We have luggage!

Finally, I can change my clothes. This is both a blessing for myself and for the entire community of Taize.

This week has provided me with an opportunity to rest and clear my head a bit - I've also been able to spend some time exploring the almost impossibly beautiful countryside here in France. I've visited Macon, Cluny and several other small villages. Cheese and wine in abundance, along with peaceful white cows and very beatiful gardens.

Taize has been an excellent experience - I've spent a lot of time considering both the religious phenomenon as well as the community itself. I believe at this point I have more questions than answers, but I will try to explore some of these issues (and post some pics) when I'm not blogging from a tiny roadside kiosk. :D

Sunday night I should be in Tel Aviv.

Taize!

I made it to France! The weather is beautiful and I was able to spend an afternoon exploring Paris before I boarded the bus to Taize. There are young people here from around the world - I've already met folks from more countries than I can list. The worship is refreshing and I'm trying to spiritually prepare myself for the Holy Land. I've been reading a lot of James Cone and James the Just. The Taize community itself is stunningly beautiful, rolling hills and a pervasive sense of calm.

Sorry no photos yet - Air France lost all my luggage and they have "no idea" where it is - my power converter was in there so I can't charge my camera. On the bright side, my trip just got quite a bit more svelt. I miss my sleeping bag, though.

Love you guys! Miss you all terribly.

Finished!

Emily, Evan and I have finished our four (!) final examinations and are preparing to head back to Michigan. I'll fly out on Sunday afternoon for France. This was a really amazing experience - it's opened many, many new doors. I'm very much looking forward to using my new medical skills in Palestine and hopefully for the rest of my career as a minister. After everything that's happened this month I can confidently recommend NOLS as a phenomenal school with some truly inspiring instructors - Gates, Ed, Liam and Brian were all fantastic teachers and I hope more people take advantage of the programs Wilderness Medicine Institute has to offer. Lander, WY is a beautiful town with some very cool folks as well - I hope my band can swing through here at some point when we develop a tour for this part of the country.

On to France!

Finals Week

I'm entirely exhausted - we have four exams this week. Classes are just about wrapped up and my head is swimming with medical information. I feel incredibly well prepared by my instructors here at NOLS - they've taken great care to work with each EMT student individually to gear them up for the finals. First, the Wilderness exam, then the EMT-B urban course final, the Wyoming practical exam and finally the National Registry exam. I'm doing well in the course (though my pre-med sister and cousin are doing very well).

Lately I've been thinking hard on why I'm here. I've also been thinking about Bonhoeffer and "wish-dreams" - about building playgrounds in Palestine and about why, exactly, I want to be an EMT. Then I was able to read these ten crushing, heart-breaking stories about the quake in China.

Hopefully I will never again remain so comfortable here in my privilege while so many thousands suffer and wait for rescue. Luke 10:1-9

I'll be sure to get some videos up soon, along with more pictures.

Update

It's really incredible how much we've learned in such a small amount of time - Emily and Evan and I have been on emergency-care overload. I'm excited to begin working in the Lander emergency room with my sis tomorrow - we'll be in on Friday and Saturday. Next week is filled with finals - both practical and written exams - and then on Sunday I depart for Taize.
I'm incredibly excited to be completing this training - I think emergency preparedness is important for everyone but especially for those individuals who plan on doing work in developing countries. Also, it's stressful and fun and fast-paced - three things that seem to appeal to me at some basic level. I look forward to continuing my EMT education and possibly working as a volunteer medic at the clinic in Beit Sahour - we'll see what happens when I get there.
Hope all is well stateside! Wish you were here.

Pictures up!

I've added some pics - click on the slideshow on the lower right to view them all. Hopefully this google-blogger-picasa arrangement will work out well. I'll update the albums as I go. Hope all is well wherever you are, the weather is beautiful in Lander!

Lander!

And so it begins!

My sister Emily, my cousin Evan and I have all arrived in Lander, Wyoming, to begin our Wilderness Medicine Institute course here in the mountains. I'm preparing for overseas work; Emily and Evan are both medical students who are excited to learn about practical medicine in extreme environments. We're studying for WEMT certification through National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) and today was our first day. Completely awesome. We arrived to relatively hot, dry weather - now it's begun snowing and there'll probably be a foot on the ground by morning. NOLS is a wonderful organization and I'll be here until June 6. (I leave for overseas on June 8).

Prior to arriving here in Wyoming I had an opportunity to finally meet the folks from Playgrounds for Palestine at the Friends of Sabeel Conference in Philadelphia. I was only in the city for one day but it was heartening to finally meet Susan Abulhawa in person - she is every bit as courageous and inspirational as I had imagined. I was also able to attend speeches by Marc Ellis from Baylor University and Jeff Halper from the Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions. These are two more of my greatest heroes and they gave me some incredible ideas regarding the Israel/Palestine conflagration.

My last Sunday at Park Church was awe-inspiring and powerfully uplifting. I was commissioned by Rev. Petty and so many people came forward to lay prayerful, gospel hands upon me - I feel called and sent, beckoned and pushed forward by my gracious faith family. Strengthened by their prayers, I am sure that we will bring some new, precious light to this place of conflict and division.

Pictures to come soon!