Catching Up is Hard to Do

It has been a while since I posted last. I have been rather busy over the couple months, which makes for a long post, I'm afraid. Instead of giving a lot of exposition on how or why I got behind, let's just catch up with where I am. There are three major events that have happened since I last reported in:

Event 1: Moving Out

I am homeless. This is completely voluntary, a result of the minimal time I will spend in any particular place. I don't think I will be in one place for over 2 months at most for the next few years. This makes any apartments, houses, or any other permanent residence little more than an expensive hotel room I must pay for monthly, even though I won't use it. Thus, no more apartment until I settle down a bit.

Event 2: Visiting Haiti

In June, I was asked to visit NorthwestHaiti Christian Mission to see if the seminars, which have had astounding success in Africa, might also have a positive impact in Haiti. From what I gather, though the history of Haiti is very different from Mozambique, the current situation is surprisingly similar. This is, I think, largely because of the tremendous colonial influence—as in Mozambique, Haiti has been trying to climb up from a long history of colonial rule, but seems to lack some essential tools for doing so. From what I have seen, the techniques and training we have been using in Mozambique should work in Haiti as well. We have coordinated with NWHCM, which is interested in developing local churches and communities, as a partner for developing Haitian communities. I will provide some additional details about specifics of the Haitian situation and how it compares to Mozambique, South Africa, and the U.S. in a later post.

Event 3: Removal of Non-Vital Organs

Surgery hurts. It seems my gall bladder had overtaxed itself, and was in danger of becoming more of health risk than a help, so the doctors at the nearby Regional West MedicalCenter were kind enough to remove it. From what I gather, the surgery was more difficult than they anticipated, due to existing infection and inflammation of the gall badder. In short, it was painful, unpleasant, and I am still getting over it. Fortunately, recovery time is minimal, and I should be able to go do some fund-raising in a week or so. All in all, I'll trade a little bit of pain for the knowledge that I will never have to bother with that discomfort (or health risk) again.

Next Steps:

There, now we're caught up. Over the next two months, I will be visiting supporters, raising funds, and generally traveling the country. Since none of the work I will be doing is seminar-related, I hope to take this time to explain the seminars a bit in this blog, and discuss how they can apply to such a wide range of people, cultures, and circumstances. I would also like to discuss some of the root issues we have noted that are common in many communities both in Mozambique, South Africa, Haiti, and the U.S. The first step to solving a problem is correctly identifying the source, and we're all about solving problems.