I am a researcher and I recently discovered that radio waves can significantly enhance a certain phenomenon and that this enhancement can provide huge advantages such as harvesting clean energy. Proving this statement requires rigorous scientific testing, but scientific testing, in this case, needs a radio wave source to control all the interesting variables (wave frequency and power). The radio wave source can be purchased, but obviously at a cost (comparable to that of a big brand-new car).

In the past months, I applied for grants from various sources to buy the radio wave source, but I have not been very successful. On one particular day, after receiving a rejection, I was very upset. In that moment I reactively thought, “I will buy the radio wave source with my own money!”

I told my friends about this at School of Community, almost surprised that I could think that money could be part of our Christian journey. My friends asked me whether, in planning the use of my money, I was considering the totality of the factors and whether I was considering my ultimate need. The dialogue with my friends was an event: the event of staying in front of a presence that deeply loves me and cares for my ultimate destiny. I can say that I felt as I presume Zacchaeus did when he met Jesus. Zacchaeus went to Jesus with an idea of how to manipulate his money, but on encountering Jesus, he understood that using his money starting from the certainty of the presence of Jesus was more worth it. This event turned Zacchaeus’ perception--as well as my own—of the value of money upside-down; I understood that money is meant to support my whole well-being not only today but also tomorrow. My money is supposed to provide food, heath, clothing, and all my other personal needs and the needs of the community, not only today but also tomorrow.

With this awareness, first of all I understood that using my money to buy the equipment would be a short-cut, or a reduction, blowing out of proportion something which is simply part of life and forgetting all the rest. I also noticed in me a reawakened desire to start my relationship with reality all over again with the hypothesis that reality is the place where I can experience Jesus’ presence, and where He will direct me and even take care of my financial problems.

As a result of this certainty, I started writing proposals and applying for grants again. I also found myself filled with an unexpected new creativity. For example, I came up with an idea; I do not have the radio wave source that I need yet, however I have one radio wave source always available at any time: my cellphone! Without finding myself in a challenging situation accompanied by a loving presence I would never have thought about that! It took two months for me and my students to figure out how to make the measurements with a cellphone and this summer we were able to collect a good set of very promising data, although it only explores one part of our model. My students presented the preliminary results at a symposium held at my university in late July. We still have a long way to go but starting the journey with or without preliminary data makes a difference. All this was possible thanks to that dialogue that day at that School of Community.

Giovanna, Virginia, USA