Friends Journal

The word hesed, which occurs frequently in the Hebrew Bible, describes the condition of a relationship—sometimes between two people, but more often between God and humanity. It has layers of meaning that don’t translate neatly into a single word; "loyalty" or "trust" capture some of its complexity, but they don't convey the "lovingkindness" at the core of the relationship.

In this week's Look to the Light message, we reflect on the boundless hesed God has for humanity, and why we struggle at times to show God and each other that steadfast love in return.

https://quaker.org/2026/06/01/i-desire-steadfast-love/

"Among all the experiences I had in Bolivia, I particularly connected with and became interested in visiting Quaker churches," Jasson Arevalo reports. "Even now, nearly two years after the trip, recalling each meeting for worship, each conversation and encounter with my Bolivian Quaker brothers and sisters[,] still stirs deep emotion in me."

The Power of God at Work The contextual theological dynamics of Quakers in Bolivia.

"Growing Green is as packed with information as your windowsill could be soon with edible plants," says Rebecca Robinson. It includes simple, clear instructions to help children and their parents grow a variety of fruits, vegetables, and other plants in their yard... or even on a windowsill!

REVIEWED: Growing Green: A First Book of Gardening 15 home gardening projects, written for a young readership, but in a non-condescending and informative tone adults will appreciate as well.

"Remember," Jesus tells his disciples, at the end of Matthew's gospel, "I am with you always, to the end of the age.” We often trace Quaker spirituality back to the moment when George Fox heard the voice that informed him "there is one, even Christ Jesus, who can speak to your condition."

Do Friends today believe these promises?

https://quaker.org/2026/05/25/i-am-with-you-always/

The Friendship Train begins with a question: “How can I help?” The Quaker journalist Drew Pearson asked this of himself when he learned of the hunger in Europe at the end of World War II. Farms had been destroyed; farmers had been busy fighting; and winter was coming.

Pearson took the question to his readers, and the idea of filling a train with food for European families was hatched.

REVIEWED: The Friendship Train: A True Story of Helping and Healing after World War II Readers of all ages will be inspired by this story and these important questions: “How can I help?” and “How can I show my gratitude?”

“There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”

For Quakers, Galatians 3:28 is not an abstract truth but a lived testimony of what we call the Inner Light, a principle that shapes community life, mission, and relationships with others. Living the gospel is not merely about bearing the Christian label or emphasizing a particular religion but about reflecting the character of Christ through consistency between what is professed and what is practiced in daily life, treating our neighbors with dignity, without racial distinction.

The Gospel That Unites Cultures Quaker spirituality is a living tradition.

The history of the Evangelical Friends Church in Bolivia is the result of the faith, sacrifice, and obedience of men and women who responded faithfully to God’s call to preach the gospel—a legacy, as Eliseo Marco Portillo Valencia reminds us, of the church's Quaker roots.

Faith, Legacy, and Missionary Expansion The story of the Friends church in Bolivia.