Not here

Missionaries here
talk about Africa
as being
'out there'.

But Africa
is not 'out there'.
Africa is here,
in my heart.

So I am not here.
Not entirely. My heart
is in Africa.
I am

somewhere inbetween.

Africa Day

It is Africa Day at school today. A colleague and I have organised a day of cooking, story telling, music, language learning, geography and art - all around the theme of Africa. In the afternoon, we're having a coin drive and teacher auction to raise money for The Tumaini Fund, a charity which supports AIDS orphans and widows in Tanzania.

Great fun.

Yet it has taken nearly nine years for me to be able to even contemplate taking part in something like this, let alone initiating and organising it.

Pain.
Remembered pain, referred pain, projected pain. Selfish pain.

At least, now, I can introduce children to the uniqueness of Africa. To give them a glimpse into the continent and begin to explore its riches.

Without pain.