After twelve days in India, I flew back to Wheaton. On my return, my parents let me know that the new caregiver had been wonderful, and Vinod was responding well to him. My mother went to a glaucoma specialist who informed her that her optic nerve damage could not be reversed. The best they could do was to relieve pressure on her working eye to slow its deterioration. However, a few days later she stepped out for a walk, and the sharp sunshine hit her eye, and she called me excitedly to say that there was marked improvement in her vision. A couple of days later, she called to say that the improvement did not last long. These ups and downs mark this season in my parents’ lives. I’m often reminded of the words of the English churchman, Edward Bouverie Pusey: “Never dwell on the morrow. Remember that it is God’s, not thine. The heaviest part of sorrow often is to look forward to it. The Lord will provide.” PANDEMIC LESSONS The pandemic has been especially hard on the elderly and people like Vinod, not the least due to the social isolation and precautions to avoid contracting the virus.
offers a glimpse into how persons with autism can comprehend these difficult situations. Further, it offered me a lesson on Imago Dei, something we mention in theological ruminations to draw out principles about human nature, mission, human agency of God and human rights. At a very operational level, these past months taught me how to care for Imago Dei better—its need for restored dignity when people, disturbed or annoyed about the noise, call the police, or when aging parents, unable to support Vinod, let him soil his clothes before he can reach the toilet. It helped me remember that our systems, in church or outside, are limited in their capacity to support such needs. So often we miss out on opportunities to witness God’s compassion when we wait for people to voice their needs or come to church programs. I’m thankful to the people who sensed these needs from afar and reached out to us. I’m thankful to God that such lessons, well known to generations a hundred years ago, can still be learned even though it took a pandemic to teach them to us.
What struck us was Vinod's resilience and ability to adapt to the changed conditions. This did not come without challenges, but it
PRAYER GATHERINGS ONLINE & IN PERSON Call the church office or email info@college-church.org for details on these prayer meetings. Sunday Morning Prayer (Online) 8-8:40 a.m. Led by Pastor Eric Channing Monday Morning Prayer (In person) 6:15-7:15 a.m. in C104A. Led by Elder Rob Wolgemuth Wednesday Night Prayer (Online) 7-8 p.m. Led by the Missions Office • April 7: Daniel & Charis • April 14: Vic and Leslie Trautwein • April 21: Simone Halpin (Naomi’s House) • April 28: Speaker TBD Friday Lunch Prayer for the Persecuted Church (In person) 12-1 p.m. in C103.
Aaron-Hur Prayer Fellowship details coming from the group.
Hannah Prayer Fellowship will
meet on Wednesday, April 14, at 1:30 p.m. in C103 in the Commons. Jessica Smith will be sharing with us. She and Phil have recently transitioned into an exciting ministry of empowering those who are working with the disabled. You don't need to be a member of Hannah to attend. We welcome you!! We meet with masks and social distancing.
Lydia Prayer Fellowship will gather with Abigail Prayer Fellowship this month.
Abigail Prayer Fellowship will meet on April 8, 1-3 p.m. at College Church in C104A. We will welcome Cheryl Warner, missionary to Ukraine, to our meeting.
Our Prayer Pulse email goes out every Monday. You can get prayer updates via that email. Sign up by clicking "Enews signup" on our website. If you already receive other emails from College Church, click "manage my preferences" at the bottom of any email and select Prayer Pulse to add yourself.
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