On a recent visit to a Christian bookstore my husband picked up a copy of The Five Languages of Apology by Gary Chapman and Jennifer Thomas and was published by Northfield Publishing in 2006. Reading the book, looking for answers to my questions, stirred up a lot of memories, some redemptive, some painful.

When I was 15 years old, my father severely chastised me for something he thought I had done. When I tried to tell him I was not guilty he wouldn’t listen. I remember lying in bed that night unable to sleep, quietly sobbing. After a while I heard footsteps as my father came to my bedroom, in the dark. He told me that Mom had convinced him I was innocent, and he asked for forgiveness for his harsh words. My father’s “I’m sorry” was huge. That he would apologize in an era when parents didn’t apologize to their children, at least none I knew of, was significant and sufficient for me. It began the healing process and did a lot to dissipate the resentment I felt toward him.

A second experience with apologies came during a spiritual emphasis week at the Christian high school I attended. I was new to the school and had trouble fitting in. I knew I was somewhat different but didn’t realize how big an issue it was until the week of the revival. The speaker told the student body that we had to go and apologize to those we had wronged, and if someone apologized to us, we had to forgive.

I soon lost count of how many students came to me and apologized for saying unkind things about me. I was devastated. My self-concept, already fragile, took a serious beating that week. That these apologies were guilt-induced by the speaker and not from the heart soon became evident when, during the remainder of the year several painfully embarrassing incidents occurred. Eventually, I decided it wasn’t going to get better. My only hope was to leave and find a new beginning elsewhere. I left.

It seems to me that we all need more teaching on what it means to apologize effectively. Chapman and Thomas suggest that because we are imperfect people living in an imperfect world we will do things for which we need to apologize. Unfortunately, the lack of an apology often leads to cold and/or fractured relationships. Victims seek justice, become angry and sometimes lash out in violent behavior if the issues are not resolved.

The authors identify five components of the language of apology that work: 1. I am sorry. 2. I was wrong. 3. What can I do to make it right? 4. I’ll try not to do that again. 5. Will you please forgive me?

Those who are the victims hear apologies in different ways. For some, “I am sorry” will be enough; for others it is not. Some need to hear that we take responsibility for our actions and will do what we can to make it right. We need to learn not only what constitutes a genuine apology, but also what the language of accepting apologies is for the other person. This is a new concept for me.

Learning to apologize is essential if we want to maintain healthy relationships in the family, in our community, at our place of work and in the church. The authors write, “When we apologize, we accept responsibility for our behavior, seeking to make amends with the person who was offended. Genuine apology opens the door to the possibility of forgiveness and reconciliation…. Good relationships are always marked by a willingness to apologize, forgive and reconcile. The reason many relationships are cold and distant is because we failed to apologize…. The good news is that the art of apology can be learned.”

I cannot begin to do justice to the excellent content of this book. This is an excellent resource for those who need help in improving their relationships. It includes helps in learning to apologize and to forgive in many different situations. It would make an excellent small group or Sunday school study. Included are a group study guide and an Apology Language Profile that readers can take to discover their own apology language.

God, however, had another plan. While in British Columbia I also visited my siblings and one day overheard my brother, Walt, talk about a ministry trip to the Democratic Republic of Congo. My husband, who grew up as a missionary kid in DR Congo, often talks about going back to visit. So I asked Walt about his trip and soon knew I had to explore further.

Walt arranged for me to visit with Murray Nickel, a medical doctor who is the MBMS International representative for DR Congo, and MBMSI staff member Jamie Munday. With this additional information, my husband and I decided to join a trip—he to visit his Congo roots and I to go along for the ride. That's what I thought, but God had other plans.

When Dr. Murray learned that I had been an educator for many years and had led numerous teacher in-service programs, he suggested that I participate in a teacher education conference in Tembo, a Congolese town on the Angola border. There are a significant number of Mennonite Brethren living in the area who sponsor one high school and 28 elementary schools. I agreed to give it a try.

I would be one of three presenters at a three-day conference; the other two would be Congolese. I was asked to prepare for six hours of workshops with 15 participants in each session. I wasn't sure exactly what to plan for, but I knew that I would not have access to electricity. Conflicting e-mails and phone calls from several sources left me in a fog. In frustration, I told the Lord I had no idea what to plan for and how to pack but that he knew. "Help me pack what I need," I prayed.

When I got to Tembo, I learned there was a change in plans. Since I had come such a long way, I would be the only presenter. I went from six hours of presentations to 16 hours in one minute! Thankfully, years of experience have taught me to improvise and adapt. Even without electricity and with 55 participants, we had a successful conference. In the end I actually had three activities “left over.” The Lord had helped me pack and prepare for the unknown!

After we came home, we contacted Pakisa Tshmika, a Congolese now living in Fresno, Calif., who we knew was planning to fill and ship a container of school supplies to Congo. My husband and I arranged to have lunch with him when he visited relatives in Kansas. My agenda was to see if I could arrange to send stuff in that container for the schools in the Tembo area.

That was my agenda, but the Lord had another one. Dr. Pakisa knew of our education program in Tembo and wanted to know more about it. After an extended conversation, he invited me to be part of an upcoming education conference planned for Kinshasa where delegates from three Congo Mennonite Conferences would explore ways to improve the educational programs in their schools.

In the middle of all these events another “God thing” happened. I am a retired schoolteacher who has no intentions of going back to work. Last June the local school district asked if I was willing to work half-time this school year as a math coach in one of the elementary schools. My weekly schedule could be flexible, as long as I worked the number of days my contract specified. Amazingly, this experience has given me a refresher course in current educational practice and is providing the money needed to pay for the trips to the Congo. I could not have made all these arrangements on my own.

And so as I write this I'm wondering: What is the next “God thing” going to be?

The Shack has been #1 on the New York Times bestseller list since last June. You can buy the book at most bookstores including Borders and Barnes & Noble, even at Wal-Mart and Costco. Current estimates are that the book has sold over one million copies.

William P. Young, the author, is the son of Canadian missionaries who lived and worked on the island of New Guinea. He was raised among a Stone Age tribe where he never seemed to fit in. Young suffered serious trauma as a child at boarding school and felt disconnected from his parents, who had no clue what he was experiencing. Then as a young adult Young self-inflicted more damage. It took him 11 years to work through the destruction and hurt he felt. This book is Young’s attempt to explain the process of healing and of finding forgiveness.

The Shack is a work of fiction. The story revolves around a father named Mack whose youngest daughter goes missing during a family camping trip. Evidence in a wilderness shack points to the possibility of a brutal murder, but there is no body. For four years Mack struggles with this "great darkness." Then one day he receives a note from God asking him to come back to that awful shack for a weekend. Reluctantly he does so and walks back into a world of nightmares and deep anxiety. However, Mack's experience as he encounters, God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit change his world forever.

I first came across The Shack while visiting family in Canada. My sister-in-law told me that the book had been extremely helpful as she came to terms with her brother’s sudden and unexpected death. When I picked up the book, I was impressed by Eugene Petersen’s endorsement on the front cover: “This book has the potential to do for our generation what John Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress did for his. It’s that good!”

Since I had time, I began to read and found the book hard to put down. Later that week I found a local Christian bookstore that had a table piled high with copies and bought several to take back home with me.Yes, in one sense the book is controversial. During my first reading I came to sections where I would say, “Oh-oh, some people aren’t going to like this!” I’ve decided this book is not for people who have all their theological ducks in a certain order and therefore are not open to being challenged by new ways of thinking about God.

For example, some people object to God being portrayed as a black woman. When asked why he did this, Young says that he wants people to reconsider their preconceptions of God. It certainly made me do that. Now sometimes when I think of God, the image of Ethel Waters comes to mind, and I remember her singing, “His eye is on the sparrow, and I know he cares for me,” at a Billy Graham crusade.

At another level, I keep wondering why so many people find the book to be so helpful. Obviously it strikes a chord, a deep need, for many. I’ve read The Shack several times. Each time it gives me a new understanding of how God the Father, Jesus the Son and the Holy Spirit work together in helping us get through the tough times in our lives. It is reassuring to know that we have such a caring and loving support system available to us at all times. It is comforting to know that when we experience darkness, there is light at the end of the tunnel.

When asked what the shack in the story represents, Young answers: “It is a metaphor, really, for the decrepit house of the soul that we build over time. It’s where we hide our pain, our lostness, our secrets and our addictions. Our lies are the fabric that holds the house together and we decorate it with the façade that we want other people to see.”

I was amazed at the vision, initiative and excitement with which this small body of believers is the light and salt of the earth to these poverty-stricken people. They need our prayers to remain strong and to continue in their work. They also need our financial help—for new sewing machines, more clinic equipment, an X-ray machine and building materials for further renovation of the children’s home—not as a “handout” but as a “hand-up.” Through MBMS International we can partner with this congregation as they strive to be the hands of Jesus to their community.

This Voice of the Martyrs (VOM) publication (November 2008) has an extensive article on what is happening in Iran. The newsletter shows pictures of believers being baptized and others distributing Farsi New Testaments and Bibles to new Iranian Christians. One picture showed Iranian women watching a Christian satellite TV broadcast. I also saw several pictures showing the effects of beatings some of these new Christians have endured as a result of their faith.

According to this article, persecution of Christians is alive and well in Iran. Arrests, torture, imprisonment and death threats are common. Sometimes these beatings lead to death. Ever since the 1979 revolution, Iran has been under Sharia Law. It has laws against evangelism, leaving Islam and large assemblies by Christians. A new law proposed in February 2008 sets the death penalty as the only punishment for a Muslim male who leaves his religion.

In spite of all this, Christianity is spreading significantly around the country. New believers, knowing the possible consequences of their conversions, are still accepting Christ and spreading the Word to others. Since 2004 Iranian Christians have distributed more than 46,000 VOM evangelism videotapes. It is estimated that at least 500 Iranian Muslims are converting to Christianity every month.

Christian satellite TV programming is a big factor in this evangelism effort. Christians invite their Muslim friends for dinner and afterward gather around the TV to watch some of these programs. VOM says that many Iranians are coming to Christ as a result, but there are also risks for those who produce these TV programs. Even if they don’t live in Iran, they have also been threatened with injury, disfigurement and even death. In spite of these threats, TV evangelism goes on.

One story is told of a Christian taxicab driver who has a wooden cross hanging from his rearview mirror and who plays Christian music on his car’s cassette player. He greets his passengers with “Hello” and “God bless you.” In the car trunk he carries a box of Bibles and is not afraid to hand these out to passengers interested in learning more about Isa (Jesus). There are dozens of these drivers in various cities who spread the Gospel through their work. They say the thirst for Christ is incredible in Iran.

One house church leader and his wife have traveled by bus all over Iran to spread the gospel. They go to a city, find a place to stay and then visit coffee houses, city parks and college campuses looking for people to talk with. The VOM newsletter states: “Sometimes in as little as a week, they have a nucleus of new believers in a city and a house church is born. Their single network of house churches has grown from one city to more than 50 cities.” Wow!

What amazes me is that these young Christians are so strong in their beliefs that they are willing to face the incredible threats thrown at them. One woman who endured serious torture said of her tormentors: “We pray for them, that God will guide them. We just believe that they will believe in Jesus one day. We just pray for them that God will guard them and help them…that maybe these things won’t happen to other Christians.” These Christians have biblical precedent for this attitude. Jesus says, “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” (Matt. 5:44).

When I read of the persecution in the early church, I see Saul (later called Paul) guarding the clothes of the men stoning Stephen and giving approval to his death. On the day that Stephen was stoned, “a great persecution broke out against the church…and all except the apostles were scattered…. Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went” (Acts 8:1,4).

Persecution increased evangelism efforts in the early church. It still does today. Even Saul, one of the persecutors, had his own dramatic encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus and became a messenger for the gospel. Later during his own missionary journeys he endured many episodes of persecution himself.

We need to pray for the people of Iran, for the new Christians, for those who are being persecuted and even for those in government. Can you imagine what would happen to President Ahmadinejad, members of his government and others in leadership if ten thousand Christians prayed for them every day?

MEDA Trust is operating a microloan program in Afghanistan. I divided my $100 account into two parts that were designated to help two women get loans. I have received periodic e-mails giving me updates on the loan repayment history of these women. According to the most recent update, the initial loans are over 95 percent repaid, including a small interest charge.

When completely repaid, the $100 will be put back into my account so that I can designate it for other recipients. It’s a lot of fun knowing that my money will be recycled and will continue to give and give and give, something like the Energizer Bunny. Furthermore, the knowledge that my investment is safe in a bank of heaven is a great bonus.

A news article in Mennonite Weekly Review (Dec. 1, 2008) describes this loan project to help Afghani women. In many parts of that country, women still face serious cultural restrictions, and working outside of the home is one of them. So a program has been developed to help women work from their homes, growing crops in kitchen gardens that are then sold in local markets.

The project has creatively found ways to help these women buy supplies and sell their produce since many of them cannot leave their homes to do so. Older women and widows have more freedom of movement than young girls and younger married women, so they have been designated as the buyers and sellers for those who grow the crops but who can’t get out to sell them.

According to this report, “Villages form groups of 20 to 25 women and then appoint a lead farmer to train the members in capital marketing, horticulture quality and storage techniques. On the average, women involved in the project earn about $350 a year after deducting supply costs.” Furthermore, “the project’s group meetings have increased a sense of community among women and young girls formerly denied social privileges.”

After only two years, six villages, representing 1,500 women, are part of the program. They are looking to increase produce production by installing green houses, solar dryers and drip irrigation—all with the help of microloans. The end result is that women are gaining status as valuable contributors to their families and the communities in which they live. Food security in their villages is also increased.

What is so exciting for me is that I have had a small part in making this happen.

MEDA has 10 microfinance projects in 12 countries reaching 67,000 clients. It is currently exploring new sites in several other countries. MEDA was recently chosen as one of three finalists for the Ontario (Canada) Innovation Excellence Awards for its leadership in creating a global microfinance industry. More information can be obtained from their Web sites: www.medatrust.org or www.meda.org or by calling (717) 560 - 6546.

A news headline in the Nov. 17, 2008 Time caught my attention: “Giving Circles. Want a bigger bang for your charitable buck? Gather friends and pool your (shrinking) resources.” According to the article there are approximately 400 giving circles in the United States today. They function similarly to an investment club in that members pool their resources and then decide with which charity to invest their money. Some meet every month, others once a quarter. “Such circles have become especially popular among aging boomers looking for a way to bring meaning as well as fun into their retirement years,” says the article.

So I’m thinking, why not share the fun I’ve had with my microfinance investment with some of my friends? Why don’t we form a giving circle and decide as a group what person(s) we want to support?

With MEDA we can go back to Afghanistan or to Nicaragua, Peru, Tajikistan or even Tanzania. We can learn about these countries and support the program with prayer as well as our money. One thing is sure: Investments in the bank of heaven pay high dividends and are secure.

About 15 years ago my husband and I seriously started saving money for our retirement. Every month there were automatic withdrawals from our paychecks into a savings plan. Those were the boom years, and we watched our nest egg grow. When our quarterly reports arrived in the mail, I would look at the bottom line and say, Wow! I knew our retirement was secure, and it felt good.

When our financial statement for the end of September 2008 arrived it didn’t look so good anymore, and I felt much less secure. I was reminded of something my father used to say, “Easy come, easy go.” Our nest egg was on paper only, and now a significant chunk of it was gone. And that was before the October crash!

We are being told almost on a daily basis by the financial gurus that we need to cut back on our spending and lower our credit card debt. Tips about how to save money are everywhere: Don’t live beyond your means. Eat more meals at home. Buy only what you need.

I am so thankful for my Mennonite heritage that taught me to be careful with my money and how to make it stretch as far as possible. While I have no intention of returning to the legalism of the 80s, I do believe we can learn to do “more with less.” I have learned to shop for clothes at end-of-season clearance sales. We seldom eat out, saving this luxury for when we travel.

Last spring we replaced many of our light bulbs with the new energy efficient ones. We also adjusted our thermostat one degree for both heating and cooling. By just doing these things we have seen a substantial decrease in our utility bills. We have long since paid for the expense of the new light bulbs. Now our continued energy savings are “icing on the cake” and good for the environment as well.

I am reminded of what Lynn Miller writes in his article, “What your retirement planner doesn’t tell you” (Christianity Today, April 2000). Instead of focusing on how much we want or think we need, he encourages us to think of living with “enough” rather than “all you can get.”

Paul writes to Timothy: “A devout life does bring wealth, but it’s the rich simplicity of being yourself before God. Since we entered the world penniless and will leave it penniless, if we have bread on the table and shoes on our feet, that’s enough” (I Tim. 6: 6-8, The Message). Miller says it’s time for an attitude adjustment. Enough is good. Enough is sufficient. I don’t need more. So now I’m thinking, “I’ve lost a lot of ‘paper’ money, but what I have left is all I need.”

The Web site globalrichlist.com has put a lot of things into perspective for me. On this site, I was asked to fill in my yearly income to find out where I fit in the world’s hierarchy of rich people. I was astounded at what I learned. Did you know that:

• If you make more than $47,500 per year, then you fit into the top 1 percent of the world’s income category?

• If you make more than $25,300 per year you are in the top 10 percent category that earns 50 percent of the world’s income?

• Three billion people live on less than $2 per day?

• 1.3 billion of these get by on less than $1 per day?

• Women make up 70 percent of this last category?

Obviously, it makes a big difference whether we compare ourselves with those who have more than we do or less. My recent money losses pale in comparison to all the people who are struggling to survive on so little.

Brian Klouth, from Generous Life Ministries, has some interesting things to say:

• “It’s not the high cost of living, it’s the cost of living too high, that gets most people in trouble.”

• “The most expensive vehicle to operate, per mile, is the shopping cart.”

• “Your bank and credit card statements are theological documents. They tell who and what you worship.”

In spite of the current economic downturn let’s not forget our giving to the Lord. The prophet Malachi warns us not to rob God by withholding our tithes and offerings (Mal. 3:8). According to Klouth, “There is no advantage to being the richest person in the cemetery. Our real worth is what will be ours in eternity.”

One final thought: What are you giving Jesus for Christmas this year?

I first met Dan on a recent ministry trip. My husband and I were part of a six-member team that flew to Kinshasa, the capital of DRC, on a Sunday night in September. We stayed at a guesthouse that is often used as a base of operations for ministry groups. Monday we visited a medical clinic that serves a population of about 100,000 in a very poor section of the city.

Tuesday morning, Dan showed up at our guesthouse with an MAF van to take us to the airport for a flight to a small town on the Angola border. When we arrived at the airport we found that the plane we were to fly had a flat tire. Well, Dan is not only a pilot, he is also an airplane mechanic. So for the next 90 minutes we sat on plastic chairs at the entrance to the hangar and watched as he very carefully repaired the tire.

We took off on the two and one-half hour flight to Tembo, a small town on the Kwango River that forms the boundary between Angola and DRC. We landed on a gravel airstrip at the edge of the town and were greeted by a crowd of people, many of them children. Local dignitaries were also there, so after we stepped out of the plane the first order of business was to have pictures taken with them by a local photographer.

As I sat in a van waiting for the passport inspections to be completed, I wondered what was ahead for me in the next few days. Where would we stay and what would we eat? How would the people accept me?

As I struggled with my thoughts, I saw Dan walk across the field to the office where he had to register his aircraft and complete the requirements for his return flight to Kinshasa. He turned around and waved, giving me a big smile that said to me, “It’s going to be alright. Have a great time.” Dan had been there before and was letting me know I would be just fine. He was right and I was.

The purpose of our visit to Tembo was to conduct a three-day teacher training workshop for 55 headmasters, teachers and pastors. I met some wonderful people there and we had a great time together. However, all of this would not have been possible without the work of the MAF pilot who brought us there and picked us up after it was completed.

Dan is one of the unsung heroes of missionary work. These pilots are the backbone of mission work in areas where other means of transportation are often very difficult or nonexistent. They are the lifeline for missionaries and local people as well. A recent Wycliffe Bible Translators newsletter states that many of the Bible translation efforts around the world would not exist if missionary pilots were not available.

Sometimes pilots are asked to risk their lives to help others. Several years ago while I was in Irian Jaya on the island of New Guinea I would watch the early morning takeoffs of at least three MAF pilots each day. Because of dangerous air currents later in the day, they had a fly window of three to four hours in the mornings to take care of their routine flights.

I heard one story of a child injured in a serious accident in one of the villages. A MAF pilot and a nurse took off in the late afternoon to pick up the boy and bring him to Sentani where there was a doctor. It was a risky flight, not only in terms of wind problems, but also because they were on a very tight schedule to get back to the airport before it closed at sunset. The local Christian community prayed. In the end they got back with just minutes to spare.

This was my first flight with an MAF pilot. Thank you, Dan, for all you and your fellow pilots do to support ministry efforts in the Congo and around the world.

As we arrived in Denver, I wondered what the local people would say about the week’s events. Obviously, such a big convention had to impact the entire city in a significant way. I heard some talk about the traffic delays and road closures especially on the last day of the convention.

On that day the major north-south route through the city, Interstate 25, was shut down as a security measure since it was adjacent to the football stadium where the final meeting of the convention was held. This meant people had to find alternate routes to work or just stayed out of the area if possible. Maybe I didn’t talk to the right people, but I didn’t hear any major complaints. By the time we got there residents were glad the event was over but also felt relieved that there had not been any major crises or catastrophes.

One story, however, caught my attention in a big way. I don’t know if it got any local or national publicity. At least I don’t know of any. However, to me a group of LoveDenver volunteers were very special people with a very special testimony of what it means to be a Christian.

I talked to a couple who had been part of this LoveDenver campaign. They were part of a group of Christians, spearheaded primarily by Baptists, who found a significant way in which they could serve their city during the Democratic convention. As expected, security during the week was very tight. Police and secret service people were on the job 24/7, working long shifts. In addition to the local police forces, some had come many miles from other cities in the state. Secret service people from all over the country were there as well. For them getting food while on duty was a major problem. Given their short meal breaks, they couldn’t afford the long waits at restaurants and going home to eat was not an option for most.

This is where LoveDenver came in. This group of Christians saw the need to provide food for the security forces in the convention areas. They applied for and received a government grant to help with food costs. Other monies for food came from Christian organizations in the area. They brought in a semitruck outfitted as a kitchen that could produce up to 30,000 meals in a 24 hour period. Approximately 600 volunteers worked round the clock to prepare, deliver and serve food at police-designated locations. They worked long hours, some shifts lasting up to 12 hours.

Volunteers working in close proximity to the convention sites had to undergo intensive advance security screenings. Vans delivering food were given detailed inspections and had to be accompanied by police. Drivers were frisked each and every time they passed a security checkpoint. Thirty to 45 minute waits were the norm.

Hearing to one volunteer couple describe their experiences I was reminded of Jesus’ teachings in the Sermon on the Mount. According to the law of the land, a Roman soldier could force a civilian to carry something for him for one mile. But Jesus took this one step further. He said, “If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles” (Matt. 5:41). Obviously, the soldier would question the person’s sanity if he volunteered for a second mile in the hot Middle Eastern sun. The Christian could then give his testimony to the soldier and thus be a witness for his faith.

Listening to the stories of hassles at security checkpoints and the long hours these volunteers put in, I couldn’t help but think of the testimony they left behind with the people they served. Some volunteers may not even have supported the politics of the convention. So why would they volunteer for such hard work and such long hours?

The small crosses embroidered above the LoveDenver logos on their hats and T-shirts were a powerful reminder of who they were and why they were involved. They were “going the second mile.” And from the reaction of the people they served, their work was much appreciated, and I was told the food was really good.

Sometimes I think we have the idea that in order to serve the Lord and be a significant testimony to our faith the activity needs to be “religious.” Or at least we may think that the more religious the activity is, the more important it is in the kingdom of God. These Denver volunteers gave me a new view of “second-mile” Christian service and the impact it can have. So I wonder, what opportunities do I have to go the second mile for my witness to my faith?

 
How could these families reach out to the wife and children of that murderer? The shock waves of that forgiveness reverberated around the world. That’s powerful stuff.One of the hardest things to do is to forgive someone who has wronged us, because our natural tendency is to seek retribution or revenge. When we suffer, we want those who have caused us pain to suffer as well. Our gut reaction is to fight back, to make people pay for what they have done to us. This is often the basis of broken relationships, fights, murders and even wars. However, we need to recognize that there is tremendous power in forgiveness.

 
In his book, Secret Believers, Brother Andrew writes about a Christian community in Pakistan in 1997 that faced a serious crisis. Someone tossed a crumpled scrap of paper containing an anti-Islamic slur into a mosque during evening prayers. That incident was the spark that ignited mob action against the local Christians. No one saw who did it, but immediately the word went out that it must have been the Christians.

 
Two months later a town meeting was held in a tent near the devastated area to discuss the future of the community. Approximately 500 local people were there. Religious and government leaders from other parts of the country were also there. Soldiers stood guard to make sure there was no further violence.

 
He then talked about Jesus’ message of forgiveness: “If you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins” (Matt. 6:14-15). Brother Andrew concluded by saying, “We must forgive those who did this to us.” Many of the Muslims present were astonished at this teaching. One high official even asked for a copy of that message. Forgiveness is powerful stuff.

 
In a ceremony several months later 1,300 children were each given a new backpack and some school supplies. In a second event, witnessed by the entire village, the new school-library-community center was dedicated.

 
In Christ’s upside-down kingdom we are told not to seek revenge. Instead, we are admonished to forgive. And as I read my Bible I believe forgiveness is not optional. It’s a requirement. And that’s powerful stuff.