This summer, we visited our son, who is living in lower Manhattan, the West Village (Greenwich) to be exact.  We had a lovely time with him, walking from Soho to Central Park, and on Sunday morning I decided to walk the couple blocks to the Episcopal Church we'd seen the night before.  I arrived late, … Continue reading "Who Are the Poor?"

My sister-in-law Maria told me an amazing story once when we were visiting.  She was explaining to her three-year old daughter Frida that she shouldn't touch birds that have fallen out of the nest, because their mothers recognize them by smell, and a human touch would mask that unique scent.I don't know if that's ornithologically … Continue reading Thanks to Women, We All Belong

Today was my birthday, and my favorite gift was one I was able to give away. Janet walked back into our condo with a sober look on her face after taking the trash out to the dumpster this morning. "When I opened the trash enclosure door, there was a Hispanic man and woman in there, picking through … Continue reading Paying It Forward

This week I read a short piece by Henri Nouwen, about how he would seek God in silence and fervently ask God to express his love and pleasure toward him.  It struck me how vulnerable Henri was to write such a thing, not asking God to give him direction, but rather to give him affirmation. … Continue reading Drafting

"What do you mean, a dish rack?"The question came from one of the travelers on my trip to Zambia this month.  We had just met Oswald, a boy who may be alive today because of a mobile health (mHealth) project that was underwritten by the Innovation Fund last year.  This cellphone-based program allowed a volunteer … Continue reading Building Bridges

I'm writing this from Orange County airport, held up by weather from getting to Chicago, where tomorrow we are scheduled to make the major decisions related to the story below.  I know the Grant Committee would covet your prayers...Last week, I felt caught in some vortex.  I spent much of the week plowing through twenty-eight … Continue reading Who are You, God? And who am I?

Last week I was in Geneva for a few days related to my role with the Innovation Fund.  I arrived mid-afternoon, so I quickly took a bus and headed for the historic Old City, where I soon found myself at Calvin Auditory, a small chapel next to the old cathedral that was long ago stripped … Continue reading My New Gateway Drug

We attended Ash Wednesday service last evening, and I was blessed to be a Lay Eucharistic Minister, serving alongside three elementary-age girls, very attentive and diligent “acolytes”. A few years ago, I attended a mass celebrated by our local bishop.  During the preparation for communion, he surrounded himself with young acolytes and with purpose he … Continue reading Children Have More Than "Potential"

As the nation prepares for Monday’s inauguration* (which I will miss while traveling to Honduras), I was reminded once again of the most meaningful part of Barack Obama’s first inaugural.  After the main speeches and the swearing in were over, after the crescendo was past and many (like me) were turning off the TV, an … Continue reading Prayers from the Bottom

It's the most wondrous time of the year.  That's true enough. But our songs all insist we must all put on a jolly face, have a wonderful time and, for goodness sake, we'd better not cry! Goodness knows, we don't want to be sad this time of year.  We are supposed to be happy, right?  "I'm … Continue reading ‘Tis the Season to be Tender