TheJourney in Africa

Like Sheep without Shepherd. I understand the term “mass of humanity.” An entire country on the move. Moving away from war and toward the hope of safety. A mass of humanity. I recall cinematic images. Gone with the Wind and the wounded after the Battle of Atlanta. The lines of people leaving the Cambodian cities in “The Killing Fields.” The …

A word from Curt Uno. I’m camp missionary at Living Waters Kid’s Camp this week.  Africa and missions are on my mind.  That’s where this story comes from.   It’s a card game called Uno. You know it as a card game. I call it a friendmaker. A deck of cards always draws people. It’ll help a standoffish child, teen, …

One taught me how to live . . . The other taught me how to die.   They’ve both been gone for nearly half a century. I was seven and ten, respectively when my paternal great grandparents died. We called them Pa and Doten, and they were center of our family’s solar system. They each left an enduring lesson that …

    It’s April 6. Whip-poor-will day. Let’s go to Dry Creek. Enjoy this reader favorite from our third short story collection, Wind in the Pines.     Whip-poor-will Day Hear that lonesome whip-poor-will, he sounds too blue to fly. It seems he’s lost the will to live, I’m so lonesome I could cry . . . -Hank Williams, Sr. …

A word from Curt  This is one of my favorite African images. It’s near the entrance to a large refugee camp in northern Uganda. The sign is homemade and heart felt. If you love people, people will love you. 2. Trust God.   About 82.7% of all human problems are solved by adhering to those two truths. Love people. Trust …

I’m thinking about thanksgiving. Not the day but the attitude. It’s about gratitude. And it should be about giving. All day long, an image has been playing out in my mind. A small dirt-floored church in a northern Kenyan refugee camps. Hundreds of South Sudanese crowded in for worship. It’s time for the offering.  In African culture, you come forward …

  We’re no longer in Africa but Africa is still in us. I’ve been thinking about the Sahel this week. It’s where Sand Africa meets Grass Africa.   “We were showing “The Jesus Film” outdoors in a village. Just at the moment of Jesus’ crucifixion, a snake slithered through the crowd. There was chaos. The viewers literally ran out of …

                Holding the Rope in Prayer: Pray for DeDe’s tutoring. Pray for Curt as he writes As the Crow Flies. God’s guidance for our precious children and grandchildren.  Thanks for praying! Booted out of the Mall I have contracted with several places in Alexandria that have become my writing offices.  At the end …

  It’s true:  every picture does tell a story. It’s also a fact that a picture is worth a thousand words. These are the highlight images from our African sojourn. Enjoy. Dream. Pray. Clicking on an image will take you to the respective story that relates to the photo.    

I’m sure you’ve followed the recent furor over Zimbabwe’s Cecil the Lion/Dentist Killer story.  Here’s my take. Shooting Cecil   The headlights illuminated his silhouette. He was crouched in the edge of the tall grass. I’d been hunting for him all week. One of us was going down. I grabbed my double-barrel 12 gauge. It felt odd in my hands. …

The Week that Was It was more than ironic. I spent two days in the culinary capital of the United States: New Orleans. And I have no appetite for their wonderful seafood, soul food, po-boys, and beignets. We saw our doctor(s) at Tulane Medical.  They had “good news and bad news.” Good news: none of the tests show any conclusive …

  Scroll down for an update on today’s trip to Tulane Medical Clinic.  I was told this story by a South Sudanese. It’s a tale of optimism. The right story to share on the fourth birthday of the world’s newest country, South Sudan. During the worst years of the previous civil war, famine accompanied the violence and displacement. A mother, …

The voice spoke from the desert darkness, “Pick up stones and you will be happy and glad.”   There’s a mythical story concerning a trading caravan traveling through the Sahara Desert. After a long day, they camped in a wadi, a dry river bed. About midnight, the travelers were startled by a loud voice, “Pick up stones and you will …

  Sojourn:   a temporary stay.   Friday,  3 July    You’ve held the rope by praying! DeDe and I have been traveling since Tuesday night. Here’s a quick update: -We left Uganda at midnight on June 30. (Our time zone there is 8 + hours over CDT).  On the flights, my system held up pretty well.  I firmly believe …