The Soul seeks a place to Be

the soul seeks a place to be…  this is a title of  poem I got from my friend Jon.  To be honest I really don't remember the rest of the poem and the grab was not as powerful, but the title the poet chose…

 

the soul seeks a place to be, I think it's a phrase that will come up often over the next year and a half and probably my whole life.  Because we should find ways to let our soul be… to nurture and care for ourselves in that way… to truly listen to what our soul seeks.

 

This is what I have been contemplating while sitting on our back porch in Cape Town sewing a rip in a skirt that I plan to take to Congo.  The foggy day turned sunny and the wind is light enough to tickle the skin and sing, not to the point of blowing everything over.  It's the kind of day we have all the windows open to air out the house, before going to Congo for 9 days.  It's like at home, those spring to summer days after the house has been cooped up for the winter. 

 

And Louis and Ella always fills and surrounds me, so it doesn't hurt that what we are listening to.  (Thanks Jane!)

 

But instead of doing work on the computer for the conference, I decided that I should sit in the sunshine, and let my soul twirl in the wind.  (I still have to add all the French translation to my presenation) And something about sewing fit right in.  And in a way it is preparation.  Its not frantic packing today, just peaceful preparing.  Sewing only happens one stitch at a time and then you pull the string all the way through and I think of all the hemming and sewing my mother has done for me.  And then I thought more of all the sewing my grandmother Mary Lou had done.  Its interesting to remember connections to people threw tasks, but it is a sense almost as strong as smell if you take the time to notice the roses. 

 

And Jen's laundry was hanging to dry, so she was tending to her own things, and I was mending mine, but we had a lovely discussion.  (don't you love the words tending and mending- we used them at training and my friend Heather helped me se there beauty.)

 

I must remember to blog later on gender roles and what I am learning on my personal feelings to these, especially where chores are concerned and in relation to some of the discussions with our African male counterparts.

 

I also think blogging about preparation will be a common theme.

 

But for now my soul is resting in those stitches.  I am eager to go to the DRC and ready.  We will work hard and get very little down time, which is why we don't have to be in the office today- but I am excited for the energy and assembly of people.  This trip feels much more like why I am here, then the last few weeks in Cape Town.  I want to go and meet people and learn, whereas I have felt bored and bogged down with figuring out communication and cleaning and setting up house.  But today is different.

 

But right now I just want to pause in this moment with the daily life activities, because my soul has found a place to be.

--
Hannah Hanson
Mission Intern - SHADE
South Africa
hannahatshade.blogspot.com