Posts Tagged ‘Social Justice’

Entering the Bat Cave

One of my dearest friends is an anti-trafficking diehard by profession. Her Matt Damon-ish husband travels regularly to Southeast Asia and coordinates covert investigation operatives in brothels and bars. They run an international coalition to rescue children sold as sex slaves. After a Life Overseas,...

April 10th, 2013 | Essays, Featured | Read More

An Invisible Battle

Editor’s Note: We’ve asked World Next Door to share their work with us on a monthly basis. World Next Door is part investigative newspaper, part travel magazine, part web journal. It’s like National Geographic meets Bizarre Foods meets an online blog, all with a social justice...

March 7th, 2013 | World Next Door | Read More

Your Wonderful, Powerful, Imperfect Story

We live in a success-oriented society. On the whole, we highly value ease, comfort, perfection, excellence, progress and achievement. We’re encouraged to plan and organize our lives at every juncture and in every respect to best place ourselves for the ease, comfort and success we value so highly,...

January 24th, 2013 | God Knows | Read More

Art to See Across the Country This New Year

With a new year comes fresh installations of art across the country and resolutions to figure more cultural experiences into our daily lives. Here’s a roundup of exhibits, some that opened last year and are still on view and others that will open in the upcoming winter months, that will not only inspire...

January 8th, 2013 | Visual Arts | Read More

Thanksgiving’s Back Door

You stand in a covered entryway and press a button. A man across the street is yelling curses, but you know he’ll stay a silhouette in his usual doorway, too drunk to act on his threats. Through the intercom you’re asked your name, and when you open your mouth to answer, a strong wave...

November 22nd, 2012 | Featured | Read More

Feeding Hungry Souls Under the Fremont Bridge

Soft, off-key voices drift into the dark of downtown Portland. Small against the daunting sanctuary of the Fremont Bridge overhead, the students sing. A worn and heavily stickered guitar accompanies the voices. The music shudders as the player pauses, squinting through rain-speckled glasses. Mary...

November 22nd, 2012 | Featured | Read More

Bullies R Us

Watch your thoughts, they become words. Watch your words, they become actions. Watch your actions, they become habits. Watch your habits, they become your character. Watch your character, it becomes your destiny. Anonymous Sometimes there is a confluence of events that that makes current...

June 21st, 2012 | Essays, Family | Read More

Picnic on Sunday: When Life Interrupts

The minutes were ticking by faster than I was making progress. It was Sunday afternoon and my planned day of final sermon prep, studying and co-rec volleyball games overwhelmed the remaining hours. With the sun shining in the windows and rare 70F spring temperatures, focusing on the undone work...

May 17th, 2012 | Essays, Social Justice | Read More

Say Anything

Every woman who has experienced pregnancy knows that the condition automatically makes her an inadvertent public figure, allowing anyone to say anything to or about her at any time. Here are some real life comments made to pregnant women I have known (including myself): -Wow, you are really huge! -Are...

May 7th, 2012 | Essays, Social Justice | Read More

Swaraj

I’m reading a biography loaned to me about Gandhi and Churchill. I’ve always admired Churchill. I hadn’t really looked at his politics — I just admired his wit. Many of you have probably heard of his pithy replies. Lady Astor: Winston, if you were my husband, I should flavor your coffee with...

May 2nd, 2012 | Essays, Social Justice | Read More