I walked into the Presencia apartment on Friday afternoon with Thursday’s events still rattling through my mind.
If you read last week’s blog post, you know that our staff witnessed some weird noises, doors opening, and lights turning on without any visible cause. They felt rattled by the experience and reluctant to come back to work. I promised that I’d show up, feel the place out, and spend some time in prayer there.
While I walked through the living room, the dining room, and the reading room, an unexpected feeling swept through me. I didn’t feel spooked or chilled. I wasn’t worried about what unseen things might be in the air.
I felt the reality of love, and I recognized visible signs of it all around the room. I saw the letters on the wall that we use to teach children the alphabet. I saw the little blue chairs where they sit and hear from their mentors that they are loved. I saw the tables where they eat snacks and share a warm meal.
We were given a small space in an often troubled neighborhood to make a place where love lives. In that space, we’ve empowered children to grow into adults who mentor the next generation. We’ve planned outings, worked out conflicts, fed hungry children, spoken love and hope over young lives, and consistently welcomed the children of immigrants here.
What do we do when fear tries to fill our minds or interrupt our work? We return to love, focus on that, and move forward with the courage that comes from positive vision.
Have a hopeful Friday,
Ian North
Director of Communications