Streams of Mercy
On the third Sunday of each months, we share a “Mission Story on Shirley’s Quilt.” The quilt is a gift from the women of the Sycamore Presbyterian Church in Cincinnati, Ohio, in memory of my friend Shirley, who served as their Associate Pastor for a number of years. On our world globe, Jackson Springs is marked with a red ribbon, and we move the ribbon from place to place as we share mission stories.
Today the ribbon was moved to Honduras, Nicaragua, and Guatemala, to trace the journey of the caravan of migrants making its way into Mexico and perhaps on to the United States. We shared pictures of the migrants crowding on the bridge leading into Mexico, pictures of others climbing over barriers, swimming across rivers, making their way to a better life. We shared pictures of a young girl riding on their father’s shoulders and young mothers carrying their toddlers, and the elderly walking linked arm-in-arm, supporting each other. Our children were given pictures of young children making the journey, and encouraged to pray for them.
The latest news bulletin states, “The caravan of migrants from Central America grew to roughly 5,000 Sunday evening, a massive group that stretched along the main highway in Tapachula, Mexico, for more than a half-mile. They spoke in different accents, fleeing different disasters: joblessness in parts of Honduras, a mounting political crisis in Nicaragua, cities in Guatemala where they were sure their children would languish as they had.”
In this week’s Presbyterian Outlook, Jill Duffield shares a beautiful and moving prayer, “Prayer for All.” A brief portion of her prayer follows:
“May your relentless will to be in relationship with us no matter the cost and your desire for us to be reconciled to you and one another beckon us outward – toward you, toward our neighbors… We desperately need the Savior’s presence in the midst of us to show us the way, to reveal the truth, to be the life abundant for all and forever.”
May this be the prayer of our hearts for all God’s children.
Elizabeth