a brain's outline for the evening.

alot swimming around this brain of mine. not to mention its finally hot. and i mean, seriously hot folks. i've heard 103 by tomorrow. we'll see. some friends gave us a generous gift to stay at a hotel with AC this weekend, so i'm not too worried about 103 numbers...i'll be munching steak, swimming by the pool (complete with compulsory swim cap), and lounging in freezing cold AC for two days...oh the suffering.

-thursday nights we have a great little gathering of friends who eat together followed usually by some form of prayer/discussion/song whatever. this past week the topic turned to olympic games, yeah we can find spiritual application in anything around here. but namely the issues surrounding tibet. should we support a country that is blatently witholding human rights (china) by supporting the games they're hosting. i myself am glad that tibetans are finally getting a voice, altlhough rallying and tackling olympic torch runners might not be enough to gain independance. perhaps if more of the world took a stand, refused support of the olympics, chose human rights over business opportunity...something would begin to move. but sarah, passionate articulate sarah, made a great point to conclude what i thought was a stirring and inspiring thursday night...change has to come from within. the chinese themselves have to see and fight for the change. we as outsiders can hoop and hollar, and even shame the chinese goverment by boycotting things like olympic games but the lasting change will come from within, when people become aware of the issues and fight for change. then freedom will happen. and as we brought this topic down to our level we processed how this how change will happen in Sonagachi, and other red light areas in kolkata. this is how things change when a place's own people desire something to move. lets pray for heroes to stand and speak up for change in all places from Tibet to Sonagachi...

-also it seems i'm on a roll of reading books about the middle east. three cups of tea is a must read. and i've just started a new one called the sirens of Baghdad. they paint pictures with complete opposite colors. one man fighting for peace one man fighting for revenge. and it continues to reemphasize my longing to see a movement of peace and reconcilation and a breakdown of the ignorance we all seem to live in. i'll make it to the middle east one day...no doubt.

-this week some Kiwi guys came to visit SB. the ladies sat and laughed and talked through their entire visit...only later did i come to know that they were planning my marriage to one of them, on the basis that he seemed not to comb his hair...just like me...hmmm. i'm feeling glad they have such high standards for me. if this record keeps up i'll find that shining star in no time.

-one beautiful little nepali girl i've written of before has written a letter to her family this week. and for the first time in the two years since she's been enslaved, they might be able to get news that their young daughter is still alive. practically brings me to tears every time i think of her. she's never sent a letter prior to this week because she's afraid they'll see the post office stamp and know where she is...but since our wmf nepali friends are making a visit soon (yeah cousins!) they'll be able to send it from nepal and no one will have to know where her greeting came from. i cry out for hope and life and freedom for this little one. though most days it seems so impossible. i won't give up yet, the fight's just started.

well i think thats enough for one long blog. i wish i could post a fan on here to blow the hot air i'm experiencing as i type this, maybe that will be the next application they add to these crazy things. but instead i'll just say goodnite. peace.