Packing has never been tougher than this one today...It has never taken me so much energy, emotions, strength of will and time to pack that few wee things I take with me back to Africa...I feel like I am not ready to go back yet...that I need a few days of rest and give myself a chance to wind down high wired emotions...These few things I put to my bag made it so heavy to move that I suspect there may be some
dark matter involved in it...
Dark matter of what? Let's not get too specific... Too many topics to touch... Too many invisible ties which connect me to people and places... I dislike short hops to Europe, to Poland like this one I am about to wrap up today... Too short a time, too many things to do, everything compressed in tiny confinement of time and space..
Anyway, no time to dwell upon this any longer...Time to zip the bag and head for the railway station to get to Warsaw first, then to Okęcie International Airport and there I go to Zurich...tomorrow morning long haul flight to Dar es Salaam via Nairobi... I know I will switch immediately to work mode once I touch ground at Julius Nyerere International Airport in Dar...Confirmation ahead in Kiabakari, finishing works of classrooms in the center for education and formation, initial works on main water tank...work, work, work...my sedative to fight dark matter, I guess...
I'll be back, once I get to Dar. Prayers for safe journey highly appreciated! Take care and God bless us all!
I have been catching up with your blogs and what a host of memories you have recalled over the past 2 days. From touching down in Drogheda to visiting Rakowice cemetery,to preparing for departure and take off to Africa. Glad your recollection of times in Ireland gives you good feelings.We all love you here and admire what you do in Africa so much- you are great!! It has been troubled times in the Armagh diocese over the year so you are lucky to be in Africa despite the enormous sacrifice it entails.Ask you leave Poland saying goodbyes is never easy - only relief is the thought of the joy your parishoners will experience when they see you again in Tanzania. I have never seen such a sad picture of a child as the one you posted after visiting the cemetary -it spoke volumes of the depth of feelings that you touched there. Yes, Wojciech, your visit was so short and you covered so much territory that you will need to slow down a bit. Travelling is also tough and you have such a long journey ahead of you.We will be with you in spirit and praying that you will be safe and well during the journey . We have a old saying in Ireland 'You can take the man out of the bog but you can't take the bog out of the man'.'The bog' has many connotations for the Irish. So it is with you, Wojciech ' You can take the man out of Africa but you can't take Africa out of the man/missionary' May all the happy memories you carry with you as you leave Krakow help you feel comforted for what you leave behind. God and his Blessed Mother, Mary, guide you safely back to your African 'home'.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much, Lena dear, for your words of wisdom, kindness and prayers...Sure, I need them big time these days... Yeah, I cannot outrun my own shadow, so Africa is always there...enchanting or haunting me, depending on the situation...I'm grateful to God and people for making this short hop to Poland memorable and successful. I'm happy and relieved! Now back to reality...just a few days in Dar for some business and off I go to Musoma on Monday. Hectic times ahead of me...bracing for a rollercoaster, to be honest... But this is what I like, this rush of adrenaline, to be on the edge, to be challenged, to be thrown with my back to the wall and to fight for a good cause... and the sensation of satisfaction if I manage to trick time and 'enemies' into submission :)
ReplyDeleteI am with you, my great friends in Ireland, but I have no doubt, you will come out of this trial purified, stronger and shining, like a Moses coming down from the meeting with God Almighty...I am with you always!