Weekly Article

I’m not sure if this ever happens to you, but every so often I stop and take a retrospective look at the life I’ve known. The look takes in the faces of people I’ve loved and known; the places I’ve lived and been privileged to visit; books I’ve studied and read for pleasure; places I’ve worked and lots more. This adventure can sometimes leave a bittersweet afterglow, but mostly I am humbled, surprised and grateful.

In the first letter to the church in Corinth there is a verse which reads, “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined the things that God has prepared for those who love him.” I am not sure what version or translation of the Bible this comes from, but it works for me. When I look back, I am stunned at those experiences that I’ve had that nothing could have prepared me for. I definitely consider these God-experiences and I imagine you’ve had them too.

One thing that I couldn’t have expected was Derry’s response to helping the ministry of the Presbyterian Education Board in Pakistan. It slowly happened over the 10 year period from 2009 to 2019 and is still growing. I am simply amazed at the generosity of time and treasure that quite a few people at Derry have shared. 

For instance, in 2022, Derry members and friends gave approximately $17,500 for scholarships through our annual Shares for Scholarships campaign, participating in March Madness, online giving, the purchase of Mark Smith’s Christmas ornaments and Claudia Holtzman’s greeting cards. All together, Derry Church supports 50 students with scholarships so they have the life-changing opportunity to go to school. Further, our contributions to the General Scholarship Fund allows PEB to answer the call to need as it arises and even more children become students.

That sounds like a lot and it is, but there is more! The Mission & Peace Committee, other Derry members, and the Session are contributing to the building of a new wing of the Boys’ School in Sargodha. These numbers boggle my mind. Truly, nothing and no one but God could have prepared all of this to happen.

Derry’s 2023 Shares for Scholarships campaign is under way now and continues through February. Previous scholarships can be renewed and new scholarships can be added! This year the cost of scholarships has increased slightly, the first such increase in the dozen years since I’ve been involved. An annual scholarship costs $400 for a day student and $800 for a boarding student.

I invite you to consider allowing God to do with you something you never imagined. If you have an amount in mind, you can click this link to go directly to the online giving portal. For more information about the 2023 shares campaign, click here.

And then, in the fall of 2024, maybe you can be among the travelers journeying to Pakistan in celebration of Derry’s 300th anniversary and to dedicate the school building. You can witness with your eyes, ears and heart the work being done. Together, through education, we can partner with God and help change the world. I guarantee you would have a lot of experiences for later reflection, too!