This past Sunday, many of us took time to honor that special someone who taught us how to ride our first bicycle, change our first tire, catch our first baseball, and get through life without calling a plumber or asking for directions. Father’s Day was celebrated in 52 countries around the world, from Cuba to Greece to Afghanistan.
It is sometimes difficult to hear the heartbreaking stories of the people we help, especially when they involve children. What keeps us encouraged are the stories we receive from our partners detailing how dire situations have been turned around and lives are renewed.
In Haiti, one thing has always been certain. Through all the poverty, tragedy, and violence that has plagued the small Caribbean nation, Haitians have always celebrated Carnival.
This week, Cross Catholic staff met with Haitian mission partner Gladys Mecklembourg, who runs an orphanage on the country’s west coast, to learn how her ministry is coping with the earthquake crisis. We have provided funds to help Gladys meet emergency needs as she balances her responsibility of caring for her children with efforts to reach out to suffering people throughout the community.
Old news: a prominent religious scholar wants China to pass a law guaranteeing religious freedoms. New news: The scholar, Liu Peng, is getting publicity for his cause in China Daily, the official government English language newspaper of China. How’s that for a twist!
Sunday, Nov. 29, marked the advent of Advent – a traditional Catholic observance that often gets upstaged by Thanksgiving on one end and Christmas on the other, especially now that the Christmas season seems to begin on Black Friday or even earlier!