Monday, February 25, 2013

Re-Entrance into the Western World

Rome, Italy

San Gimignano in Tuscany on a trip I made with my
 brother, Dominic.
I read somewhere that Pope John Paul II never saw a crowd but a gathering of individuals. I used to have no idea how that could be possible, but somehow I’m starting to figure it out because when you
try to see other people within the light of charity (love without limitations) and imagine the world from their perspective (thanks, UD psych), suddenly all kinds of beautiful experiences emerge and
unlikely friendships are formed.

One Italian woman I met the other day congratulated me for having gone to Africa and I really didn’t know how to respond. It was like being praised for receiving an undeserved gift. If you could meet Rachael or Shevan, Alice or Christine, Susan or Charity, Astridah, Maureen, Chewe, Doris, Lulu, Orian, or any of the other 17 girls, you would instantly see how fitting the name City of Joy is, and the ability that love of God and neighbor has to ‘rub’ all kinds of emotional abandonment and pain. I think that in developed countries, our poverty is not recognizing how central love is to who we are- and its difficult in the face of so many confused expressions.

The only reason my heart is still in one piece after leaving Zambia is my certainty that I’ll be back there before too long. Until then I’ll have the girls’ farewell song to remind me how important prayer is in remaining close to those you love; “Oh, we’ll miss you when you go.  Remember to create one union with the Lord.”

I have so much more to tell but I’ll be home in just 4 days!

Until then,
Annie

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