beginnings

It may be that when we no longer know what to do,
we have come to our real work
and when we no longer know which way to go,
we have begun our real journey.
The mind that is not baffled is not employed.
The impeded stream is the one that sings.
Wendell Berry, "The Real Work"

Beginnings.

We have been here in the Valley just two weeks now. Two weeks of getting our feet set on the ground and unpacking boxes and finding places to belong, things and people alike. Our primary prayer right now, and I expect that it will be for a while, maybe forever, is for vision.

We want to see the world around us through the eyes of Christ.

This summer we are working with an intern, a student in Community Development. Her assignment is to survey the community, especially those living in the nearby colonias, locating and mapping existing resources and seeing what needs exist. Her work will help to lay a foundation of where we will begin, who we will talk to, where we will go.

Colonias are residential neighborhoods in border counties, typically in unincorporated subdivisions,. Historically, they have very little infrastructure- limited access to clean water and sewer services, underdeveloped roads, and marginal housing conditions. In addition, these communities face higher rates of health problems and disease and high unemployment rates. The county we are living in has the largest number of colonias residents in Texas. It is also one of the poorest counties in the United States.

This week, in just a few days time, we listened about issues surrounding those living in floodplains, a potentially life threatening situation as hurricane season arrives. We heard about the very real possibility of young girls involved in sex trade activities. We saw people living in substandard housing conditions. We learned of needs bigger than existing resources.

We prayed.
Continually.

Because we have come to real work, and we are starting on a real journey.
We don’t have simple solutions, and we will never fix all these problems.
But we do have an Answer, and in serving, we are ready to tell of the hope that we have.

Someday, we hope to hear the waters sing, even as they roll over stones in the stream.

But right now, we are just beginning.