Back to The Golden State

It is crazy to believe that a decade ago, I made the 3,000 mile trek across america to california. I remember being so nervous to navigate the maze of freeways after driving in rural illinois and so unsure how I was going to make it in LA. Although it was quite the learning curve, the golden state did creep its way into my heart. It's been fun to be back and discover new places and reconnect with old friends. 

Here is the idyllic Marin Headlands....almost like Ireland if you squint a bit and imagine a Guinness in your hand. 

It is amazing to me how beautiful the golden gate bridge is.....you would think that after a few times, one would be blase about this view. But, alas, like the norwegian fjords, you can not be blase about the golden gate bridge. It is ridiculously stunning in its simplicity. 

We spent a gloriously warm day wandering around the city. It's so interesting to walk between the neighborhoods and be transported from china to italy in a few blocks. Apparently there is this thing with wild parrots in the city, which I am going to investigate further. There is something about san francisco that makes you want to find out about weird things. 

These two have graciously taken me in as a vagabond....even giving me a shelf in the bathroom, which I do not take for granted. That is no small sacrifice. I am exceedingly thankful for all the friends along the way, and all the ways they have served and loved and encouraged me. This adventure would not be possible without them.  

It Is the Road

 A few weeks ago, in the heart of colorado, i found myself climbing the hike in the photo below in the early hours one morning. It became a pilgrimage of sorts, because I definitely wasn't in good enough shape to be doing it without feeling like I had to drag myself up the mountain. Somehow, I made it to the top. Fortunately, it was well worth the effort. 

As I was journeying up, this quote kept going through my head and pushing me forward. 

“This life therefore, is not righteousness, 

but growth in righteousness, 

not health, but healing, 

not being, but becoming, 

not rest, but exercise. 

We are not yet what we shall be, but we are growing toward it, the process is not yet finished, but it is going on, this is not the end, but it is the road. All does not yet gleam in glory, but all is being purified.” - martin luther 

Along the road, (the literal road west), I had so many conversations with people who are dealing with the reality of this broken world, many tears shed for the confusion and harshness and sin and shame encountered while trudging through this life. And I so badly want to snap my fingers and make it okay, to erase the need for a process of pain and suffering and growing. 

But I know life doesn't work like this, and we will not be what we shall be until we are in a different world. And then, we will get to dwell with God and be free to live as we were created to. But for now, I'm trying to be thankful for the road, for the process, for the healing and becoming, for the glimmers of hope when my heart loves God more than myself. This is not the end, but it is the road.  

 

 

Perhaps my favorite road of all time, even if it isn't surrounded by world-renown spectacular scenery. But it's the road where almost everyone knows your name. 

 

 

 

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The Girl & Her Map

the open road, one of my favorite places. my friend leah and i recently braved the polar vortex by driving across america in january. risky business. but we actually stumbled upon great weather and spent many of our days exploring the great outdoors. many friends took us in along the way, making for a delightful tour on the great trip west. 

i found this 1970s pontiac guide to america and talked leah into letting me pose her in some strange places to represent each state. my goal is to do all of the states, but i don't know if she can take that much more travel with me. we might need crates of snyder's honey mustard and onion pretzels to make it through that trek. 

* the girl and her map * 

* illinois *

* missouri *

 * kansas *

* colorado *

* new mexico *

* arizona * 

The 2013 African Awards

Sipping tea in freezing Illinois, it seems impossible that a week ago I was in Africa. It is hard to believe that the reality of both places exist simultaneously and that in the matter of 24 hours (24 very,very long hours) you can be in the other reality.

I’m trying to process the experience of the last few months and have something meaningful to say. Those thoughts aren’t quite collected, so until then, here is something much less shallow, but nonetheless entertaining. When I was a Resident Director, we gave out ridiculous and arbitrary awards at the Christmas Party each year, and since I enjoyed that power, I have decided to give out awards to Africa. I believe that one day this will be a highly coveted award, and that Tina Fey and Amy Poehler will host the ceremony. Until then, we will just use this smaller venue to announce the winners. In no particular order, I give you the 2013 African Awards....

Best Store: The Quicky Picky (Wobelinzi, Uganda) 

Least Appealing Establishment: Tied: The Tick Hotel and the KKK Restaurant (Uganda) 

Most Honest Nametag: No Sex Before Marriage (sported by a young man at church in Uganda) 

Boldest Public Health Tent: “Men Get Circumcised Today” (seen on the side of the road in Kampala) 

Best Personal Ad: Seeking a white, born-again, sugar mummy, age 30-35. (in the Kampala newspaper) 

Best River: The Nile 

Best Mode of Operation: The motorcycle (boda) 

Best quote: (under age 12 category) 

Right after Isaac (age 9) threw some trash on the side of the road.... 

"Isaac - in America, we call that littering." 

"Well, in Africa, we call it freedom." - Isaac 

Best quote: (male over age 12 category) 

Keith- “Emmanuel, don’t we need to put some more chorine in that well?” 

Emmanuel- “Keith, that water won't kill an African. It might kill you, but it won’t kill an African!” 

Best quote: (female over age 12 category)
"Nothing like some rebels to ruin a good road trip!" - Esther, on wanting to drive to South Africa with her friends

Biggest Hearthrob: Pee-Wee the driver (Liberia)

Although highly contested, I have to give it to Pee-Wee, who not only scored a soccer goal for me at a crazy game, but also attempted to save me from the ocean (although I was not in danger, he is petrified of the water and thus very brave). In his last moments with me, he told me he would learn to swim by the time I came back. A man who will face his fears, now that will win some points. 

That concludes the awards for this year. 

Life in Liberia: part two

Here are a few more photos and stories as we get ready to leave our friends. 

The time I ate mud: although I consumed a lot of strange things these last few months, this one had to take the cake (oh how I wish it was just cake). Emmanuel and Pee-Wee, our driver, had been telling me all about the outrageous customs of Liberians. When they moved to the topic of their food, with frog soup and ghost peppers on the menu, I wasn't prepared to hear that people ate mud as a treat. They were so kind to send one of the kids to buy me a bag and all gathered around to watch the spectacle. Here is Emmanuel taking the first bite:

 As a small child, I had consumed a fair amount of mud, but it has been a few years since I had indulged that far. But with the pressure of forty kids and a few grown men heckling me, I tentatively took my first bite. It was hard as a rock and tasted, well, like mud. Smokey, charcoaly mud. Not what you want in your mouth. After laughing at me as I attempted to get the foul taste out of my mouth, the kids clamored around me for my leftovers. Thank you Liberia for a wonderful culinary experience. Don't think I will be coming back for seconds.  

 The kids are doing really well with their reading, and one of the next projects is a library at both homes. We all think it should be called "Grandma's Reading Room" in honor of our one Kay Knapp. It is hilarious to me that almost everyone we meet calls her Grandma. 

 

Thankful for the time with these four crazy people. It's amazing to see the rich relationships between them, what a partnership across cultures can be, and how a common faith and heart for the kids can bridge differences across thousands of miles.