The upcoming workshop on America’s Prostituted Children led by Linda Smith caught my eye. On January 17, 2014, Smith will be at the Covenant Fine Arts Center at Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Michigan talking about a subject that most people avoid. I bought her book, Renting Lacey, and read it in a day. A whole […]
Author Archives: CleoLampos
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“The people in flight from the terror behind had strange things happen to them: some bitterly cruel and some so beautiful that their faith is refired forever.” – John Steinbeck, Grapes of Wrath Leo Hart refired faith. Maybe Leo Hart, Superintendent of Kern County Schools in the 1930’s, developed his own faith growing up in rural […]
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“As teachers, we have the ability to rebuild the world for our students. By our sincere efforts we can make their world more rewarding, more gratifying and perhaps…even more significant.”- Robert John Meehan Photo by Easyhealthoptions.com The classroom is challenging. All day. Victory and failure sit side by side in rows. Student files bring tears […]
“The soldier above all others prays for peace, for it is the soldier who must suffer and bear the deepest wounds and scars of war.” -Douglas MacArthur The Forgotten War involved 5.7 million veterans who dubbed themselves, The Frozen Chosen. Even today, Korean War vets suffer from disabilities related to exposure to the cold, such […]
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“I have often thought of the American Soldiers from the 326th Communication Reconnaissance Company who took care of us at the Manassas Manor Orphanage. I wanted to express my gratefulness.” -Eddie Cho, Korean orphan Photo courtesy of The Washington Times Difficulties in childhood prepared the men sent to Korea in 1950 for hardships. Born […]
In the history book from which I taught, January 1, 1863 was acknowledged as the day of the Emancipation Proclamation which finally freed the slaves. President Abraham Lincoln signed it into the law of the land and the church bells pealed out the news. From my perspective, it was a done deal, and the freedom […]
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Jodie handed me the hard cover book with the original faded paper jacket still on it. “You need to read this.” Then the eighty-year old, a former school teacher from Utah, proceeded to tag clothes at the thrift shop where we both volunteered on Mondays. I took the book home and placed it on the […]
Jianna walked into our church, then into our hearts and consciousness one Sunday morning in September, 2013. She heard the singing and decided to slip into the back pew. Our pastor, Phil Leo, seldom prays for countries or political issues, but that day, he prayed for Syria. Jianna’s country from which she escaped and received […]
My husband, Vernon, and I went to the Evergreen Park Library recently to hear a lecture on organic gardening. Vernon is an ardent gardener who only uses organic methods on our suburban plot. He grows the food, but I hold the title of chief canner who preserves the produce. Waiting for the speech, I envisioned […]
“When life gives you scraps, Make quilts” -anonymous My mother’s diary is filled with entries describing the latest finished quilt square that she hand-stitched in cabin camps, tents and a tiny wooden trailer while moving from job to job with my father during the 1930’s Dust Bowl. As a young child, I lived with my […]