In the big living room of the nursing home that we visit, a woman walked past me, taking small, unsteady steps. I thought she needed a little support, so I offered my hand so that she could safely walk to one of the chairs and sit down. Sigrid gently took my hand with a smile...
Every week, for the past 28 years, our volunteers have visited this village near Deva called Mintia. There, we often visit Elena, a mother of four boys. She had her first boy at age 13 or 14, and she is now in her early twenties. Her boys are Nicholas, Christopher, Lucas, and Michael. These boys...
I met Beatrice, a 44 year old woman, in the soup kitchen that we help with several times a week in the mornings. She was a very small, fragile looking woman. At first, she kept her distance from us, but slowly this physical distance became a familiarity and then a friendship. Beatrice had had lung...
We had the joy of welcoming a beautiful and diverse group of 8 young people for our 2023 Summer Orientation - the biggest group in many years! Each orientee brought a different flavor, having heard Christ’s call from across the States, Central America, and the Caribbean! It was a grace for each of us to...
This past month, we wrapped up my last round of summer camps. These days, despite the chaos, stress, and lack of sleep involved in organizing and running camps for two sets of twenty children from the slums of Chennai, the neighborhoods of Chengalpett, and our surrounding villages, are some of the most joyful days of...
Normally, I dread events like galas and fundraisers. But I have come to expect a pleasant surprise upon meeting up with the Con-solatio crew under any circumstances. There is always great dignity, purpose and grace in the air when we meet, and somehow this opens up possibilities I did not see. During the evening stories were...
Our partnered mission center in Dakar recently celebrated their thirtieth anniversary. A sneak peek into Senegalese joy in words and images:...
If you have ever visited us in Brooklyn, you may have met our friend Willy. And if you have met him, you certainly would remember him: a big man with a big heart, and quite a big share in the cross. Abandoned at birth, he was adopted by a Cherokee woman who had seven children...
One day, M., an eleven-year-old girl, came yelling at our gate. This is a very normal occurrence with the kids of the neighborhood, so we weren't too shocked or worried. However, as I approached the gate, I saw that M. had been crying. As I ran to her, asking what the matter was, she responded,...
Since returning from Orientation in Brooklyn a couple of weeks ago, my time spent there almost seems like a dream. Not because it seems distant, but because of my experience of the Con-solatio way of life. The orientation was full of talks, meeting new people, and living a life that seemed really different. While I...