My dear friends and family,
I am so happy to be celebrating this quiet autumn
morning, looking out on to lawn, falling leaves, sunshine and shade. I laughed when I overheard Sr. Ann (with whom
I live) saying to Ellen our Regional Leader on the phone just now; that,
"Marie is taking a day off today .." laughing at myself that is. Like most people, I am good at beating myself
up with inner compulsions to work and work!
Sometimes I catch myself measuring off my days; my father lived to 90; maybe
I have 25 odd years left to count on? At
times I have the sense of life passing me by without resting by the wayside to
observe what's going on around me; so many simple gifts are mine every day;
gifts deserving time to ponder, else I'm in danger of skittering on surface
water like a dragon fly, merely flitting; not exploring inner depths.
An old man crossing
Since returning to Zambia and life in Lusaka, I have
continued with an inner restlessness.
How I love to be in the market, in the village, traveling about, moving
with ordinary folk! I live in our
Regional house here in Lusaka and my role is more back up support; requiring
more technological flair on my part.
It's okay. Lusaka too seems to be
rapidly expanding too, into shining malls and enmeshed traffic but the other
evening I saw a very old man crossing over a two lane feeder highway bringing
evening rush hour traffic to a surprised standstill. He crossed over tentatively, dragging an old
hessian bag with him of empty tins and plastics, hobbling in front of the
waiting bumper bars, as he finally hauled his bag slowly up and over the
concrete kerbing. What a marvellous
image of our poverty, I thought. I could
sense the other drivers drawing in their breath and pausing; all thought of
racing for the next light replaced by concern, and perhaps an inner jolt of who
and how we are. It would seem that we
human beings need to step back like that at times, in quietness and courage in
order to move more mindfully though our days.
Drug and Alcohol Work
I work two days a week in Serenity harm Reduction
Programme, Zambia (SHARPZ) as a drug and alcohol therapist. I love it. Drugs and alcohol misuse seem to
be on the increase here and I'm reading everything I can lay my hands on, as
well as having lots of training in order to work with people, where they are in
their courageous attempts to regain their freedom. In our living, it is easy to fill our
emptiness and poverty with something or other.
Usually we cannot free ourselves from such addictions on our own; we
need the support from family members and friends.
Luka
Luka hardly spoke and when he did, it was to murmur to
himself. He had been taking marijuana
and his sister and her husband brought him straight from five days of
Detox. I felt so out of my depth, I
asked another Counsellor to help in an assessment interview. Does he want to
come to "see" us twice a week, I asked Luka? Luka mumbled that he does not
"want" to come, but he will.
Wow. Time for me to take a
breath! He was 27, single and dependent,
but a fine figure of a man. The
following weeks of halting conversation (me asking questions, Luka responding
in barely audible responses) seemed to indicate trauma as a boy, through loss
of his father and then not long later, loss of his mother, with Luka shutting
down emotionally by the time he was 18 and since then with increasing
depression, numbs himself with drugs.
Such misery. What amazed me was
the measure of love in that family and the way they were counting their monthly
bills to calculate what they could set aside for Luka's rehabilitation. His older sisters and brother had taken care
of him over the years but these moves around Zambia probably intensified his
confusion and feeling, "a problem for them," as Luka termed it. Yet, Luka also bears in himself and carries
family grief and loss. When he dresses
himself carefully, agrees to go on family excursions, his sister and husband
are overjoyed. Small steps; let us hope
and pray!
Coffee
I was so pleased to welcome Jane Bertelson here last
month. We repaired to my special coffee
spot, where I confess; I ate most of the food!
Another Australian often at our place is Lana Turvey, a volunteer on
loan for a year from the Sydney office of the Pontifical Mission Society.
(PMS) My favourite text from her is,
"Wanna coffee?" Oh, joy. Now that is a distinct plus to city living!
The owner servant
There once
was a man
who owned a
donkey.
They were
friends.
the donkey
always served
him with
love and devotion.
They spoke
in silence.
It was a
soundless alphabet
Which bore
fruit....
Each month
for one day
The owner
became
servant.
When asked
the reason for
such a
strange custom
he answered
Only by
being a donkey
have I
attained wisdom.
Poet Artist, Assisi 2006
Lots of love, May you each be with God, and God be
with you! (Blessing of St. Clare of Assisi)
Marie
