Year End Review 2007

At the end of every year, I try to read my both my private diary and public journal from the previous year, reflect on my vocational calling in the next season of life, and put a bookmark in on the pages of life's journey before starting a new year.

Now in my second year as a blogger, I have found that I enjoy keeping a public journal of my travel notes, social commentaries, personal reflections, and mission updates. As an added feature at year’s end (for family and friends, but mostly just for my own pleasure), I have summarized activities and accomplishments over the past 12 months, and provided links to the narrative on my blog:

http://michael-christensen.blogspot.com

January
New book release: Partakers of the Divine Nature http://inside.fdu.edu/fdupress/07012501.html

February
Began teaching Drew college course on “Faith-Based Approaches to Ending Poverty and AIDS
Rebecca and I led retreat at Kirkridge based on the book we published: Spiritual Direction by Henri Nouwen
http://www.amazon.com/Spiritual-Direction-Wisdom-Long-Faith/dp/0060754737

March
Mission trip to Malawi:
http://michael-christensen.blogspot.com/2007_03_01_archive.html

April
Finally finished installation of waterfall for pond, thanks to George, the master mason
Rebecca and I visited Korea to led Methodist Pastors’ Retreat on Spiritual Direction by Henri Nouwen see http://michael-christensen.blogspot.com/2007_04_01_archive.html

May
Produced CHI documentary on Food Aid in Malawi “Alphabet of Needs”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBI9Roher_c

June
Led retreat in Nashville on Spiritual Direction by Henri Nouwen
Drew DMIN summer term, taught Henri Nouwen course on Spiritual Direction

July
Sabbatical Year Ends http://michael-christensen.blogspot.com/2007_06_01_archive.html

August
Family reunion vacation in McCall, Idaho
With Christensen clan and Lairds

September
Labor Day weekend road trip to SF Bay Area,
To Toronto for Henri Nouwen Society Meeting, 11th anniversary of his death
http://michael-christensen.blogspot.com/2007_09_01_archive.html

October

November
To Forth Worth for Church and Society conference
Mission Trip to New York City with church youth group
Shalom Announcement see www.communitiesofshalom.org
Homecoming at Point Loma Nazarene University and AAR
Thanksgiving with family in San Diego and celebration of my Mom's 80th birthday

December
World AIDS Day chapel at Drew
http://michael-christensen.blogspot.com/2007/12/world-aids-day-chapel-at-drew.html
To Baltimore to open new Shalom zones: www.communitiesofshalom.org

If you enjoy what you read here, I hope you will consider subscribing to my blog in the New Year:
http://michael-christensen.blogspot.com

shalom

Liberation Spirituality: Henri Nouwen and Gustavo Gutierrez in Dialogue

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Water Buckets for for washing hands Needed in Malawi

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Let the River Flow: Why WorldHope Corps digs village wells

Sunday Sermon at the The Water's Edge in OB , San Diego, CA. "Woman at the Well" (John 4:7-15) When you think about the gospel story of the Samaritan woman with Jesus at Jacob’s well, I’d like you to picture this Woman at a similar well in northern Malawi. Sitting and talking with Pastor Dennis Singini about water. Her name is Nyang'oma, which means "drum." Her Christian name is Mary Botha. She is 85 years old and lives in a village in the Kampenda area of Northern Malawi. She has cared for 11 children, two of whom have died. And her husband has died. When Dennis and I first met Mary in 2008, her village did not have a deep well or access to clean water. Nor did the six surrounding villages with over 1,500 people. Women and children had to drink with animals from shallow seasonal wells or walk about of 5km away to drink from the closest stream. Sometimes they would get sick and complain of stomach aches. Cholera and dysentery were widespread, and m...

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