Posted in reflections, tagged healing, pastoral ministry, vocation, women in ministry on November 28, 2017| Leave a Comment »
Photo by Iqbal Osman
By Diana Gee
Surely he took up our pain
and bore our suffering,
yet we considered him punished by God,
stricken by him, and afflicted.
But he was pierced for our transgressions,
he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was on him,
and by his wounds we are healed.
Isaiah 53:4-5 (more…)
Posted in reflections, tagged city, urban ministry on November 23, 2017| Leave a Comment »
Photo by Kaitlyn Johnson
By Maria Liu Wong
As I walk towards the end of the block, I see Monique and her kids cross the street. They used to live upstairs in an affordable housing unit above our gallery in central Harlem, but have since moved a few blocks over. In the past three years, they have gone from upstairs neighbor to regular visitors a few times a week, stopping by after school to look at the latest exhibition and make art at our designated “makerspace” with Anthony, our manager.
On Tuesdays just before 1:00 pm, a van pulls up in front of the gallery. A group from The Fisher Center, a day center for adults with special needs, emerges and heads to the door, to be greeted by Anthony and Sachi, another colleague. For the past month or so, they have been coming to look at and make art together. (more…)
Posted in reflections, tagged healing, immigrants, social justice on November 14, 2017| Leave a Comment »
Photo by Nayuki
By Eun Joo Angela Ryo
During my English teaching years, I learned that there’s so much power in redeeming your pain and wounds instead of hiding or running away from them. Our family immigrated to the United States from Korea on a business visa which expired shortly after we arrived. All my childhood, adolescent and young adult years, I lived in fear and hopelessness of being undocumented. (more…)
Posted in reflections on November 7, 2017| Leave a Comment »
Photo by Trang Angels
By Sarah D. Park
I’m a 5’2″ slightly-built Korean woman. I’m often mistaken for being a student despite being 30 years old. Because of my petite size and by virtue of being a woman, looking out for my safety has become second nature to me. I also grew up knowing that my body is wired to avoid harm, with innate survival instincts that can cause me to flinch, run, or fight back before I can think to react. So when I heard that white supremacist and alt-right groups known for their violence would be coming to my neighborhood to throw a rally, it never occurred to me to be anywhere near that action. (more…)
Posted in reflections, tagged cross-culture, identity on October 31, 2017| Leave a Comment »
Photo by Carmy Mirabeau aka Carmilla Mrabeau
By Ajung Sojwal
I have called you by name, you are mine. –Isaiah 43:1
Nobody can prepare you for that moment when you get to meet your child for the first time. For nine months, I nurtured and carried her in my womb; never could I imagine what she would look like or who she would be. When I finally held her in my arms, I was overcome with a deep sense of recognition of her as mine completely. (more…)
Posted in reflections, tagged friendship, self-acceptance on October 24, 2017| Leave a Comment »
Photo by Elsie Hui
By Wendy Choy-Chan
I had always felt inclined to attend social gatherings — potluck dinners, outings, movies, even activities I didn’t really enjoy but where I could just hang out with friends. However, almost every time, especially when it involved a big group of people, I came home exhausted and disappointed. (more…)
Posted in reflections, tagged community, family, pastoral ministry on October 17, 2017| Leave a Comment »
Photo by suedkollektiv
By Debbie Gin
“I want to go back home. I want to go back HOME!” I remember screaming through sobs, while my mom—half bewildered, half understanding my deep sorrow—tried to console me. It had only been a couple weeks since our move from the comforts of a burgeoning Koreatown, Los Angeles, to the then predominantly White Hacienda Heights. (more…)
Posted in reflections, tagged desert, transition on October 10, 2017| Leave a Comment »
Photo by slgckgc
By Liz Chang
Posted in reflections, tagged childhood on September 26, 2017| 1 Comment »
Photo by dimas danardana
By Ajung Sojwal
…but I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything… John 15:15
I met her on the first day of kindergarten. Jet-black hair, much longer than my bob cut, with the friendliest smile I had ever seen on anyone. She took one look at my cautious examination of the classroom and pulled me to sit next to her on the second bench. (more…)
Posted in reflections, tagged conflict, difficult conversations, relationships on September 19, 2017| Leave a Comment »
Photo by Nick Allen
By Sharon Lee Song
We don’t use our imaginations enough. My imagination is what has helped to keep Scripture alive for me. When various life issues and challenges arise, I’ve looked to Scripture because I wanted to know how other people have handled similar situations or challenges, particularly the way Jesus managed them. (more…)
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