Worth Mentioning

Haiti_Van_faves (Photo credit: vanberto)

Here are some blog posts by other folks that have impacted me or resonated with my own heart recently.

The Naked Truth About Deputation - Ministry partnership/deputation/support raising from a mom's perspective. If you want to hear the heart of missionary moms and know what it is really like, this is a great read. I have had many of the experiences and emotions she mentions. A great way to gain perspective on how to minister to your missionaries and understand them better. 

Don't Send Your Used Shoes to Africa...or Maybe Do Send Them - This post is by a blogger in Djibouti, another African country, but I have seen the same effects in Congo. Sometimes our "kindnesses" actually hurt the economy and employment rates here instead of helping. There are great needs and great ways to help, but careful consideration is essential. If after reading this you want to help in more direct, positive ways, write a missionary or expat friend and they can give you good information and resources.

The One Thing Christians Should Stop Saying - What does it really mean to be blessed? A very interesting and thoughtfully written piece. I liked it because it touches on the inner conflict I have after knowing faithful Congolese Christians, seeing the circumstances they live in through no choice of their own, and trying to reconcile my western idea of blessings with the seeming lack of blessings in their lives.

I think these were worth sharing and would love to hear your thoughts. 

Daniel and I had an interesting experience this week. I am still trying to narrow down all the photos and words to a manageable number for a blog post, but here is a sneak preview. See if you can guess what these photos all have in common.