The day started much like any other day. I had no wealth of my own, in fact the rather scraggy looking sheep I was looking after belonged to my wife’s father. There was very little grass to be found in the semi-dessert that I had made my home, so each day I had to take the sheep further and further across the arid landscape. I came to a mountain which was reputed to be a special place of the God my real mother had told me about so many years ago. Thinking about my real mother put me in a reflective mood.
Continue reading “An ancient, yet modern story”
Category: My Story
5000 days after I had a stroke
In May 2004 I had a stroke. Now 13 and a half years later, or about 5000 days later, I have some questions to ask myself. I firmly believe that God wants us all to be healthy and he can, and does heal bodies and minds. However, I must be honest with myself and dare to state that complete healing from the effects of the stroke is probably not going to happen. Is this a lack of faith on my part – no, I don’t think it is. Continue reading “5000 days after I had a stroke”
Ageing gracefully
For much of my life I felt that I was going to this life forever. O.K., I knew that I would have to die someday, but that seemed in the far distant future.
Then 13 years ago, at the age of 59, I had a stroke and came face to face with my mortality. I could have died then. I also had a blood clot on my lungs which was even more likely to have killed me. I came out of hospital in a wheelchair but I have largely recovered, to about 80% of my former physical abilities. Continue reading “Ageing gracefully”
Lord I want to dream again
Lord, I want to dream again.
When I have followed my dreams my life has been fulfilled.
When I have ignored my dreams I have become stagnant.
What do I do now that some of my dreams have come true?
Do I just glory in their fulfilment?
Do I just rest now that I have passed on my dreams to others?
Lord, I want to dream again.
My life is not yet over.
I have not yet run my race.
I cannot retire from life.
I will not sink into contemplation of my achievements — or lack of achievements.
I ask, “What’s next Lord”?
I need to dream again.
Sometimes I dream of things I cannot possibly do on my own:
I want to change the world!
I want to meet every need!
I want to put right every injustice!
But I will not be put off by the impossible:
I will try with all the strength I have.
But Lord,
But Lord, I want to dream again!
I wrote this when I was on a day retreat on Saturday. We were encouraged to be …..
Continue reading “Lord I want to dream again”
My new book
Compassion and Justice
I feel passionate about compassion particularly for the billions who are living in desperate poverty around the world. Extreme poverty can be eliminated if people like you and I say ‘enough is enough’!
But compassion alone is not enough. So many people are exploited by the powerful and the elite and this demands justice for the oppressed. It is not a case of compassionate acts or fighting for justice. It is a matter of compassion AND justice.
I have just published the book “Compassion and Justice” in paperback and in Kindle format. It contains 50 or so of my blog articles about Compassion, Vision, Giving and Justice.
I am not selling this book to top-up my income but to provide funds to expand the campaign of awareness I am involved with. Please support me in my efforts to spread the good news of compassion and in my fight for justice on behalf of the voiceless.
To Order direct from me:
- Collection from me: £8.00
- By Post (U.K. only): £8.00 + £2 post and packing.
To Order direct from Amazon
There may be a delivery charge for the paperback version
- Paperback Kindle
- USA $11.99 $5.68
- United Kingdom £7.99 £3.99
- India INR 878 INR 299
- Rest of World $11.99 $5.68
On a kindle device, search for “George Dowdell”
Smashing cycles of poverty in Jaffna
Can we smash the cycle of poverty and prevent one generation trapped in poverty producing another poor generation? Returning from our visit to Jaffna recently we were overwhelmed by stories which emphasised the importance of education and the potential to radically change lives. In this article I present some anecdotal evidence that sponsoring really works. Ensuring that boys and girls receive a good education really changes the lives of young men and women.
Continue reading “Smashing cycles of poverty in Jaffna”
Sri Lanka 27 years on
I first visited Sri Lanka early in 1988, but have just returned from what must be about my 30th visit. The roots of the poverty relief charity, Kingscare/Karuna Action developed here, and the country has been central to it’s work and vision.
I remember well my first visit. I came with a burden and a dream along with a certain amount of idealism. I knew that God had called me to take some action to relieve poverty which I knew held so many in it’s grip of slavery. I had read every book I could find, both Christian and secular, on the subject of poverty and world problems. I was anxious to find ways that the Church of Jesus Christ could be a blessing to the whole world.
Confessions of a control freak
There is no getting away from the fact that I always want to be in control. But sometimes the Lord puts us in situations where I am not in control at all. Instead of being in a boat heading purposely out to sea I feel like a piece of drift wood at the mercy of the waves upon the beach.
Continue reading “Confessions of a control freak”
Return to Jaffna
Well here we are in Jaffna. We have met so many people that our heads are spinning. We have had lots of rice and curry and are on our second bottle of industrial sized mineral water. Things have certainly changed. Out of a group of 10 people 6 may be on their iPhones at any one time. Photographs are taken by the score for posterity (?). Continue reading “Return to Jaffna”
How can I keep from singing?
What is an article about singing doing on a blog dedicated to compassion and justice? I am very aware of the problems in the world created by poverty and injustice. But hey! Life isn’t all doom and gloom. Yes, I feel passionate about justice, but singing is a part of me. Singing helps keep me sane in a mad world.
The ills we see in the world around us are caused by the free wills that God has given to us humans. But he has given us so much more to enjoy. Beauty, colour and music are three gifts which, although we could function without them, add so much richness to our lives. Continue reading “How can I keep from singing?”
Compassion and Justice 