THE PEARL OF GREAT PRICE

It dawned on my recently that some of the best friends I have are people I don't know very well. I'm giving my life to people through the ministry at Harambee. We need friends to pull it off. We have to raise the funds for this ministry, and we do it privately, through the gifts of individuals and churches. I spend my time with lots of people, for so many good and vital reasons. But some folks reciprocate in a unique way, by giving of their time or resources. I don't know why this is just hitting me now, but I was looking through a list of regular donors, folks who are giving (what I consider to be) significant resources to Harambee. Their giving makes me want to just, well, do whatever I can for them. I was thinking of the last time I had actually sat down with some of these folks, not for the purposes of asking for support, but just for hanging out and sharing and crying and laughing. It's been a while. Beginning in January of 2003, my life has been one series of major crises followed by clean-up work followed by daily due diligence. I'm not just a father at home, I'm also a father (in a sense) of what happens at Harambee. So time has just been so limited, with so much to do, so many people to tend to, so many important (as opposed to urgent) commitments to keep. It's been easy to overlook Harambee's close friends. I hope they don't feel neglected. But let me tell you what I'm going to do: I'm going to visit as many folks as I can before the summer is out, just to say thank you. I feel happy to do so. It's amazing to look up and see people who (I gulp with confession) that I feel I may have taken a bit for granted, but who have been faithful nonetheless. I'm looking forward to hanging with them, saying thank you, and opening up my heart to share with them the fresh new things that God is rolling out in the lives of children, youth, and families in our community.