pieces

Every time I leave a country, I feel like I'm leaving a piece of my heart behind there. It sounds silly, but it's completely true:  there's a little piece of my heart at the top of Machu Picchu, waiting for the sun to come back out from behind those rainclouds. There's a splinter of my heart in Greece, sitting by the Mediterranean sea. I left a shard behind in Kenya, where I know that my friend Sheila will always welcome me 'back home' with open arms. There's a slice of my heart in El Salvador, probably gorging itself on pupusas right now. Of course there's a fraction left in Spain - not just in Salamanca, but in Barcelona and Sevilla and Cordoba. Another piece is floating down the Zambezi river. My heart will never be the same after all those weeks and months spent in northern Uganda - those tiny towns of Pader, of Kitgum, of Gulu, of Amuru - and all the pothole-filled roads in between are still holding on to part of my heart that I will never get back. There's even pieces left in places that I've spent little amounts time - like Milano or Prague or Tegucigalpa or Drumnadrochit.

You might think this is very bad for a heart - all those cuts, all that scar tissue. Do you know how the body operates when you're weightlifting?  Muscles get all these tiny rips and tears, then the effect of rebuilding over those tears is how we build muscle. I think my heart has gone through something of that process. Not to say that it doesn't hurt - can you imagine feeling like you're never quite whole because part of you is longing for another place in the world?  Your other friends from Gulu, your other favorite coffee shop from Milano, your other cute salsa-dancing crush in Salamanca, your comfy pillow from Nairobi? It's a horrible feeling, especially in the midst of leaving.

Humans naturally build community - we seek like and not-so-like minded people to bolster our lives and make us feel whole. Here in Juba, it was hard for me to make meaningful friendships because people live such transient lives - you basically need a backup group of friends for when all your A Team friends go on vacation or are traveling to Bor.

I mitigate the pain of leaving by leaving a door open for my return - I don't think there's a country I've ever been to, and said, "Well, that's enough of that place - I am sure I'll never come back."  I could not say that, even if I tried. Leaving is the worst feeling in the entire world, but it also serves to remind of what bonds can be forged in unusual settings. I've met up with friends from abroad all over the world. So, with one week and one day until I leave South Sudan... my heart is in pieces around the world, and it feels like it's breaking all over again to depart.  So what do you do?  Cry a little, let your heart rip again, promise to come back, and look forward.

Prague

There is something wonderful about an old friend - somebody who has known you for a long time, and still loves you. Something even more wonderful? A whole family of old friends who are friends with your whole family - that is, the Stewarts. Mark, Joanna, Sasha, and Izaak are living in Prague working with World Harvest ministries and blessing lots of people with their warm hospitality.

I've tried to visit the Stewarts a few times, but we keep on missing one another - so when I emailed and they were home - I almost couldn't believe it. Since I hadn't seen them in several years, we had lots to catch up on, and even a new baby to meet! (theirs, not mine)

I arrived Saturday morning, and Mark & Sasha picked me up from the airport - we headed straight home to eat a delicious breakfast of cinnamon buns that Joanna made from scratch. Good start. Then, Joanna, Sasha, & Izaak took me for a walk to 'our castle' as Sasha calls it, through Malastrana, and back home - perfect to wake me up from the long (miserable) overnight flight from Kenya. A bit of lunch, and then back to the Stewarts' for Stitch n Bitch, Joanna's weekly knitting group! (Thank you, Joanna for teaching me how to make granny squares) Afterwards, Mark & the boys took me out for beer at the beautiful Augustinian monastery. There's a brand new Easter beer out, which we had to try. Delicious, of course.

Prague is a great city if you like beer and red meat and long walks-- perfect, actually. The architecture keeps your eyes entertained, and the cobblestones keep your feet guessing. The beer and sausages are so delicious - I think it would be worth dying of high cholesterol to live there.

Sunday was a relaxed day - in the afternoon, Sasha and I went on a date to the 'playground without the one red slide,' and then we took a long adventurous exploration walk. It was so fun! Afterwards, I got to attend their church and see one of my good ole college friends, Betsy. What a small world.

Then Monday, the whole Stewart family took me into Old Town Prague where the Easter markets are open. We walked through the cobbled streets until we got to the Charles Bridge, where you get the most lovely views of the city. Really, every view of the city is lovely - but the bridges are remarkable.

It was such a great weekend - have I mentioned that Joanna is a fabulous cook? I ate and slept and saw a new bit of Europe. The Stewarts get lots of visitors, but they were absolutely happy to give up their free time to hang out with me. Sometimes when I visit a new place, I feel like-- that was great, but I don't need to come back because I've seen all the city has to offer. I do feel like I got a great overview of Prague, but actually Prague is a place that I'd love to visit again - there's so much to explore.