful for the brief time I had to know her.

http://www.jgospel.net/glory/

Greetings!

See what no eye can see, go where no foot can go, choose that which is no choice–then you may hear what makes no sound–God’s voice.

- Angelus Silsius (Quoted in How Shall We Live by Joan Chittister, OSB)

Classes started yesterday. Yeah!

At my work we're thinking about how to reach out to Somali parents to tell them about how they can get help for their children, if their children are struggling. Some children are not coping well because of their experiences in refugee camps, experiences of the civil war, etc. What's interesting is that a lot of parents believe that problems are related to not being obedient and in touch with God. As a result, they may not want to look for other kinds of help because they feel like they should just struggle through.

I thought this was interesting because it was so similar to a lot of Christians. God is with us, God has healed us of all our pain before we even ask, but I strongly believe we also have to work through things-- deaths, relationships, work, study-- in a healthy way. We can't just expect things to go away if we pray about them. Rather, we have to have faith in the end result, but really have to work hard at the things in the middle, so that we can retain or regain the joy that we're promised. I would like to have this approach with the things I go through, and also with other people who need support. Empathy is a powerful thing.

Thank you for praying for me, and for Eugene and I. Please continue to lift us up in prayer, as we lift you up, too. It's an awesome way to have fellowship together.

Yesterday I went over Day 5 of Purpose Driven Life. It has a lot more meaning trying to go through the book a second time, I highly recommend trying it out twice. Anyway, it emphasizes that Christians should approach life as a test. From this perspective, events are meant as a training time. Two verses (Using the Message translation) stood out:
God keeps his promise, and he will not test you beyond your power to remain firm; at the time you are put to the test, he will give you the strength to endure it, and so provide you with a way out.
and
Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness.

Have an great Wednesday!

Starting school, some key verses

School is starting next week. My classes are Health Policy and Management; Chronic Diseases in developing countries and Women's health (policy controversies). I'm pretty excited about these classes and am hoping to give them the time they deserve, especially since there are only three of them. Did I write that in an earlier post? I imagine I may have. The great thing is that two of these classes are electives (I could choose them for myself, I wasn't obligated to take them for the degree.)

I wanted to share my hope for the future with you. There are a couple of key verses that I've been thinking about today:
Proverbs 31:8-9 "speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy."
and
James 1:27 "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world."

We have been re-reading A Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren, and on day 2 it emphasizes that we are unique, and that our strengths and weaknesses are created specifically to make us, and also ultimately to give us a purpose that fits us. I think this is true, and really encouraging. I hope you're encouraged by that, too. It's good for giving wisdom about what of ourselves to let go of and what to hold on to.

Walden Pond

Walden Pond is a beautiful (large) pond near Concord, Massachusetts. It's about 20 minutes from our home, and as soon as you're there you feel like you're in another world. Eug and I managed to get away and have an awesome time there today, before the semester begins. Thank you so much for your prayers for me and for our lives here in Boston. Here are some pictures to share the beauty of Mass...





Eugene guiltily feeds an ant he threw into the lake...

Thinking on the Past Week

We haven't submitted my Green Card application yet, because there are a few things that take some extra time. But it's almost there! I think I've been a bit overwhelmed with the process. Eug and I are going through it together, but it's also something you kindof have to deal with alone. It's a very big deal for me, because I never wanted to have residency any place other than South Africa. We're really grateful to have a lot of people praying for us. It's a very concrete test of faith for me. I've been having to think about the basics and trust in God's goodness, absolute power and His personal and current concern for changing our lives and characters, because I cannot reach further than my own limitations without a foundation of faith. Sorry for the cliches, I guess I'm just discovering their truth. I am slowly realizing that complaining is mainly a problem if it erodes faith and makes me forget your purpose and perspective. If it does that, that's serious because it strains my relationship with God, my willingness to take things a step at a time, and my ability to trust God to hear me. Anyway, if you are struggling with this too, send me an e-mail so I can pray for you and we can encourage eachother.

I'm working through with my Wits thesis, a little bit at a time. I'm trying something new, to practice writing: doing an epilogue to try to capture the experience and limitations of my research.

Teachers in Durban expect a high standard, but were aware of the worst. I think this is a situation that is unique to South Africa, because apartheid made teachers aware of what was out there (as good a school education as one can get anywhere) yet largely made that kind of education unattainable. Now teachers have those high expectations in mind-- perhaps they went to those excellent schools. I interviewed teachers at the schools with the lowest fees, and often, the fewest resources. The teachers were also highly aware of the poverty that surrounded many of their learners. What is problematic is that in school teachers are prepared for schools with resources, not necessarily "trained for the worst".

I think if I were faced with a situation that was far more gruelling and far more difficult than I expected, I would feel really discouraged and just try to get through the day. If it was something I was expecting and used to, maybe it would be easier to think long term, and think about a "better way". Not that there is any "easy" in having a class with 70 learners. There's no utopia, but I think we can do better, even in tapping the resources in our country to better serve the needs of the majority of schools. There is a need for basic resources and more teachers, who are better paid. There is also a need for male teachers.

Newport, Rhode Island

It's getting close to time to start university again. I honestly don't particularly want to start again, but I'm glad that the end is in sight.

Yesterday our church group went on a trip to Newport, Rhode Island. It's a beautiful place, the ocean is really shiny. It's famous for having a lot of huge mansions, and Americans (and tourists) go to Newport just to drive past. Above are some pictures.

We saw a Llama. That was pretty cool. There was a stage when my brother kept bombarding me with Llama pictures (actually, as my desktop background) and I didn't really appreciate them as a species for this reason. But they are growing on me. We also went for a cycle around the area.

I'm reading The Idiot, by Dostoyevsky, right now. I'm not very good at going into details on books but by mentioning them here I might get better. The book is amazing because there are a thousand different ways to interpret the characters, particularly the Prince (the Idiot himself). I imagine there are people who have spent their whole careers understanding the characters-- for me I appreciate the fact that it is so subtle. The characters have a life of their own.

I was really impressed by an organization called Cradles to Crayons, based in Quincy, Massachusetts. I went for an orientation for our organization to partner with them and I was blown away by the simple effectiveness of the concept. They have a warehouse and a lot of credibility amongst large rich companies and also just regular families in Mass. With this, they field a massive number of donations for everything children may need-- clothes, shoes, school supplies, toys. They use volunteers to sort the stuff very efficiently, then they take orders online from partner organizations who work specifically with children who may need help. I imagine there are similar organizations in South Africa, but if not I think the possibilities are really amazing for imitating their model to fit the specific context of Durban or Cape Town, etc.