Beyond Pictures

The pictures just can't capture it. We've said that over and over the past few days, as we've traveled across Sri Lanka. The natural beauty we've encountered is awe-inspiring. Hiking through Horton Plains, the environment changed every few kilometers, from scrubby plain to woody forest, from cliffs and cloud forest with swirling mist to steamy tropical jungle with a gushing waterfall. Now we're relaxing at a beach so perfect it seems unreal. Crystal clear water with crashing waves, and soft sand stretching out for as far as you can see.

Even some of the human touches have left us enchanted -- the Kandalama Hotel built into the landscape, incorporating rocks and trees and even the playful monkeys into its design; the magical cabana right on the beach that has been our home in Tangalle for the past few days; the ruins of a monastery at Sigiriya built on top of a towering rock fortress with panoramic views in every direction.

So much beauty in such a tiny country. It's such a treat to get to take it all in. Of course, there are moments that bring us back to reality, too. The slow, sweaty climb up hundreds of stairs to reach the top of the rock fortress; The endless curving hairpin turns on the drive to and from Horton Plains (some of which was done in thick fog at 5:30am); the rat that ran across my foot when I got up to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night! The wonder and the reality seem equally hard to capture into one image or description. It all blends together, into one incredible journey. One indescribably complex country.

Hospitality

My heart and my stomach are both filled to capacity after a week visiting old friends in Jaffna. Each person I met offered great hospitality, and usually some kind of edible treat or meal. I've come to expect this gracious welcome there, though it's still always humbling. But today, I was once again amazed at the generosity of strangers, people who have little, yet still sent us away with our hands full.

This afternoon Hollie and I visited about seven or eight different families in the Vanni who have benefited from the work of Kaveri Kala Manram, a cultural and development organization run by my friend Pastor Joshua. The Vanni was the worst hit area in the most recent final stage of the war in Sri Lanka, and nearly all of the houses in the villages we went to were destroyed. Many people lost limbs or family members in the bombings. KKM has helped many widows and disabled people begin small organic farms and coconut plantations for income. Several of the people we visited were eager to give us samples from their gardens. We were sent off with a giant gourd, peanuts, some mystery root vegetable, sugar cane, and even flowers. The gardens were really beautiful - even though they're meant to bring food and income for the families, nearly everyone had also planted beautiful flowers. A beautiful sign of hope in a place that has seen so much suffering for so long. We also saw some really cute 2-hour-old baby goats!

Worth the Journey

I was just starting to wonder if the long trip was really worth it -- travelling for several days, getting up at the crack of dawn to catch a train, feeling exhausted... and then I got to Jaffna, where I used to live. It's been a whirlwind of reunions since. Definitely worth the journey. The best part has been seeing some of the eighteen girls from the girls home where I used to spend a lot of time. They're like little sisters to me, and now they are all grown up. Many of them were from difficult backgrounds and faced a lot of discrimination. When I first came, we barely managed to communicate with each other. Now, some have finished college and are teachers and social workers, and helping to improve their communities. Some are finishing high school, and are doing really well -- playing on the school sports teams, on the school counsel, and just sweet, beautiful, spunky young women. Some are married now and have kids -- which makes me feel really old!

We spent a wonderful day together, going on an adventure around the Jaffna peninsula to Kashurina beach; to a sacred Buddhist site, a famous Hindu temple and a unique little Catholic shrine -- all of which used to be in the high security zone during the war and off-limits to civilians; and on a really amazing boat ride in a fishing boat, in the village where one of the girls lives. About fourteen of us climbed into this long, narrow wooden boat, squealing as it rocked back and forth so much that we were sure we were going to tip over. Luckily, the water was only 2 or 3 feet deep! We sailed out a long ways - it felt like we were at the far ends of the earth. Then, the two fishermen in the boat used poles to push us all the way back to the shore. It was a really magical experience.

And that was just the beginning -- the past week has been full of amazing, colorful, unforgettable moments with old friends exploring this incredible place. So much has changed here since I left, so much new construction and development, and in many ways life is much easier and more convenient. The roads are better, there's much more access to the internet, nice restaurants, even resort hotels -- things you wouldn't have imagined 9 years ago. I have lots of stories and pictures I will share later. For now, poyitu varein -- I will go and come. Off to explore and visit some more!

I didn't expect to feel culture shock. Not coming back to a country that was home for two years, and that I've visited a couple of times since. But things work differently here. Walking down the street, people stare at you as a single foreign woman. I'm in a different position, too. I'm not the missionary on a visit to the capitol, staying with Sri Lankan friends. I'm a tourist, in a hotel, coming back after a long time away, to a country that has spent the last 5-6 years living into it's tentative, new found peace after decades of civil war. There's a fancy new expressway from the airport into town. There are new crosswalks with crossing signals that people actually use to cross the busy main road, instead of playing a real-life game of frogger. Mainly, the sights are still familiar. But now I feel out of place.

What made me feel more at home was connecting with people again. And food. I felt better after I went to visit my two Aunties I used to stay with when I was in town. We caught up on the gossip, and ate hoppers (yum!). The next morning, I went to church and saw more familiar faces, and sang familiar hymns (well, tried my best to sing along in Tamil), and ate my favorite thosai and sambal at fellowship time after worship. This afternoon, I had lunch with one of my favorite families, who beautifully blend Sri Lankan and Western (Polish\Canadian) culture and practice generous hospitality. It is people who make a place feel like home, and sharing food together that really draws people together. Eat. Pray. Love. Off to a good start. Oh, and I did run a bit in the hotel fitness center this morning, too. It had a great view, but no air conditioning.

As I think about how we welcome people to our country back in the U.S., it reminds me how important relationships are. It takes more than a job and housing and health insurance to start life in a new place. It takes connection to people who make you feel at home.

Eat, Pray, Love, Run

One of the great moments of a long trip is sitting down on the airplane and knowing that for the next few hours, all you can do is just sit there and relax. All the packing, planning, organizing, errand-running that have led to this moment have to be left behind.

The last few weeks have felt like a whirlwind of activity, with Christmas, getting things organized at church, and preparing the details of the trips that lie ahead. The last few years have been a whirlwind of activity - St. Paul's is a busy and exciting place, nearly all the time. I like to by busy and active, and have trouble sitting still for long. But I am ready to remember how to be still for awhile.

Today, as I waited impatiently in line at Target, trying to check off one more item from a long pre-trip to-do list, I remembered how often I had to wait for things when I lived in Sri Lanka. Lines were often long, travel was often slow and filled with check-points, programs rarely started on time, and life just moved at a different pace. I got used to waiting patiently. It became part of the rhythm of life. So, it seems fitting that I'll begin my sabbatical with a trip to Sri Lanka.

Though it's not especially original, I've decided to sub-title my sabbatical journey, "Eat, Pray, Love, Run." I'm looking forward to eating my way through all kinds of cuisines in the next few months. I'm already dreaming about the delicious curries, fruits and other foods I've missed from Sri Lanka, so I want to be really conscious of slowing down and savoring them when I eat.

Traveling is usually when I do my best journaling and reflecting, since there are so many interesting new sights and experiences to process. So, the next few months should provide some great opportunities for conversations with God, looking and listening for new insights. I hope to make plenty of time for prayer, especially the kind where I stop telling God everything I'm thinking and let God take over the conversation.

As I spend time with old friends, and hopefully make some new ones, I want to be really present with the people I meet and let them into my heart, to experience the joy of connection that goes beyond culture and language. I want to be generous with my time and attention and affection.

And I also want to continue to feel healthy and strong, and do lots of hiking and running. Even though that is the exact opposite of literally being still, those are activities that quiet my mind. I hope as I run over the next few months (including my 2nd half marathon!), I can focus on being present and aware of what my body is doing, rather than on how fast or far I'm going.

I'm so grateful to have this time to live life at a different pace. Though the schedule will still be busy, it will be filled with a different kind of activity, and - hopefully - I will approach it all with a different attitude and spirit. Instead of rushing through in order to get it done, I can be in the moment. Especially that moment tomorrow when I board the plane!