Soon all of our children will be returning to the classroom. The official church year begins and it's time to set our goals and agenda for the coming school year.

You may want to make volunteering at the Morse school a major priority. Last year's volunteers were talented and dedicated and we'd like to add to our pool. 

This outreach requires a commitment of 1–3 hours per week during the school year. If you work in the Cambridge area you may especially want to consider volunteering. Many businesses encourage employees to give a small amount of time each week to the community. 

For most of us it's easier to give money to a project but we have found that volunteering brings far greater rewards. However, once a commitment is made the children and teachers count on our services for the academic year. 

Congratulations and thanks to last year's volunteers! (Helen Einstein, Smoki Fraser, Dottie Hewitt, Jane Hogan, Betty Hunt, Janet Melcher, Rev. Susan, and a teacher at the school, our own Linda Rings.) If you'd like to know more about this project, please talk to a volunteer and if you think this work is for you please contact me. If you are seriously considering volunteering and are unable to reach me, please contact Linda Rings.

“Without education or a collective voice, people have no way to demand fairness and justice. Democratic participation at the village level is the most effective weapon against laws and customs that block progress for the poor.” These words from Oxfam America inform our efforts to expand the leadership group in La Borgoña and equip many more people with decision-making and leadership skills. As we revise our covenant for the next decade, attention is being paid to develop as broad-based decision making as La Borgoña can tolerate. 

Many of you know the story of Saul Cruz, the Nicaraguan pastor falsely accused of attempted murder. He first went into hiding in Nicaragua and then fled the country to avoid incarceration. Our Disciple Bible group, the Nicaragua committee, and many of you prayed for justice for this good man. Because several of you provided us with additional discretionary funds with the caveat “do something good in Nicaragua”, we were able to see to it that Saul's wife Xiomara and their four children had food throughout the 9-month ordeal. He is again a free man! Truly (as directed in Isaiah 61:1), LUMC has literally set the prisoners free! 
 

When our four guests come from Nicaragua in early April 2002, we will need to house them. They can be housed either by two’s or all four with or without an additional interpreter. It would be good if they could see several homes but not have to travel every day. If any of you are able and willing to house two or four for two nights or more, please contact Cheryl or me so we can begin to arrange their schedule. 

If any of you are considering making the trip to Nicaragua next January, you may want to call your doctor to discuss immunizations. I've made seven trips without any shots but I've decided this time to get shots and to take some pills. I've put medical information in the church library near the Nicaragua book on the bookshelves so you can refer to that at any time. I'll let you know the exact dates sometime in September. I expect the trip to be for five days and to cost about $600.00. We'll stay in a hotel and have Cheryl as one of our guides/interpreters. I'm developing an itinerary that I'll send to you. I'll gladly accept suggestions for changes or items to be included; whatever would make your stay and visit meaningful. It is really a trip which Nicaraguans would consider luxurious and no one has ever been lost during any trip from New England to Nicaragua. It can be a life changing experience!