The Fields of the Lord May 24, 2010

The Fields of the Lord May 24, 2010

Wishing You Joy, Peace and Love . . . Now and Always!

Dear One –

Hope this finds you and yours well and happy – and that no matter what is going on that you know you are loved in the most elemental way. You are unique and precious, and I am glad you are in my life in whatever way that is – as a beloved family member . . . as an old friend . . . as an acquaintance . . . remember that you are not alone. There is a reason you are here on earth and the most important part of that reason is to love and be loved.

Love is all that counts and will triumph over every circumstance, no matter how sad or how difficult. We are more than who we are physically. We live on many levels of consciousness and our reality is sometimes so diffused with wonder was can be amazed – at the joys that surround us.

Sadly, we can also be flabbergasted when people can be cruel beyond imagination to one another. But there is always a new chance to make things better. We only have to have hope and to seek that love that surrounds us and is within us.

I am so full of the joy that I have been given so many gifts by people I have known for a long time – or for several years – or who I have just met in the last two months. I don’t mean material gifts. I mean the trust of sharing their lives and thoughts . . .joys, triumphs, prayers, fears, worries and faith journeys with me. I feel so blessed and praise God for the opportunities I have had.

This weekend my friend here in Vladivostok whom I have known since I was a child worked very hard putting together a video of the sights around downtown Vladivostok. Unfortunately I had another touch of some tummy stuff and couldn’t go with her, but the results of her vision of the area was wonderful to see. She worked with a friend who is a college student, Anton. Several weeks ago we all went together to the coffee shop off the lobby of the hotel called “The Versailles”. So if you look on my Facebook page, you can see some of those photos.

The latest photos from the last week – and the last few days here are at this URL:

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=24701&id=100000104723008&l=a998883252

Photos of the Crystal Trio that I described the other day are among those photos.

Also I finally met one the UMC pastors who is working on her degree at the UMC Theological Seminary in Moscow as a distance learner. She also spends two weeks twice a year there studying with the other student pastors from all over the Eurasian area. Her name is Valentina and it was a delight to meet her.

Unfortunately I was not able to make it to the worship service. Sometimes it is harder for me to get around here that I want it to be. But, God willing, I hope to come again – and this time make it to Khabarovsk, too. I am looking for a job teaching English or coming on an exchange program to teach at one of the universities. Please pray for me about that if you feel led to do so.

My friend and I had some very interesting experiences yesterday afternoon. Around 3:30 PM we met Pastor Valentina near the plaza down by the waterfront and had some coffee and dessert at my friend’s favorite café, connected to the Philharmonic Hall. Valentina and I spoke about our walks with the Lord and our ministries. I felt like we had always known one another. Sylva was glad to meet her, too, but took herself off to another table to work some more on her film . . . the behind the scenes production part that develops the overview, etc.

Then we took a little walk and drove Valentina home down Svetlanskaya Street, up the hill on Okeansky Prospekt, and then to an area of apartments not far from the Funicular.

After we parked near the Funicular, I was surprised to realize that the bottom of the hill the Funicular trams run up and down on is right next door to an Art Institute and the Pushkin Theater, one of the first places that Sylva took me. It was good to see it again.

Several men were waiting outside of the theater, and one of them turned out to a be a diplomat from Viet Nam. Sylva knows him well, so we went over to greet him. The other gentlemen with him were part of the Art Institute, asfar as I could tell.

There was an exhibition about Viet Name in the grand lobby outside of the theater on the second floor, so we were invited to go up and see it. I had actually noticed the photos and displays when we were there earlier, but we took the opportunity to inspect them more closely.

A young man who was an artist who had graduated from the Institute accompanied us, and there were some books about art and abut the Institute. He invited us to take the books since they were free to those who came to see the exhibit. When we went outside again, it turned out that the Director if the Institute, one of the men waiting out front, was the author of the books. I asked him if he would autograph the copies we had, and he graciously complied.

They gentlemen were all waiting for some cosmonauts to come and see the exhibit, and just as we finished speaking with them, a van pulled up. Out came some fairly elderly gentlemen who were treated with great respect, going inside to view the exhibit.

Afterwards, the Funicular was only going to be running for less than an hour, so we went over there. You can see some of the photos we took at the same web site I mentioned above.

The joy of spending time with my lifelong friend, of meeting and fellowshipping with Pastor Valentina, who is also a physician, as well as the chance meeting with the diplomat and the Director of the Art Institute made for a very special day.

The streets were full of young couples, families, and just groups of people enjoying the beautiful day, even though it was a bit overcast. Fog rolls in quickly, just as it does in San Francisco. But when the sun shines, the light bounces around and the air is fresh coming from the Pacific Ocean of over the mountainous coast.

I am so grateful I was able to be here, and fee a great peace and joy. In this place there are many new buildings, bridge and road construction – and signs of mid-spring everywhere. White apple blossoms dot the hillsides and the spring green on the leaves and bushes refreshes the sides of streets and the hearts of the people, tried from the winter.

It was surprising to see the season so far behind Moscow, because Vladivostok is further south – but I am always happy to see what kinds of new weather patterns there are in the new places I am blessed to come and see.

I hope you are blessed whatever season you may be in either nature-wise or because of the circumstances of your life.

 Remember that you are loved and that love must be shared for it to truly be fulfilled.


Kathleen Ware Harris  © 2012
kwharris777@gmail.com


Blessings in the grace of Love --Kathy

The Fields are Ready for the Harvest
34"My food," said Jesus, "is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work. 35Do you not say, 'Four months more and then the harvest'? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest. 36Even now the reaper draws his wages, even now he harvests the crop for eternal life, so that the sower and the reaper may be glad together. 37Thus the saying 'One sows and another reaps' is true. 38I sent you to reap what you have not worked for. Others have done the hard work, and you have reaped the benefits of their labor”
John 4:34-38