The passengers on the Mayflower knew the New World was populated with people; people they referred to as savages primarily because they dressed and worshiped differently than folks back in England. Some of these Natives belonged to the Wampanoag Nation of communities, numbering an estimated 30,000 in the early 1600’s. At the time the English Pilgrim and Adventurer settlers began exploring Cape Cod the Wampanoags were ruled by Sachem Massasoit (also known as Ousamequin) who lived […]
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The “First” Thanksgiving Was No Picnic
The traditional Thanksgiving story about the Pilgrims and the Native Americans coming together for three days of feasting is as much fiction as fact. For starters, there are credible claims of other thanksgiving celebrations among European immigrants that predate the 1621 version taught in many schools. The Natives had their own rituals around marking the harvest season. The New England Natives and the Europeans did come together approximately a year after the English arrived on […]
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Disaster Response
He has told you, O mortal, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God? (Micah 6:8) If you want to see God in action, step into a disaster zone. However, before you go, take time to know what to expect. Disaster Response personnel count on informed volunteers to help communities recover. News reporters are currently focused on the repercussions from […]
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Labor Day and Child Labor
The pendulum of the mind alternates between sense and nonsense, not between right and wrong. Carl Jung When I was a camp director I took a call one day from a mother who wanted to interview me to determine whether or not she would send her eight-year-old son to our camp for a week. I described a typical camp day and asked her if she had any questions. She did. “Do you apply sunscreen to […]
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Pearl S. Buck – Author, Mother, Activist
The first author I remember reading and following was Pearl S. Buck. I was a fan long before I knew anything about her personal life. After I learned more about this multi-faceted woman, I grew even more fond of her. I admire how she so beautifully wove together a captivating story while addressing various social justice issues. Pearl S. Buck was born in 1892 – making her a contemporary of my grandmothers. That may explain […]
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