student of life..

I always find my best time of pondering and thinking and revelation come while traveling, while moving, while the world goes on around me and I, simply sitting in my seat, watch it, meditate on it.
In Brazil it was the subways and busses and van rides. In Africa its in the back of a beat up blue pickup up truck traveling down dirt roads feeling the grated bed on your tush and the growl of the 5-speed trying to make it up the hill. Tall grasses to your left and right... women balancing bundles on their heads with infants tied to their backs.

How did I get here?? Is this real? is this adventure, this school, this 1 year journey real? I get blasted with that daily, I get blasted daily with the realization of what we are doing. Of how privileged I am to be used in such a way. To be chosen by God for this year of growth and love and learning and sacrificing. Not only is it blessing me but what is the bigger picture? What does he have in the future for this? Thats what excites me :) This experience and mission isn't only about me and who I'm serving now. It also about the conversation I may have over coffee someday with someone that shifts their worldview.. or the stories I'll tell my kids 10 years down the road that will broaden their view of this beautiful world God's created...or the person that reads our book and is made aware of an injustice throughout the nations that they have blinded themselves to. THIS is about THAT. the bigger picture. God you have specifically choose me to walk out this journey and I can't wait to see what that is :) Who you'll have me speak to and impact down the road, the many people this year journey will impact long after the year is over. All the things he is growing and stirring and speaking into each of our lives. Last night while riding home in the back of the truck (in the rain) me and Dawn just rested and marveled in this realization. Its beautiful. The bigger picture is going to be wonderful :)

I love learning. If college was free I would take any class I could :) Being on the move and in so many different countries with many different people you learn vast amounts of random things. Currently our Photogenx staff Steve and Diane are here in South Africa with us leading this portion of our track. They have traveled to countless nations together with stories from all over such as getting black-hairy tongue in Afghanistan.. getting bit by scorpions.. giving friends IV because Afghan hospitals don't do after-care after surgeries haha :) And this couple is still in their 20's. It's been great having them here with us.. usually after dinner we just sit and talk. Steve is a genius when it comes to politics and worldview and literature and ANYTHING really. I left the table the other night feeling like I had learned so many new things. They told us all about Cape Town South Africa where they have spent a lot of time and how beautiful it is and different villages and town and restaurants and art festivals. Makes me want to honeymoon there haha.  They told us all about Dubai and the gaudy city of gold that it is. "Basically all the rich people got together and decided to make themselves a city" -Steve. At this one hotel Diane's brother was touring with a trip he saw a man who looked like a janitor but found out the guys only job was to replace little slabs of gold on the banisters all day long. Its city of EXCESS. One of the hotels in the city rotates 360 in a 24 hr period so guests have a different view throughout the day. The contrast in todays world blows my mind. A city of such excess contrasted with such poverty.

Steve taught us to say some things in Farsi, and i've been picking up a few Siswati words since being in Africa.. like Sawubona means hello and Kunjani is how are you. There are so many languages I'd love to learn. After hearing Steve speak in Farsi (spelling???) the language they speak in Afghanistan, I'm really tempted to borrow his rosetta stone and teach myself :) I've also always wanted to learn to speak Swahili too haha. Theres so much I want to know, to learn, to see...

I am a student of life..
and the world is my classroom.