By now, you know the STORY of the Mother Letter Project. See the FAQs for more information.
Over the last few days, I have received many emails asking the deadline for submitting Mother Letters for the Mother’s Day Edition. In order to compile the book in time, I will need the letters no later than May the 8th. If everyone who pledged to write turns their letter in, we should have between 50-60 letters. A solid effort, I would say.
I can’t wait to see the submissions. Have you written yours yet?
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A VILLAGER’S STORY - PENSIEVELY SPEAKING
On Mondays, I have been sharing the stories of villagers from Mozambique. This morning, it occurred to me that it might be appropriate to share another kind of story, a story about one of our own villagers.
Robin lives somewhere south of the Mason Dixon line. I know her village; I live in one quite similar. Spring blooms azalea and crape myrtle and the bulbs begin to shoot. The summer months are filled with ice-cold watermelon, the smell of cut grass, and the laughter of sandlot baseball games. Fall brings sweet tea, hot-wings (I dare not bring Buffalo into this conversation), and Football. Winter is awash with Santa and all the turkey and ham fixin’s. Life moves from one season to the next, predictable and comfortable.
It is easy to sink into the seasonal wonder of life. In villages like hers, life can become rote. We strive to maintain the status quo and confine ourselves to the next known quotient - the predictable blooming of the tulip bulbs, the yearly summer vacation to the gulf, the predictable fizzle of the Tennessee Volunteer football season. When life is so predictable and easy, why risk?
This spring, Robin and eight others will be leaving a bit of this predictability behind. This Friday, May 24th, they will board a large plane bound for a rather large village - Calcutta, India. Robin will hear the stories of brothers and sisters living in one of the poorest regions of the world. She will write the stories of villagers whose lives are less predictable and more volitile than our own. She will see and, through her eyes, so will we. Her risk will be our reward.
Follow Robin next week as she gives us eyes to look into the lives of a worthy people. And before she goes, visit her plot of cyber real estate and get acquainted with her (if you are not already). Send her a word of encouragement. Wish her safe travel and good writing.
Pray for her and the others.
After all, isn’t that what being fellow villagers is all about?
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