Limping...

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Published: Sunday, 21 March 2010 15:46

Written by Corina Clements Soria

I’ve been trying to figure out where things went wrong... At the end of last year at El Jordan there was an underlying heaviness, not visible to all... but felt by the core group of workers...  At the end of any year we’re all pretty tired - finishing up things, “Christmas on the Streets” etc... but this year it was more than just tiredness... and our two/three week break wasn’t going to solve it...  There was a mixture of things - health issues... family pressures... interpersonal misunderstandings... hard feelings... little things that bothered people that gradually grew into festering sores...  Not pretty.... not what we want for our ministry... and above all... not pleasing to God...

Things came to a head a few days before Christmas – we started trying to unravel the knots to find the root of it all... but for the most part, it had to be put on hold until the new year...

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God and Mery Had a Chat

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Published: Wednesday, 17 March 2010 15:46

Written by Corina Clements Soria

Well... it has been a long time... it sounds like a lame excuse (but it is true!!!), we have been plagued with computer/internet/phone problems on and off for basically 6 weeks...  I think it is my Achilles tendon... and the enemy knows how to get me uptight... me being quite illiterate computer/technology wise... sigh... but I think everything is back in order... so I wanted to send a quick note to let you know that we are alive and well...

There have been so many things I’ve wanted to share with you... and ask for your prayers... but I haven’t been able to... This weekend I will try and write an update about how El Jordán is doing...

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The Pilgrim's Refuge

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Published: Saturday, 09 January 2010 16:46

Written by Corina Clements Soria

Over a year ago, we started going out for Sunday afternoon drives… exploring the small communities across the river where my great grandfather settled after the Chaco war…  In just over half an hour, we’d be far from the pressures, humidity and the rat race of the city... (and the cell phone) ...enjoying God’s creation - the palm trees flowing in the breeze (okay... wind)... the birds singing... the multiple shades of greens... The dogs were free to chase around wildly after bugs...  we’d come back feeling refreshed... like we had gone on a mini vacation... but without having spent any money except on gas...  (Anyone want to come and visit?)

I think in any job, ministry or even family situation... the pressures of dealing with people, expectations, over-crowded scheduling or instant messaging/communication can overpower our life... extinguishing (or at least dampening) the joys of  quiet... solitude... peace...

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My Christmas Heroes... Christmas on the Streets in Bolivia

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Published: Tuesday, 29 December 2009 16:46

Written by Corina Clements Soria

Belated Merry Christmas to all of you… and an early Happy New Year!!! 

Here we are... getting over that slightly dizzy feeling that you have when you just get off a merry go round... Christmas on the Streets is over for another year... and we’re catching up on our rest and everything else that was put on hold for the last couple weeks...  It sometimes seems like it never happened... but my infected thumb (from a pork bone splinter) reminds me every time I bang it, someone squeezes it, or I need it to hold on to something, that YES,  Christmas on the Streets came and went... 

 Christmas on the Streets  always amazes me... how so many people and churches join together to:

1/ gather all the donations

2/ prepare and cook food for 5,000 people in a place not meant to be a kitchen

3/ take the food and message to street people and extremely needy people ALL over the city

4/ clean up and get El Jordán looking and smelling like it is supposed to...

Wow... its amazing to think about... and even more amazing to see happen...

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