Episcopal Church Foundation Vestry Papers - for leading congregations

My weekend plans were simple: pack the remaining Christmas items away and visit my mother. Bake something to bring to my mother and to share with our next door neighbor who clears our sidewalk with his snow blower.

That all changed when my husband handed me a copy of Tracy Kidder’s “Mountains Beyond Mountains, The Quest of Dr. Paul Farmer, A Man Who Would Cure the World."

The story was somewhat familiar to me, having read about Farmer and his organization Partners in Health in “The Boston Globe” and being familiar with Père Lafontant’s and the Sisters of St. Margaret’s work in Cange and Port-au-Prince. Needless to say, I couldn’t put the book down; the Christmas decorations are still spread all over the guest room.

Taking a break from reading, my husband and I reflected on other seemingly ordinary people who offer extraordinary service to the poorest among us: Greg Mortenson, promoting peace on school at a time in Pakistan; Bill’s employer, YearUp founder, Gerald Chertavian; and locally, Veann Campbell of St. Joseph’s Harvest of Hope Food Pantry in Salem, Mass. Each of these individuals has dedicated their time, their treasure, and their energy to bring about real change in the world, one person, one community at a time.

I invite you to join me in reading this remarkable story. I also invite you to reflect with me on this passage from the book:

On page 79, the Haitian Proverb “Bondye konn bay, men li pa konn separe” (God gives but doesn’t share) and Farmer’s explanation: “God gives us humans everything we need to flourish, but he’s not the one who’s supposed to divvy up the loot. That charge was laid upon us.” What is God calling us to do? What can we as individuals, as congregational leaders, as community members do to ensure a more equitable distribution of resources?

And finally, I invite you to use this space to share the stories of the ordinary people in your community who are doing extraordinary things.