Nearly on our way.

So the living room looks like a whirlwind of brightly colored fabrics, pens, paper, sparkles, glue, oh and of course every kind of electronic gadget you can imagine- camera, phone, tiny flip video camera, larger video camera, i-pod, speakers, digital voice recorder... you name it! Apparently we are set to capture images, sounds, and the voices, sounds, and hopefully the depth of humanity that awaits us on this journey. We are about to set forth on the biggest adventure together- To the Congo.


In amidst all the packing - where is that first aid kit....and what about that memory stick! I am busy creating the training program that I will give - yes that is what all the art supplies are for and Silvia meanwhile is of course still finishing up her work! Bo (the lovely intelligent Boston) has just been walked and is clearly wondering what the fuss is all about.


Silvia has just read to me the update from the Congo about 10 people getting killed in a town in southern Kivu called Uvira. It is not where we are headed- but it reminds me of the inherent instability of this besieged country. Just to let all know - we are going to be well taken care of - we are being hosted by both Heal Africa in Goma and Search for Common Ground in Bukavu. The rest of the time when we traveling between these places we will be helped out by trusted taxi drivers and translators. I must admit that I feel a touch of the wavering inside- and then I feel into the deepest sense I have for why I have been moved to make this journey:


I have called this Solidarity of the Heart.


Whatever else I may offer be it training in trauma recovery, groups for women survivors, whatever else - I am sure of one thing- that I am being called to take the stand against violence and to be another voice of solidarity who will go to gather the stories, the women’s faces and their heart beat and share it with all of you...that's why I am going- because my deeper self asks it of me....


The other day this is what I found myself writing:


A Vision Bright Beautiful Women Standing Strong hearts wide open and feet planted into the ground. Together our hands rise with one another as we feel the collective knowing of every woman in every place at every point in history joining together in this moment and with this collective life force extending over the entire planet the web of love and inspiration that can open the flowers of all our hearts in one collective sigh of relief for the end of violence against women, against children and against men, against the animals and our beloved planet….


In the midst of the terrible degradation of women- I am moved to hold this vision close to my heart. I ask that anyone of you who read this will also hold all women in all places dear to your heart.


Stay tuned for the updates.....