New Opportunities

Sometimes I travel solo and when I do, it allows me to people-watch and be more perceptive of situations around me. One such time was a trip to California this past May.

Recently I visited Joseph Bya and his wife Sana in their home in Cornwall, Ontario. Sitting in their bright, comfortable kitchen, we reminisced about the day, 8 years earlier, when we first met in person. We met at the Ottawa airport on May 26, 2016. I was there with my husband, George, and a group of people from our refugee committee. We were excited, but also a bit apprehensive. As we watched the escalator for signs of Joseph and his family, we wondered if they would be exhausted from their long journey.

South Africa has always held a special place in my heart. I have long appreciated Nelson Mandela's autobiography, Long Walk to Freedom, which is a cherished book on my shelf. How could one not be moved by the journey of a leader who endured 27 years in prison, ultimately chose not to be violent, and emerged as the liberator of his people? 

Many congregants love their church, love their church community, and love how the community loves their church. Members may be proud of their outreach programs, their community garden, increasing church numbers, or their amazing praise teams. Some may have been members of their church for decades, while others may have only recently joined a church where they finally feel they belong. Many know when a new member has been born into their church or when a member passes on to be with our Saviour, Jesus.

He has told you, O mortal, what is good, and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness and to walk humbly with your God?   (Micah 6.8)

Prepare our hearts to be vessels of peace and understanding, granting us the wisdom to speak with humility and the courage to listen with empathy. ~ John Habibi 

“The earth is the Lord’s and all that is in it”, says the NRSV in Psalm 24:1. God has called human beings to take care of that precious gift. We need to work hard to protect the earth from threats to its well-being.

Dubai, a city synonymous with opulence, ambition, and grandeur, played host to the crucial COP28 summit. As I walked through the Expo Center, memories of a bygone era in 2005 flooded my mind. I remember the moments of excitement and anticipation that randomly happened during my busy work days leading up to my first trip to Dubai that year to attend a film festival for work. The thought of the hotel—which had canals for roadways, and gondolas that drifted you from your villa to the world-class spas, or elegant shops and restaurants—elicited sighs.

How does my heritage determine my inheritance?  Tracing our heritage sometimes becomes challenging. Here are five stories that can help us to think more about inheritance.

This December, on the West Lawn of the Capitol Grounds in Washington DC will stand the 2023 Capitol Christmas Tree. Every year since 1964, this site has been home to “The People’s Tree,” cut down in one of our nation’s National Forests and carted to the seat of legislative power to be adorned with lights and ornaments.