Where the green grass grows...

So, we’re in Tanzania, relaxing in the green, cool oasis that is TIMO’s headquarters (En Gedi) and under the doting care of the TIMO staff.

 

This is debriefing.

 

And it’s not half bad.

 

I actually can’t remember the last time I was hungry. Or, better said, the last time that I was either not eating, just done eating or about to be eating. I suppose part of their aim here is to fatten folks up before they go back home, ‘cause, yowza—so much good food.

 

And it really is a little piece of paradise. I can hear a river humming by just on the other side of a bank of trees. The birds are absolutely nuts. There is GREEN GRASS. Yes. It’s grass. And it’s green. And, not only that—it’s plentiful. If I weren’t shivering, I’d be much more tempted to walk around barefoot in it. Imagine! Grass!

 

I’m thankful for the relaxed atmosphere and schedule they’ve got us on. I was worried we’d be sitting in meetings all day or be forced to pour out our hearts and rack our minds for some big debriefing assignments. That’s not been the case. It’s a nice framework for me to do some of my own style of debriefing, though I can already tell that it’s going to take quite a while to get enough perspective to appreciate these two years like I should.

 

The moments of missing Lopit hit me here and there. Kimmie asks to watch the new Lopit video I made at least a couple times a day. Somehow we always get to browsing pictures on our computers. And Miss Ellen’s sweet little grin glows from my laptop’s desktop—a bit of self-torture I suppose I could get rid of. I honestly can’t imagine that, after a few days, I won’t see most of my team ever again, let alone my Lopit neighbors.

 

So reality remains an arm’s length away, though I’m certainly trying to invite it in closer.

 

But, until then, I suppose there’s this little bit left of finishing strong and finishing right. So, keep praying for our team down here, that we’d debrief well and all make it safely out of East Africa and back home!