THE JOURNEY CONTINUES
This picture was taken at Maryknoll NY in the autumn of 1984. I was doing my orientation to go overseas and was 28 years old. I came across it looking through some old files. Quite a lot has happened between then and the next picture...
Now I'm 62 and moving on from East Africa. I've had so many parties, cakes and gifts this past month. From left to right we are Heidi Cerneka, me, Mike Garr, Kathy Flatoff and Coralis Salvador. (Gabe Hurrish is slaving away in S Sudan and couldn't be with us). We had a big party at my flat to welcome Mike and Kathy and say farewell to me. About thirty people came and I was so grateful to be able to say goodbye well.
This simple note is one of the most precious I have received. Kamal is 15 and lives downstairs. He and his parents and brother fled Yemen over two years ago. He was born with cataracts and has poor vision so he struggles to see. When I would come home he would sometimes wait for me and we would chat about life, how hard it is to be in a country that is not your home, how much we miss our home and our families who live so far away. He is also an artist and made a beautiful collection of shells to go with this simple note. He doesn't have much to work with and even the corner of the paper was a bit torn. All the more special. We have both benefited from this friendship... especially me.
So here is one of the reasons I am going home. I left Kenya on 22nd June and passed through Dublin, Bettystown, and Drogheda in the Republic of Ireland. Then Galbally in Northern Ireland. Then East Molesey near London...all to say goodbye to missionaries and friends I have worked with in East Africa since 1985. I arrived in Urbana Illinois at midnight on July 1st. As my last plane trip touched down I opened my eyes to see a huge yellow slightly waning moon rising over the prairie! I'm once again in our family home living with my mother, Lenore. I will continue working with Maryknoll Lay Missioners in mission education and advancement. I'm not sure what will happen to this blog. Let me know what you think!!!
PEACE OF THE PATH THAT FOLLOWS JESUS
