Hello There, Sir!
You can see something black on the wall from down the hall. I was headed there thinking it was the light switch. This other one was taken five feet away. That's right, hello sir!…
The universal kingdom of Kid-dom
I'm just going to leave this here, with its awesomeness of kid-dom, worldwide. I started out taking a photo of 5 kids bathing in the mangroves. In an instant, there were 40 or so, who waded out with us to the little rock island with the lone ba…
Ephraim: Preserving tradition, living with the new
BRIN, SENEGAL We start our day a brainstorming session about what would be good for me to learn about, experience and share while I am here. Customs, changing traditions and day to day life. I want to learn to fish, to climb that palm tree, cook me…
Everything is new.
Many people say they feel they get to travel here, too, through my journal. The most amazing thing about it is how everyday things are new… You wonder how to wash your hands, or tonight, how to eat properly when we all eat out of the same bowl. So…
Heart sliced open. Here it is, pumping on the table.
I finally saw “Into the Wild.” Do you know this story? It is a true one. A college graduate who wished to seek truth and simplicity gave up his possessions, gave his money to charity, drove his junker car out into the desert and abandoned it and th…
Love it when a plan comes together.
In a field very green from winter rains, down a dirt road outside the village, my friend Ignatius is among those who are ready to build. They see the future, with a three-unit apartment building and a small house and what can be. What will be in d…
My friend, the lion king
So this happened. A real lion, not drugged, with his teeth and claws. He's young, tame and unable to live in the wild; his kids, however, will be released into a preserve. Which means I get the experience of walking a lion to blow my socks off…
Bemba marriage tradition, and I'm invited to the party
In Zambia, Bemba families have followed the same tradition for as long as anyone can remember. A man will demonstrate his commitment and his ability to have a family by paying a dowry to the bride’s parents, and there are several integral events su…
Everyday lessons: The power of strangers.
The Nsombo family - my family in Pamodzi, Zambia I met Andrew in a bar, on a weekend afternoon, after most the regulars were in, under the outdoor shelter and watching soccer, playing pool or sharing a beer with friends at the outdoor tables. Ther…