my wife tbV [aka the beautiful Val] and myself have been living in Americaland and working with two different non-profits [The Simple Way and Common Change] for over three years now and are in the process of heading home.

to Africa [the continent]… and more specifically to South Africa.

and what i’ve been telling people of late to sum up the feeling is that i am really looking forward to being back home, but not so much to leaving.

the leaving part is almost completely people related [and maybe icing/frosting in a can cos come on South Africa!] and especially the church community at Re:Gen and some of the friendships we have made there as well as opportunities to preach and run youth and teach Improv classes [oh and also the field hockey with the Eagles – Caw! – i have really enjoyed that, although there will hopefully be hockey back home too].

but the whole leaving and transition thing has felt a LOTtle bit like a rollercoaster, and from two months ago already…

and when i say rollercoaster… i am not so much talking about this:

as much as i mean this:

it has been a wild fast crazy ride which included among other things, speaking on a week long houseboat camp on Lake Shasta, a three day visit from my parentals, taking part in a Sikh field hockey tournament and a three week preaching stint at Re:Gen plus work, figuring out packing and trying to set up some things for back home [sorted: place to stay and phone, still needed: transportation, work for me]

so back to this blog and the hoarseness thereof [a word i played in Words with Friends last night although to be fair i just added a ‘T’ onto the ‘Hereof’ someone else had played… HEREOF? Yes, he is one of those…] it feels like for the longest time i have been sharing other peoples thoughts [on relationships and race-related things] as well as Pearls before Swine cartoon strips that i enjoy and i am REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO returning to the blog properly and writing some heart stuff and i imagine that will only really happen properly when i get home and have settled in a little bit [although i do have some exciting thoughts from other people to share in the meantime so that is good] but just wanted to send a shout out to all my readers and if anyone had noticed this trend and was hoping for some more me-thought it. is. on. the. way.

so hang in there and enjoy what delicacies i have in store for you over here in the meantime – but know that i have a post on ‘white privilege’ that is long overdue and probably [finally] some musings on our time at the Simply Way [that might get hot!] and in Americaland in general.

very much looking forward to this space sounding like my voice again. hope some of you are still around when it does. thankx for being patient.