Watch the Walk

Big fruit bats This is Africa, folks. I was reminded of that quite a few times last month as I was wrapping up vacation and traveling back to Clove Island. I had several foreigners unloading on me about various things they were experiencing that seem to be common to Africa: The customs official they fought with over the definition of "multiple-entry." The corruption that is rampant. People who say they believe one thing and then act in contradiction to that (not limited to Africa, folks). The yes that means no, because you really shouldn't have put me on the spot. Personally, I'm over most of the things, most of the time. It's just some things some of the time that manage to get to me. And there's no real escape. It kinda hit me when I was traveling back from vacation recently. I wasn't all that far from Clove Island. Just a long hop on a large plane and a shorter hop on a smaller plane. But travel is rarely simple despite all that. I arrived at the airpor...

I've taken a bit of a break from blogging, but hopefully this post will end that hiatus. After reading over various post drafts that I started and never finished, here's the one I dusted off and finished to share with you: One of my little friends. On the harder, lonelier days I start thinking. Yes means a thousand no's. My "yes" to being here means I'm not a million other places, yet it's one of the best "yes's" that I've said. I'm here. Not home in Washington. Not with family. Not anywhere else but here. And I have to trust that Gd put me here. Not there. And He's got the whole world in His hands. I've got friends here who I enjoy spending time with. I've got opportunities here which would look different elsewhere. But most of all, I've got peace that this is where I'm supposed to be. And that's the most satisfying bit. Last week a friend came to talk with me after class and share what was going on in her lif...