November Newsletter

Harnessing the Wind

William Kamkwamba grew up in rural Malawi, in the midst of severe poverty and hunger. Even though there was not a lot of resources at his disposal, he saw the wind as an asset. He had the idea to use the wind for energy. He began to collect everyday things around him, like motor parts, PVC pipe and an old bicycle wheel. From this junk, he began to design and construct a windmill. He said “with a windmill, we’d finally release ourselves from the troubles of darkness and hunger.” Kamkwamba tells this story in a new book called, “The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind.”

If you would for a moment, I’d like you to think about the wind. The wind is quite a mysterious and dynamic phenomena. Even though we can’t see the wind, we can see the wind blowing the leaves on the trees. We can feel the wind blowing through our hair. The wind can be quite powerful. Just this morning the wind uprooted a tree and sent it crashing onto a car (two cars away from mine).

Because of these mysterious and dynamic qualities, the wind is commonly used as a metaphor for the Holy Spirit. In the Old Testament, the Hebrew word “ruah” means wind, breath or spirit, including the Spirit of God. It is the “ruah” from God that blows over the face of the waters in creation (Gen 1:2). It is the “ruah” in Ezekiel’s vision that gives life to the dry bones. We read in Acts 2 that the Holy Spirit at Pentecost came “like the rush of a violent wind.” Throughout the scriptures, the wind provides imagery and insight into the function of the Spirit. Like the wind, we may not be able to see the Holy Spirit, but we can see its effects around us.

So now, look around, where do see the Holy Spirit active in our midst and in our community? How is God active in our church and in our neighborhood? William Kamkwamba was able to utilize the scraps and junk he had around him to build a windmill, and “harness the wind” in a way that he used for the betterment of his community amid severe poverty. As we see and feel the Holy Spirit moving and working around us, how can we “harness the wind”? How can we be a part of what the Holy Spirit is already doing in our midst? It will take a strong will and innovative spirit like that of Kamkwamba.

I can feel the wind blowing here at Trinity, the Holy Spirit is moving and working in our midst. It is not just by chance that I am here, it is a calling, and the Holy Spirit was at work in the call process every step of the way to get me here. I trust that God has a plan for calling me here to Trinity for such a time as this. I am excited to see how the wind will be blowing here at Trinity, and what God has in store for us. May we be attentive to the Holy Spirit and may we “harness the wind” together.