Tuesday, July 07, 2009

Loaves & Fishes

There are so many stories to tell (and so little time). The Summer of Blessings has been going on for several weeks now. It started with Martha and Terri in May and now there is a group of young people who are "Roving" personages in their own right...traveling the neighborhood, listening to neighbors and sharing stories.

Yesterday, was our regular Monday gathering when Martha and Terri come tell the stories of the people they have named, blessed, and connected over the last week. But today the room fills up with young people. Some of them had just joined the parade of people going to talk with their neighbors - some were people who had been chosen as what De'Amon has begun calling "Roving Disciples."

As those young people told stories about their neighbors the room seemed to have a beautiful hush and quietness to it. I was so impressed as I heard Cameron talk about his neighbors. He talked about one household where the husband and wife have lived here for over 40 years and have been married for over 50 years. He met their daughter as well - who no longer lives at home -- but with great joy told him about who used to live at every home in their block. Kyla reported on several people that she and the three other young people with her had visited. One was an elderly neighbor who everyone thought was the owner of a local liquor store. She found out they had bad information. They also talked about a visit last week that they made to the home of a family whose teenage son had committed suicide (they knew the young man). They brought cookies over from a neighborhood baker and shared them with the grieving family.

There was great energy in the room -- the laughter and stories flowing well. Perhaps not all that different a scene from the feeding of the five thousand (4,000)! It is multiplying and there are more stories to tell. It was a good day yesterday. A holy day.