Thursday, November 5, 2009

Prayer Experiences

As you might guess, we are having many different types of prayer experiences as we prepare to go into mission. Wednesdays at noon those that are interested are invited to join in Centering Prayer. If you are interested in learning more about it, watch this short video. www.youtube.com/watch?v=1mfaK6XOq5E


Here are a couple of variations of the Lord's Prayer we've discovered. Isn't it interesting to see how the different cultures interpret it? It makes you rethink it's meaning to us.

A Latin American Adaptation of The Lord's Prayer

Our Lord,
Who is in us here on earth
Holy is your name in the hungry
Who share their bread and song.
Your kingdom come, which is a generous land
That flows with milk and honey.
Let us do your will,
Standing up when all are sitting down,
and raising our voice when all are silent.
You are giving us our daily bread
In the song of the bird and the miracle of the corn.
Forgive us
For keeping silent in the face of injustice, and
For burying our dreams,
For not sharing our bread and wine,
love of the land,
among us, now.
Keep us from the temptation of shutting our hearts in fear;
of resigning ourselves to hunger and injustice;
of taking up the same arms as the enemy.
But deliver us from evil.
Give us the perseverance and the solidarity
To look for love,
Even if the path has not yet been trodden,
even if we fall.
Help us to know and rejoice in your Kingdom
Which is being built for ever and ever.
Amen



The Lord's Prayer
Based on the original Aramaic- source unknown

O Cosmic Birther of all radiance and vibration!
Soften the ground of our being
and carve out a space within us where
your presence can abide.
Fill us with your creativity so that we
may be empowered to bear
the fruit of your mission.
Let each of our actions bear fruit in
accordance with your desire.
Endow us with the wisdom to produce
and share what each being needs to grow and flourish.
Untie the tangled
threads of destiny that bind us,
as we release others from the entanglement of past mistakes.
Do not let us be seduced by that which
would divert us from our true purpose,
but illuminate the opportunities of the
present moment.
For you are the ground and fruitful vision,
the birth, power and fulfillment,
as all is gathered and made
whole once again.

1 comment:

  1. Hi Cindy and John,
    Thanks for the blog site name and newsletter. I just returned from Tanzania for a short 2 month visit. I'm not sure I copied you the two newsletter while I was there so I'll try to do that tonight. I stayed at the MM house in Nairobi for a few days before departure and met the 3 new missioners that you will be working with in Kenya. They are all looking forward to your arrival; esp. Russ in Kitale. They were all in Nairobi for their annual regional meeting. It's real nice to be 'home' for the holidays after 3+ yrs away. I love the cold weather and snow. My son just graduated from K State last Sat, so that was a big day for all of us. He's moving to Houston to look for a job, but I'll go to Manhattan Thursday to get his furniture. I'll move it to my house, next door to Phillp and Janice until he finds an apartment and job. My old website (tominafrica.net) expires in January so I may try a Blog like yours. I hope to return to TZ in April for 5 or 6 months. If possible I'll try to make the open house on 21st.
    Tom in KC

    ReplyDelete