These are snippets of stories of some very small few of the humans who seek refuge in this world, whose paths I briefly walked alongside and whose lives I, alongside and within the incredible community of humans volunteering, did my best to care for while on Lesvos, and whose wellbeing is bound to myContinueContinue reading “who seek refuge”
Tag Archives: family
Stand Still
“There is time to stop and watch the bubbles,” Mariah said earlier today, as we sat on a bench on the south bank of the Thames river, watching two men dip large pieces of rope, tied to the end of tall wooden sticks, into a large bucket of soap, waving billowing bubbles through the wind. ContinueContinue reading “Stand Still”
One Year Has Now Passed: A Letter to Moses
Moses, on this day, I don’t know where or how you are, but I do know that after having lived the extraordinary honor of being a mama to you, I am now grateful to carry you, carry your joy and your resilience, carry the sincerity of your smile and the light of your little life, with me as I fiercely love this world, so that all whose paths may cross mine might be graced with some small sense of what it is to have loved and been loved by you.
family forms
I wrote a poem last trimester and in it used the phrase “a family form of mine” to describe someone. I received the reviewed poem back from my professor and the phrase was circled, with an arrow pointing to a question written in the margin: what do you mean by this? I write of familyContinueContinue reading “family forms”
hellos and goodbyes
A close friend sent me these words from Dr. Miriam Adeney yesterday, saying they reminded her of me: “You will never be completely at home again because part of your heart always will be elsewhere. That is the price you pay for the richness of loving and knowing people in more than one place.” ThisContinueContinue reading “hellos and goodbyes”
surrounded by suffering
Some jumbled thoughts on living my days here surrounded by suffering: Throughout much of my time in Kenya, I feel as if suffering surrounds me. Throughout all of my time in the hospital, I feel as if suffering surrounds me. That’s not to say that suffering is all that surrounds me. There is also suchContinueContinue reading “surrounded by suffering”
fear
I’ve been thinking about fear. I’ve felt fear in my life. I’ve felt true, full-bodied fear. The day of September 11th, as a confused 8-year-old questioning if Indianapolis was going to be attacked next. Sliding on icy roads with children in my car. The first time I went to visit a child in the ICUContinueContinue reading “fear”
coming home
Walking home, it’s sunset. I meander down the road in the cool breeze, hear enlivened Wolof all around me, greet familiar neighbors. When I reach Papa he happily greets me, makes a joke about my favorite song, tells me so like family he’s going to the gym and will see me later. I walk towardContinueContinue reading “coming home”
a week of grace
I spent the past week in Richard Toll, a small town in northern Senegal as a part of my “Senegal River Valley” class. We spent the week visiting various agricultural projects taking place in what is one of the most fertile region of otherwise flat, sandy, and dry Senegal; we learned about sugar cane andContinueContinue reading “a week of grace”
holding conversation
“Being able to hold a conversation is one of the greatest talents a person can possess,” my Grandpa told me. I have thought about those words, and Grandpa, every day that I have been in Senegal. Until he was put in hospice care in March of 2012, my Grandpa was just my Grandpa. He livedContinueContinue reading “holding conversation”
being here through it
Written 24 September 2013: Today was a hard day for Sarr family here in Sénégal. During the summer of 2011 my Kenyan sister Winnie lived with my family in the US. Toward the end of her stay, the D-H family had a hard day. And I remember so clearly her telling me that she wasContinueContinue reading “being here through it”
this is why i came here
written 19 September 2013 We’re sitting outside, my sister and I, the electricity out and searching for the cool breeze. We’re talking about weddings and clothes and what to do when boys harass you on the street as they often do and the pressures for women which exist across cultures. Papa comes out to joinContinueContinue reading “this is why i came here”
she wakes up at six
So, here’s something. I told my host family I like to wake up early (which is true) and told them I usually wake up at six (which is not true, but I said it because I felt bad that I overslept the first morning). They were very impressed, as my host dad wakes up atContinueContinue reading “she wakes up at six”
callie daniels-howell 