April's Letter

Dear friends across so many miles,

First, the news of Marcus, my 11 year old grandson with leukemia. With his family and the blessings of the pediatric oncologists at Dornbecker hospital in Portland, Oregon, he spent Spring Break on Maui. Whales, turtles, sunsets, great food and hours of surfing on boogie boards carried by waves to the shore. On their return another blood test with his white cells "as good as yours or mine" according to my daughter, Ann. Hold him in your prayers as be begins more chemotherapy.

Last week on March 22 I attended the opening of a new art gallery in Greeley, CO. It is part of the Jesus Rodarte Cultural Center, a division of Greeley's Parks and Recreation Program. Ruben Flores was my guide as I walked through their first exhibition. 47 pieces of The Ribbon around the Pentagon were on display. They had been found after 15 years. All were works of heart; some were works of art and each one of them brought tears and memories flooding back. There was one dedicated to dear friends, one created by Lillian Valencia who was part of the FIRST group of women to hear about the foolish idea in Ignacio, CO in 1982. One from my brother, one of my mother's - both beloveds no longer a part of this realm, but their concern for peace 15 years ago alive with promise.

Doug, an intern, and other graduate students from the University of Northern Colorado hung the show beautifully. It will be there until April 27. It is worth a trip to Greeley to see what others could not bear to think of as lost forever in a nuclear war, their fabric pieces still at work, still touching hearts of stone.

This April letter holds the promise of more Lent darkness in the form of poems concerning the poor and our concern for the Earth. During Holy Week you will be able to access some stories beginning on Palm Sunday and continuing during that long week. Given the technological world we live in, you will be able to hear me reading these stories of that week. Here, in Colorado, I will be speaking to you in Australia to The Netherlands, Arizona to Massachusetts. And then on Easter, a different kind of Story.

My continued gratitude to all those beloveds who continue to support such a ministry. This month I honor Glennyth Hotz.

with Love,

Justine

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