bigger eyes, wider embrace, longer stride

prostitutes are victims

My wife and I have gotten more and more involved with issues affecting vulnerable populations.  We're connecting now with those caught in forced prostitution and human trafficking here in our own neighborhoods in Columbus, Ohio.  Check out my wife's blog and the front-page story in the Dispatch about this increasing problem.  Read it here.

regina spektor and theodicy

Regina Spektor, the Soviet-born singer-songwriter who first made a splash with 'Fidelity' in 2006, performed on Letterman on Friday night.  I hadn't heard her new single, so I didn't know what to expect.  The song she performed, 'Laughing With,' is an interesting take on the issues of spiritual power and of theodicy, that is, the existence of a good God and evil in the same universe.  Watch her perform here.  What do you think?

No one laughs at God in a hospital
No one laughs at God in a war
No one's laughing at God when they're starving or freezing or so very poor

No one laughs at God when the doctor calls after some routine tests
No one's laughing at God when it's gotten real late and their kid's not back from that party yet

No one laughs at God when their airplane starts to uncontrollably shake
No one's laughing at God when they see the one they love hand in hand with someone else and they hope that they're mistaken
No one laughs at God when the cops knock on their door and they say "We've got some bad new, sir,"
No one's laughing at God when there's a famine, fire or flood

But God can be funny
At a cocktail party while listening to a good God-themed joke or
Or when the crazies say he hates us and they get so red in the head you think that they're about to choke

God can be funny
When told he'll give you money if you just pray the right way
And when presented like a genie
Who does magic like Houdini
Or grants wishes like Jiminy Cricket and Santa Claus

God can be so hilarious
Ha ha
Ha ha

No one laughs at God in a hospital
No one laughs at God in a war
No one's laughing at God when they've lost all they got and they don't know what for

No one laughs at God on the day they realize that the last sight they'll ever see is a pair of hateful eyes
No one's laughing at God when they're saying their goodbyes

But God can be funny
At a cocktail party while listening to a good God-themed joke or
Or when the crazies say he hates us and they get so red in the head you think that they're about to choke

God can be funny
When told he'll give you money if you just pray the right way
And when presented like a genie
Who does magic like Houdini
Or grants wishes like Jiminy Cricket and Santa Claus

God can be so hilarious

No one laughs at God in a hospital
No one laughs at God in a war

No one laughs at God in a hospital
No one laughs at God in a war

No one's laughing at God in a hospital
No one's laughing at God in a war

No one's laughing at God when they're starving or freezing or so very poor

No one's laughing at God
No one's laughing at God
No one's laughing at God
We're all laughing with God

a moment of death, and a lifetime of joy (reflections on readings for Proper 8)

You can read the lessons for June 28th, Proper 8, here.

Saul and Jonathan have died in battle.  They are mighty and powerful and talented and beautiful.  One of them, King Saul, was David's grave political and personal enemy.  The other, Jonathan, was David's best and most intimate friend.  For both he grieves.  There is a fierce humility necessary to grieve for one's enemy, and David does this so well on Saul's behalf: Saul and Jonathan, beloved and lovely! In life and in death they were not divided; they were swifter than eagles, they were stronger than lions.  O daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, who clothed you with crimson, in luxury, who put ornaments of gold on your apparel. The Bible speaks a lot about enemies.  This is one way I realize that it is not an irrelevant and inauthentic text.  David had enemies.  Who are our enemies?  Ahmadinejad?  Someone closer?  A coworker, a family member?  We would do well to prayerfully process David's posture at the death of his enemy.  And this enemy was no weakling.  Saul and Jonathan were loved, undivided, swift, and strong.  Much like those we don't expect to die: McMahon, Fawcett, Jackson.  But death finds us all.

While anger and grief are normal, natural, even appropriate in the face of loss and in the struggle with enemies.  Anger and grief do not get the last word.  They lay down at night, and in their places, in the morning, come favor and joy.  Anger and grief are fleeting; favor and joy are lasting.  For his anger is but for a moment; his favor is for a lifetime. Weeping may linger for the night, but joy comes with the morning.

The Gospel text for today comes from Mark's account of the healing of Jairus' daughter and the woman with the chronic blood disease. 

In this story, the role of touch and words in healing becomes obvious.  It is in connection and intimacy that the two ‘daughters’ in the story find healing.  A ruler of the synagogue, a man well versed in Hebrew Scriptures and a civil authority in the town, comes to Jesus in desperation.  What brought him to this place of desperation was the loving connection he had with his twelve year old daughter and the illness that was threatening that intimacy.  So he pleads with Jesus saying that his ‘little daughter’ is in need of Jesus’ healing power.  Jairus is a father who cares deeply for his daughter. 

There is a break in the story at this point.  Jesus and Jairus are interrupted on their hurried walk to Jairus’ house.  A woman who had endured much suffering, much rejection, much isolation, and much disappointment in life seeks out Jesus.  Just as Jairus, the ruler of the synagogue, places himself in submission to Jesus’ authority.  So this woman, who has been under the authority of doctors and purity laws, breaks with those customs and expectations to seek out Jesus.  Her life has only been getting worse and worse.  But she has heard that this man Jesus could be the one to offer her a tourniquet.  She doesn’t realize that she will also receive a new and pure identity through her intimate connection with Jesus.  She decides that even the slightest touch of his garments will bring her healing.  And in the midst of this hustling and bustling, pushing and shoving crowd, Jesus knows he has been touched.  He turns to her, and in a moment of deep intimacy and connection says to her, ‘Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease’

Jesus and Jairus, after this interruption, finally make it to Jairus' dying daughter.  He takes her by the hand and speaks tenderly to her.  There were strict prohibitions in Jewish religious life against interaction with sick people and dead bodies.  But Jesus challenges and transcends these boundaries.  In breaking the boundaries of purity laws, Jesus is also breaking the bond of death.  In reaching out to Jairus and his daughter, Jesus is offering intimacy into a broken and despairing family.  In stepping into a family disconnected and disheartened, Jesus is offering a healing connection.

The boundaries affecting us are many.  We have enemies everywhere.  There are political, doctrinal, economic, ethnic, and gender differences that threaten the unity of our churches, our nation, and this planet.  Our reach must extend over those divides.  And we in turn must be accessible to others despite those divides.  Just as the woman with a hemorrhage reached out to Jesus, and Jesus reached out to the dead girl, we need to be always extending and embracing.  Reaching out and drawing in.  Because what can unify us is far greater than that which divides us, just as a healthy new life was far more important to Jesus than purity laws and socially accepted behaviors.  

In David's lament for the deaths of Saul and Jonathan, and in Jesus' compassionate action on behalf of Jairus' daughter and the woman with the incurable disease, we see that the boundaries of death and enemies are overcome.

In the words from today's reading in Lamentations: The LORD is good to those who wait for him, to the soul that seeks him.

sign up for doma's e-newsletter

Some exciting things are going on in the life of doma.  Go to the website, domaconnection.org, and sign up to begin receiving the e-newsletter.  Below is the text of the first edition.  Highlights include talk of the first connection point sponsorship and a prenatal care center in Uganda, humanitarian aid in Ukrainian baby houses, and work with local girls caught in trafficking and forced prostitution.  You can also read about 3 trips this Fall that you could join - two to Uganda, and one to Ukraine.

Hello All! We have had so much happening in the life of doma-- I wish I had a minute for a more thorough update!   Here are a few highlights of the last couple months: 

• We are launching the sponsorship of PACE Children's Center connection point in Uganda this month. St. John's Lutheran Church in MI will be providing consistent food, love, and support for these 80 precious children starting this summer. More on this to come!

• We are forming plans for a prenatal care and early intervention connection point in Uganda that will work with pregnant moms and young, vulnerable families.  We hope to launch within a year. 

• We are exploring a potential partnership with an existing shelter for those caught in Human Trafficking and prostitution here in the United States. Partnering with this connection point would give doma volunteers and providers an opportunity to help intervene in the lives of young girls living on the streets to prevent a future life of prostitution, drugs, homelessness, etc.

• We will be choosing the future partners for doma Ukraine connection points through the distribution of over 1,000 baby bouncer seats and a 45 foot container of infant and preschool-age supplies this fall. The container grants were approved-- and the aid is on its way to Kiev this month!

Thank you for being a part of making this happen!    I will be sending out a detailed update on each of these connections this summer.  So stay tuned!  But please contact me any timeif you would like more information on how to provide for any of these connections. The need is great! 

doma's vision- to intervene early, removing obstacles to peace and joy in the lives of vulnerable children and young families-- is truly happening because of your provision!

doma is sending 3 teams this fall to various locations. Consider joining us on these amazing adventures!

Trip #1: AFRICA- October 29th – November 10th

WakaWaka, Uganda

We will be sending a team to serve an entire village for an extended time. The village is remote and beautiful—and the people are full of warmth and hospitality. It’s like walking onto the set of ‘National Geographic.’ There was an overwhelming response when we visited for one day in March, so we would like to concentrate our efforts on this one village for the entire trip. This team will spend time with the orphaned children and families in the village. This would be a great trip for medical professionals AND non-medical professionals. The medical team will be providing direct care, as well as health education for those who visit the clinic. There will be plenty to do for people of any age and profession! We also hope to lay the foundation in this village for our first prenatal care center. We will also visit an existing clinic that is for sale and that has asked for help– to see if this is a location that doma would like to invest in.

email: amber@domaconnection.org for more information about this trip.

Trip #2: UKRAINE- October 1-11

Kiev and Donetsk

doma will send a team to babyhouses and orphanages in Ukraine to determine long term partnerships. This trip is where you will be ‘forging the way’ for our doma Ukraine connection points. Dan and I will BOTH be going on this one!!! We will have the responsibility of distributing over 1,000 baby bouncer seats and even more clothes and supplies to babyhouses and hospitals. Along with this aid, we will bring the message of doma — that is, that early intervention in the lives of orphaned and vulnerable children will lead to the prevention of future emotional, spiritual, and physical crises in their lives. This trip will be busy with infants, young children, and will be focused on establishing relationships with orphanage directors and caretakers. (I’ll even have my infant with me on this one!)

email Julie@domaconnection.org for more information about this trip.

Trip #3: AFRICA- end of September, flexible dates

Uganda

This trip is for the adventurous spirit! Led by a fun young missionary who spends 3 months out of each year in Uganda. you will surely have a great time while extending the love of Christ to others in need. A local orphanage and school will host the team for several days—and you will help with projects around the school, which may include lifting, pouring, building, painting…and of course, getting to know the children and youth at the school. This would also be a great trip for young adults who are considering full time ministry to Africa. You can even extend your trip to spend more time with a few local missionaries in orphanages, elementary schools, or infant houses.

email Julie@domaconnection.org for more information about this trip.

friday listening party: Michael Jackson

As you may know, most Fridays that I blog, I like to talk about music.  I had planned to share with you some new bands I'm discovering, but the King of Pop's sudden death yesterday changed that plan.  Having grown up on Southern Gospel and Oldies, I wasn't too familiar with Michael Jackson outside of his role as the cute, cuddly kid in the Jackson Five.  I loved their song, 'I'll Be There.'  When I started ingesting more MTV and VH1 in my early teens, I learned to love 'Scream' and 'Black or White.'  And of course, like anybody that likes good music, if 'Thriller,' 'Billy Jean,' 'Beat It,' or 'Bad' come on the radio, I turn it up.  The closest I've ever been to Jackson is when my brother had a track meet at his high school in Gary.  That's my claim to fame.

The response to Jackson's death has been diverse.  Friends of facebook swing from 'I'm crying.  I miss him.' to 'I'm glad the freak is dead.  One less pedophile on the earth.'  However you feel about Michael Jackson, the person or the music, you must admit two things: first, there are people who love him who are grieving (I'm talking about friends and family who actually knew him, and second, he was a great pop musician.

A third thing this makes me think of is the inevitability of death.  I feel like tempering the media onslaught of Michael Jackson coverage (not to mention Farrah Fawcett) with a good dose of Ecclesiastes.  Money, talent, pleasure, security, vocation, acheivement - all of these things end up being meaningless when compared to a living faith in a living God.  Others have made quick judgments on the state of Jackson's sole, quipping about the King of Pop meeting the King of Kings.  I'll save my words on that one.  The fact that arguably two of the greatest pop icons of the 1970s and 1980s died in the same week should cause us pause.  And as we pause, maybe we should not be too quick with words or thoughts - as we consider lives ended and our own fading lives.  As the first two verses in Ecclesiastes chapter 5 put it...

Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. Go near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools, who do not know that they do wrong.

       Do not be quick with your mouth,
       do not be hasty in your heart
       to utter anything before God.
       God is in heaven
       and you are on earth,
       so let your words be few.

not on bread alone (books in a time of need)

I've seen several messages this week that at times seem to compete, at others, to collaborate.  I want to share them with you and invite you to consider this important question:  What value do books and art have in a time or place of need?

Message #1: Ohio libraries are in trouble.  Cuts are possible soon.  Find out more here.

Message #2: In addition to disease, war, poverty, and weather, a book famine is threatening the quality of life on the continent of Africa.  Educations is the great equalizer.  Books bring hope.  Find out more here. 

Message #3: Taking a lesson from Messiaen's concentration camp masterpiece, Quartet for the End of Time, a story in Christianity Today suggests that art and justice go together.  Even in times of recession, we need creative expression.

How do you see these messages intersecting?  Do they collaborate or collide?  Libraries in my state are in danger of drastic budget cuts.  African kids treasure books like they were Xboxes.  Art and justice are not separate activities, but actually belong together.  These thoughts compel me more and more live at the intersection of creativity and compassion and community.  Doma International, the organization my wife and I founded last year, takes seriously the need for education and creativity among the world's vulnerable people.  Our initiatives are always holistic - considering the nutritional, medical, security, educational, vocational, and spiritual needs of those with whom we connect.

Consider these things.  Be creative.  Pray.  Act.

Welcome Sadie Natalya

Sadie Natalya was born on Thursday, June 18th, at 10:01AM.  She weighed 7 pounds 2 ounces, and was 19 inches long.  She and Julie are happy and healthy.  Life is crazy in the Clark household right now, with a mama recovering from her 3rd C-section, a newborn, and 2 other kids, age 3 and 18 months.  But the house, while not always filled with peace, is definitely filled with joy.

We named her Sadie because it's cute and spunky, yet classic.  (Also because she is named for a Beatles song, like our others).  We named her Natalya because the people, culture, need, and hope of Russia, and all of Eastern Europe, has had such an impact on our lives.  We named her in honor of that, and out of a special admiration we have for a dear friend there, Natasha Chekina, known to Judah as Totya Tasha.  Check out more pics of Sadie's arrival here. 

doma announces fall trips

Check out what doma's up to this Fall.  I'm excited to be going to Ukraine with my wife in October.  Join us!

Trip #1: AFRICA-  October 29th – November 10th

WakaWaka, Uganda

We will be sending a team to serve an entire village for an extended time.   The village is remote and beautiful—and the people are full of warmth and hospitality. It’s like walking onto the set of ‘National Geographic.’ There was an overwhelming response when we visited for one day in March, so we would like to concentrate our efforts on this one village for the entire trip. This team will spend time with the orphaned children and families in the village. This would be a great trip for medical professionals AND non-medical professionals.  The medical team will be providing direct care, as well as health education for those who visit the clinic.  There will be plenty to do for people of any age and profession! We also hope to lay the foundation in this village for our first prenatal care center.  We will also visit an existing clinic that is for sale and that has asked for help– to see if this is a location that doma would like to invest in.

email:  amber@domaconnection.org for more information about this trip.

Trip #2: UKRAINE-  October 1-11

Kiev and Donetsk

doma will send a team to babyhouses and orphanages in Ukraine to determine long term partnerships. This trip is where you will be ‘forging the way’ for our doma Ukraine connection points. Dan and I will BOTH be going on this one!!!  We will have the responsibility of distributing over 1,000 baby bouncer seats and even more clothes and supplies to babyhouses and hospitals. Along with this aid, we will bring the message of doma — that is, that early intervention in the lives of orphaned and vulnerable children will lead to the prevention of future emotional, spiritual, and physical crises in their lives. This trip will be busy with infants, young children, and will be focused on establishing relationships with orphanage directors and caretakers. (I’ll even have my infant with me on this one!)

email Julie@domaconnection.org for more information about this trip.

Trip #3:  AFRICA-  end of September, flexible dates

Uganda

This trip is for the adventurous spirit! Led by a fun young missionary who spends 3 months out of each year in Uganda. you will surely have a great time while extending the love of Christ to others in need. A local orphanage and school will host the team for several days—and you will help with projects around the school, which may include lifting, pouring, building, painting…and of course, getting to know the children and youth at the school. This would also be a great trip for young adults who are considering full time ministry to Africa. You can even extend your trip to spend more time with a few local missionaries in orphanages, elementary schools, or infant houses.

email Julie@domaconnection.org for more information about this trip.

factories and families

I remember five years ago I was driving through the region of Vladimir, Russia with one of Fund Nadezhda's senior staff (Fund Nadezhda means The Hope Fund).  Ylena pointed out a factory in a small town.  She said, 'This is a town of 22,000.  During Soviet times, that factory employed 8,000 people.  Now it employs 800.  You understand then why these families have problems and why we have so many orphans.'

This morning I was listening to NPR on my drive to work and hearing about the 6 GM plants shutting down in southeastern Michigan, the cutbacks at plants in northeast Ohio, and the generally challenging economic realities of our times.

Regardless of your views on the politics and policies, we can all agree that we want recovery and we want health and sustainability.  I'd encourage you to be active in bringing 'good news' to those who are struggling in this time.  My church, Upper Arlington Lutheran Church, is holding a Career Solutions Workshop.  Or check out what Vineyard of Columbus is doing for those unemployed and underemployed here.

When factories close, families suffer.  This is what Ylena was pointing out.  Let's be diligent to come around families in these difficult times and encourage and support them.