My brother called from Bosnia yesterday morning... well, for him it was mid-afternoon. He asked howthings were going in light of our recent emails back and forth concerning a neighborhood ministry and the likelihood of those actions continuing under a higher overhead.

Then he told me about Budapest. He had just returned from attending a conference there. He loved the city calling it, "the Paris of eastern Europe." It is interesting to hear politics from the perspective of the media on the other side of the pond. He said that the whole uprising in the Ukraine involving the two Viktors started with some Christian missionaries. Viktor Yanukovich was originally elected, and he was distinctly more Eastern in terms of his policies. The state would have returned to limited freedom of religion and speech. Viktor Yushchenko, who was finalized as president toward the end of December was more Western in his policies and ideas. A few college-age Christian missionaries were not going to let the possibility of religious freedom being prohibited stand in their future, so they started praying. Gradually, the numbers began to grow and an all-out protest was being carried out against the government and the election of Viktor Yanukovich.

Did you see the orange flags and/or scarves on CNN? Those were the Christians. Missionaries in China were sending money. Who better is aware of religious prohibition? It was quite a stand. And, I must say, quite a victory for God.

Isn't it mindblowing to think of God doing more than we could ever conceptualize in another country literally halfway around the world? And to think that he speaks to us as well. In our struggles and hurts. In our minute lives.

My parents were talking about their visit to the Holy Land a few weeks back. They said that there are some places that are assumed to be where Jesus lived. But then there are definite sites where historians are sure that Jesus walked. One of those places is the dungeon where Jesus sat waiting to see Pilate. To stand in that room, not very different now than it probably looked then, to think that Jesus has stood right where you are standing.

The Jesus that came to Earth, from God. The Jesus that put on flesh to dwell in us. The Jesus that taught Peter, James, and John. The Jesus that has met the great leaders of the church.

My Jesus. Who picked me up from the dirt and mire and washed me anew. Who knows me, and where I am, and where I need to go.

That Jesus.

posted by Kelly @ 3:02:00 PM