Sounds like life is divided. I have two little 18 year old overachievers on the task right now. How do we make sure a clinic has clean water. They’re so damn smart. they’ll tell me.
They are already figuring out how to get the other private schools in line. You may hear from them soon.
But, i think that I recall bits of your feeling. 5 months without relief in an oncology unit trivialized eveyone else’s silly concerns. It took a long time to leave that. Conversations between other moms from the unit kept me sane for awhile.
Writing about politics is important. It’a speculative at best, but the question of where might the values I now espouse receive more than lip service. The second thing – what is my job in all this.? Where does God want me. Where does God want you, David Kuo. I suspect God wants you to ponder these things in your heart right now. Write a book about your journey for your children – they will be hearing those stories again and again – give them images to go with it. Tell the story to every political figure you know – leave them uncomfortable. Was it Dorothy Day’s comment that we who take the needs of the poor seriously, but confort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable. Watch the biopic movie about her – always helps me for some reason. I ask for the help of Romero (don’t think he’ll eve make official sainthood, , but a saint he is. I have a few unofficial saints – Joseph Cardinal Bernardin – who took forgiving to the art it should be. Find his work about “the Seamless Garment of life” always helpful. Thomas Merton has something to teach me as does Mother Theresa. So glad all these other great souls have gone before us and can continue to teach us.
Damn, somebody’s been shot on the corner here t 1:30. The helicopter is hovering over the house, I can hear the sirens converging. – I can pray for immense empathy for those who suffer in places of war. The ambulance is what woke me or i would be out there – have done it before.
There are lines that come to me in the middle of the night – either it is all sacred or none of it is – seems to work. What you experience is about the sacredness of all life, what we discuss (however imperfectly) is about the sacredness of God and the lives that surround us. Even politics – should be treated as if it has sacred aspects of which we must be aware.
Well, there’s a middle of the night response, David. God bless us all.
Work is hard right now – long long days, many many projects, finishing the graduate class, and then, yesterday, my friend, Sister Harriet died. The rest seems trivial today. Had to watch a bunch of movies yesterday as I prepare for a major speech of my own. Realized the power of image to create our reality. to recreate our sacred images, to tell our stories again – to somehow talk about Jesus without mentioning his name.

David,
What you experienced in Uganda will take some time to process, if my relief worker friends are any gauge of things. In the mean time, use the time and silence for reflection.
I heard you on Talk of The Nation the other day and it’s obvious that your still engaged with ideas (it was nice to finally hear your voice, by the way).
Maybe you could use this time of quiet as a sort of Lenten discipline (oh, sorry, my Anglican-ness is showing there)
You’re in my prayers.

We political junkies need an occasional reminder that our salvation won’t come from Pennsylvania Avenue. How hard it must be to live through such a reminder as a man who writes about politics for a living!
Peace.

David,
We’re all called to lead different lives, and if you have a family and responsibilities here then obviously you can’t pack up, fly to Africa, and help solve those problems face to face. Others are called to go that route. God maybe would rather have you here, to help people on this side of the ocean.
But if you want to help over there also.. then I’m reminded of Catholic contemplative orders. They pray. That’s their work. And while they happen do it “full-time” so to speak, the rest of us can pray like that, too, albeit without being cloistered and wearing a robe.
Just a thought..

Maybe you can write about why writing about politics feels like commenting on the nearest playground fight. That’s something I think a lot of Americans can stand to hear right now.

Do you have a spiritual director you can process this with?

I know what you mean about the comments on politics seeming silly right now. Still, it’s what is going on, and your insights usually give me some meter-stick to gage the spiritual depth of what’s going on in the world of politics.
My question to you is this: When you see the atrocities and hopefulness that is ripe in Africa, and then you literally contrast that with the bickering and one-upsmanship that you find in Washington, how do you respond? Do you find meaning in how Christ responded to the Pharisees who chided him on healing on the Sabbath or his disciples not washing their hands–instead of seeing the real needs out there?
I guess that’s what I am projecting onto you based on some of my own experiences in the past. Still, I would be interested to hear some insights from you on the stark contrasts that you’ve seen on the two continents you’ve spent time in throughout the past 6 weeks.

I remember returning to the US after two years in Honduras — with trips to Guatemala and Ecuador — in 1984. I was overwhelmed and experienced reverse culture shock, which is often harder than going to another culture. Many things I considered trivial didn’t matter much at the time, except for the larger issues of the Contra War and the increasing materialism in this country — from which we have continued unabated since the early 1980s. I don’t know how one cannot be changed by experiences such as those. (I have since traveled to Guatemala and Ethiopia in the last three years, both week-long trips). I am glad for your perspective, David.

Dave, Dave, take heart, my brother! Canst not thou pontificate on what our Lord hath been teaching you by virtue of your participation in that 30 Day Non-Stop Sex Thingie you were talking about a while back?
Tis now Day 18 and, speaking for myself, my legs are rubbery given the excessive demands my beloved hath made on me in this regard.

Hang in there, canucklehead. Many of us are living vicariously through you!

it’s taxing work but somebody has to do it!