Senegal

My parents. as well as all these fine people in the attractive blue polos (plus a few others) are leaving for Senegal today for 10 days. 

They are a team of three nurses, a dentist, a pharmacist, a pediatrician, a physician, a podiatrist, and my father "who has a background in public health" which may or may not be stretching the truth. All of them are flying out today, each with two suitcases in hand, one with their personal belongings, another packed to the brim with medical supplies. They are going to set up a clinic for 7 days with the intention of providing basic medical care for as many people as they can. From headaches, to wound care, to infectious diseases. All of this they will be doing this in a three room dirt floor, roofless building. In the sweltering heat, with no protection from the sun. Sterile technique will definitely be a challenge. I am asking you to pray. Pray for my family. Pray for the team. For safety. For effectiveness. For high spirits. And that the Lords work be done. 

.wind.

when i feel broken. when i have been thinking. thinking. thinking. and nothing has come of it, and its all a mess. when i am overwhelmed with my own thoughts and feelings. i feel, above everything, the need to get away. i feel the need to be outside. to be in the woods. to be walking. wind in my hair surrounded by trees. walking through tall grasses. grabbing the ends and twirling them in my fingers. laying on the ground. the grass concealing my location. the wind rushing through the trees. i can feel everything melt away in the expanse of nature. in the silence. and something about being on the ground. in the dirt. looking up at the sky. just puts everything back in its place. i feel grounded and secure. 

this is something i normally do by myself. normally i'm too overwhelmed to deal with anyone. but this time. i took a friend. it was so much better. to share that experience with someone. to have someone to just sit and watch the world with. 

end of an era

a tragedy of the highest degree. my french press and the floor met in the most unfortunate way a few days ago. my trusty french press, that has been with me all through college, my dear friend who had two different parts from two different presses due to my mother mixing them up. who has been working overtime the past few months. she is now gone. we had a good run my friend. you will be missed for sure.