By: Tessa Valadez "I arise in the morning torn between a desire to improve the world and a desire to enjoy the world. This makes it hard to plan the day." - E.B. White My friend, Lynn See, showed me this picture the other day and all I could get out was, "hmm... yep." She had mentioned that it reminded her of us. She and I both enjoy the arts. Anything. You name it: theatre, dance, film, writing, painting -- anything that allows one to enjoy life and express the beauty in its glories and complexities. There is sorrow, there is hope, there is broken, there is mended, there is … [Read more...]
How to Prune a Vine Wrapped Around a La-Z-Boy in the Pride Lands While Being the Center of the Universe
By: Tessa Valadez "Bloom where you're planted," a friend told me. I narrowed my eyes at the idea. She continued, "God calls us to that, and it's incredible to see what he can do when we stick around and decide to bloom instead of uproot ourselves every time we get a tad uncomfortable." I nodded. Yeah, it made sense. I kicked a pine cone, watching it scatter across the crunchy park grass as we strolled and spoke. I have a hard time staying rooted when the going gets rough. At least, in my mind. This entire year, from August until now, has been a tad uncomfortable. I've been pushed off … [Read more...]
Reconciliation
A key component of Christian Community Development By: Sami DiPasquale Many of you know that I was born and, for the most part, raised in the Middle East. Periodically throughout my childhood my family visited extended family in America, and on a few occasions we lived for a year or two in the United States. By the time I turned 21 I had lived in Jordan, Cyprus, Egypt, India and the U.S. Moving back and forth between continents was sometimes difficult, usually an adventure, but always informative. One invaluable aspect of life that I was exposed to through these moves was a diversity of … [Read more...]
Story Corner: Meet Bruce
Bruce Meyer is Ciudad Nueva's volunteer Development Committee Chairman. He has a big heart for the growth of Ciudad Nueva and desires to "tell the Ciudad Nueva story to the greater El Paso community." I (Tessa) wanted to know how he became involved with Ciudad Nueva Community Outreach, so I asked him. Here's his story: Since the vision of Ciudad Nueva serves the neighborhood of the downtown church I attend, I can readily see and touch the work of the mission. My wife is a mentor at Launch Pad, and I continually see the smile on her face when I ask her how her day went at Launch Pad. This … [Read more...]
The Edge of the Board
By: Tessa Valadez She's poised and ready. Her toes curl around the edge of the board, her floating devices are Road Construction Orange, swollen with air as they tighten around her scrawny biceps. It reminds her of the blood pressure wraps the nurses in Winnie the Pooh scrubs attach to her arm when she goes to the doctor. Swirling chlorine water sloshes about as public water patrons cannonball and kick around the board. She glances up. A smiling nod greets her from her mother who is standing off to the side and waiting for her to jump. She looks down again. What if there are sharks in … [Read more...]
