One of the 'side-effects' of going to international Quaker events is that issues previously just warranting a few column inches on the inside pages of newspapers take on far more relevance when you know someone whose life is, or might be affected by the events of the world. Be it a natural disaster or the political climate which means families have to scrape around for funds to pay for an operation that many more fortunate ones of us can get courtesy of the national helath service.
Whilst many of us aren't in a position to send anything direct to those in need other than our prayers and an email we can make efforts in our own lifestyle and actions to help more indirectly. Whilst I'm not sure right now if what I'm doing will help Kenya or Peru specifically, at least I feel as though I'm doing something to redress the inequities of the world.
But I guess I shouldn't undervalue the emails and prayers. The WGYF email list has had a fairly steady stream over the last 18 months of prayer requests for those in need. What has also come through strongly has been the appreciation for the responses. Only a handful each time reply to the list, more I know reply to the individual and more still read the message and hold the request in the light, quietly and unassumingly. Knowing that those prayers are being said around the world has brought comfort and strength, and reinforces the knowledge that we may have all scattered but we're still together at heart. Thankfully we have those who translate messages for us back and forth betwixt English and Spanish to include as many as possible.
But sometimes an email comes direct, not through the list and good ol' freetranslation.com rescues me from ignorance as my Spanish is pretty limited to put it midly. However either it doesn't seem to like Central American Spanish or it's the typing of the emails... making sense of the English is sometimes as challenging as the Spanish. But I had to smile, despite the seriousness of the email, at the latest one - it basically got translated as 'I give thanks to God, and send my greetings. I don't want to tire him but I hope he answers our prayers quick.'
Not quite how I would have put it but our Friend spoke my mind.
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