January 2003

Dear Friends,

It had been a good Christmas party. The four women from the Presbyterial and I, along with two piñatas, traveled in a bus to this distant community. The children were all ready and waiting when we arrived; they sang choruses for us and we lead the group in games and a Christmas drama. Afterwards there were piñatas full of candy and peanuts, gifts for those who could recite a Bible verse or sing a chorus alone, and to finish off the party there were tamales for everyone. Then why did I feel sad, a bit disturbed when I left? As I rode back home on the bus I tried to understand my feelings. I spend a lot of hours riding buses and have learned that the time can be used for sleeping, prayer, or thinking!

This afternoon, as I was thinking, a memory came back to me. I must have been about 8 years old, and I was at a Sunday School party, or maybe a Christmas party, I don't remember. The teacher would play a hymn tune on the piano and then one by one we were asked to identify the name of the hymn. When my turn came, I listened to the music and I "knew" that hymn, but for the life of me I could not remember the name of the hymn. So I did not receive a prize like all those who could name the hymn. I remembered the feeling of embarrassment and shame; I was not good enough to receive a prize. It was those same feelings that came to me as I watched several of the children at the party look longingly at the gifts, try to recite a Bible verse or sing a chorus, but it just did not come. I remembered especially one little boy, he was not much more than two years old, really too young to have expected a verse or chorus from him, but that was the requirement to receive a gift, and he did not get one, even though he reached out his hand in expectation and looked longingly at the basket of gifts.

We talk and preach about the Church being a sign of the Kingdom of God on earth, and I believe that in God's Kingdom everyone will receive a gift, whether they know a Bible verse, a chorus or the name of the hymn! I believe that in God's Kingdom there will be a party and all will be invited and there will be enough gifts for everyone. I know the women who planned the party were well meaning, they are good people; they did not intend to hurt any child. Will I have the wisdom and courage to talk with these women so that together we can think about what it means to live as a sign of God's Kingdom? That is one of my challenges for this new year.

Wherever you live, in one way or the other, I think you have the same challenge, to think about what it means to live as a sign of God's Kingdom, and then try to live into that vision.

Ellen H. Dozier

The 2003 Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study, page 244.