Sunday, January 24, 2010

Adam & Becky Thada--Bo-living


Adam Thada

I never actually had Adam (or his wife Becky) in class, but I count Adam as one of my joys because we spent so many hours when he was a student drinking coffee together, reading all of Steinbeck’s East of Eden together and hiking the Knobstone Trail in Indiana . He reminds me of the joy I sometimes derive from students who never sit in any of my courses.

Adam was a Biology & International & Community Development major so he had most of his classes with my friends, Burt Webb, Norman Wilson, Steve Pettis, and Ken Schenck. I got to know him best when I helped run support when he and a few other students tried to hike the 44 mile Knobstone Trail (20,000’ of elevation gain/loss) in one 24 hour period—and he made it in less than 18 hours!

Adam and Becky are so committed to helping the needy they bring conviction to me. When Adam graduated he and Becky moved to the inner city of Marion and worked at St Martin Community Center where he worked in the food pantry, soup kitchen, thrift store for more than a year. He became the assistant director of this widely known caring ministry.

Adam is not only sensitive to the poor but is committed to careful stewardship of the environment too. One time we had Adam and Becky over for dinner and afterward he gently corrected my extravagant waste of using incandescent lights—even offering to buy some on his meager salary for me to replace my bulbs. “Coach, I’m disappointed, you should know better.” Rightly subdued, I went out and replaced all my bulbs the following week. In a way Adam was my mentor in reducing my carbon footprint.

It was no surprise to me last summer when Adam and Becky joined up with Word-made-flesh and went to Al Alto, Bolivia http://www.wordmadeflesh.org/bolivia/about/ They now work in a hospitality center for women in prostitution. They visit the brothels regularly and invite women to the center, where they offer a doctor, serve meals, along with therapy/counseling. Soon they will be launching an exporting business making purses as an alternative employment. I follow Adam and Beck on their blog: http://boliving.blogspot.com/

Adam now lives at a higher elevation than I have ever climbed in my life! (I understand he now has zero-degree sleeping bag even--probably a low-footprint one!) They live in an ecumenical community that "is called and committed to serve Jesus among the most vulnerable of the world’s poor. This calling is realized as a prophetic ministry for, and an incarnational, holistic mission among the poor. We focus our energy to make Jesus known among the poor while reconciling the church with the poor."

I admire Adam and Becky and am proud to consider him as one of my great joys. They are making a difference among the poor and abused in the world—like Jesus did. I’m proud of you Adam and Becky!

For what is our hope, our joy, or the crown in which we will glory in the presence of our Lord Jesus when he comes? Is it not you? 1 Thessalonians 2:19 (NIV)

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