Another Kind of Psalm

Another Kind of Psalm

Another Kind of Psalm I. At this moment, Your Word comes alive with a fire in its syllables, peeling away calloused flesh and piercing what could only be a rough cocoon: memory, habit, pain— realities given skin in a sheen of molten faces. And yet, I emerge, soft and...
Unwrapping the Gift for this New Year

Unwrapping the Gift for this New Year

Unwrapping the Gift for this New Year A Gift Called Life We often forget that life is a gift—a gift wrapped in skin, hours, and purpose. It is a gift that has an expiration date on earth, even if we may live an eternity in heaven. No matter how long this gift lasts,...
A Blossoming Life

A Blossoming Life

“Blossom” was in her early 30s when she was referred to Samaritana in 2013 by one of her neighbors who was a Samaritana trainee. When we first met her, she could not read or write—an inability that brought a lot of shame and insecurity in relating to others. ...
A Second Chance at Life

A Second Chance at Life

Difficult Beginnings I come from a poor and broken family. My parents separated and had no stable work to provide for me and my siblings. My mother washed clothes for other people, while my father spent time in prison. From a very young age, I lived on the streets. As...
Beauty in the Journey

Beauty in the Journey

Life is Cruel I remember one of my professors in class saying, “Life is cruel,” as my blockmates and I analyzed a story reflecting our world. Being a wide-eyed sixteen-year-old then, I nodded my head without hesitation. After all, humanity’s pain from broken...