Life is growth

Life is just a chance to grow a soul. ~A. Powell Davies

Life goes on. With it, new things continue to happen each and every day.

When I started this blog - my idea was to share my experiences, challenges, and successes as a volunteer. This has kind of fallen to the wayside was I have not really typed much in the recent past. So it's about time for a new blog post.

So let's play catchup, what's been going on with me: for those who may not be aware, I have a puppy named Baraka (eng: Blessing). Baraka was actually named not by me but by some friends who are on internship here from the states. (thanks!)
There are some pictures of Baraka on my Facebook page and I'll try to put some on my Picasaweb album if I remember :)

Let's see what else is going on..Well recently, I had a chance to visit the Kenyan Coast on a planning retreat for a youth leadership project I've been helping out with and I must say that in my travel I realized how much I've accustomed myself to living where and how I do.

While I was away (for just a few days) I really missed the simple things of life. Perhaps this is because as humans we tend to find patterns that work for us and that we like and stick to them. For example, I have a simple routine of leaving the house early to eat breakfast in town before going to school. Simple, right? Well, when we don't have school - April, August, and December when school is not in session - I miss that early morning walk and exchanging greetings with the people as I make my way into town. In fact, so much time had passed without my daily ritual that some people upon seeing me and greeting me made comments such as "kama sikuona, nilifikiri ulienda" (eng: since i had not seen you, I thought you had left [gone back to the states]).

Even still, the way the faces light up upon seeing me, even after a few days (or sometimes a week if I don't make it into the market) reminds me of why I'm here and who I'm here for.

As I write this, a new school term has begun and with it new challenges and new joys. Each new day I feel more and more like this community is where I belong - the place where I am meant to be doing what I am meant to be doing.

My hope and prayer is that no matter where life takes me I will continue to feel this way.