Posts for End of July 2010

Frid 30 July

I AM AT THE LAST STAGES NOW - JUST HAVE THIS FEE TO PAY . I applied to grad school in South Africa at WITS University! Prasie the Lord, after so many obstacles, bureaucracy has not triumphed over my resolve to apply.

Sat 31 July

Chisha’s Birthday! I need to call her, I almost forgot. But this is what is great about a blog, it allows you to reflect on the day and not just on the events, on the actual date itself which in itself reminds of things. Chisha is one my best friends, we met here in grade 1 (first grade). She was so slender like a deer – and just as elegant – then. Very intelligent and still is. I wish her all the best of health and happiness!

I just spoke to Chisha. She is at the beach in Walvis Bay by the waves “Can’t you hear the waves” she asked as I spoke to her over the phone, imagining her by the shore with Chister, he boyfriend by her side. They went skydiving this morning! That was her surprise birthday present. Imaginate, si sono lanciati da un aereo a migliaia di metri sopra la terra e per trenta secondi, second lei, cadi liberamente e poi ti appre la paracaduta e atteraggi al corso di cinque minuti piano piano.

I just realized that I have a life. I have always had one, even when I was at Princeton. Even when I wrote my thesis in that week of weeks – the last week of April 2010, I still had dinner, still had conversations, even though I felt quite stressed. This weekend has been great so far. The Sabbath was peaceful yesterday evening this afternoon. Though I keep the Sabbath, I am not a convert to Judaism and its beliefs – just now I was having a pork Goulash and it was delicious. I am Christian. But since I have a number of Jewish friends, at Princeton I learnt to go to the CJL and spend time with them. I could not keep the Sabbath when I was a student, really my life was just overloaded and not conducive to doing it. Now I can.

Pakistan is experiencing the worst floods in collective memory. I should do something – so I am going to donate to the Red Cross. I was having a lovely dinner with Claudia, an Italian lady who lives in Finland who is the legal guardian of Marta, a four year old Namibian girl who was orphaned. People are scrambling, trying to flee the flooded areas and seeking their loved ones. I was at ease knowing my brother is safe in our house and that we live a semi arid land where floods are unheard off. People are at risk of water borne disease. I take my health for granted often. Is there anything wrong with this picture?

Lord help me to be your light.

During dinner we spoke of a Giovanni. “Giovanni Giobbe” ho ditto io, “È Sicilliano” “Come lo sapevi?” le ho chiesto stupidito dal fatto che riconosce le origini del unico Giovanni nella mia vita – quello “del collegio” colla barba e i baffi – il bello tipo che ear il compagno di stanza “il roomo” di Dro di cui ero inamorato per i primi tre mesi della mia esperianza indemnticabile “al collegio” in Italia. Mi piace poter pensare alla gente, che posso vissualizzarli – i miei amici – anche se sono lontano fisicamente e poi che posso pregare per loro. Le preghiere contanono, si contano e aiutano.

Grazi a te o Signore.

I also had a chance to go to Church youth group today! I danced in the grass.

Soy ballongo y cuando empiezo no paro de ballar. En el jardín de nuestra iglesia hay un árbol alrededor del que hay es verde y estuve balando mientras que los “hermanos” – aquellos hombres que desean ser curas – cantaban y tocaban las tamborines

Me puse alegre siempre cuando la gente toca o canta y quiero moverme

¡La vida es carnaval y las penas se van cantando!

Jesus, Jesus, Jesus,

Life is great, without you it would be meaningless,

Please help always to invite to dinner when I say grace, as I did tonight and let me mean it!

Apparently, the Virgin Mary at Fatima said that we must pray for souls to be saved. In her words, this means praying “Oh My Jesus, save us from the fires of hell, bring all souls to heaven, especially those in most need of your mercy.”

I am not sure whether this entails conversion or just plain salvation, no matter what the person does. I think it means both.

In any case, I think the essence of this prayer is that people are really in trouble, on this earth, suffering, because of the human condition. To bring them to heaven, to save them, is of course to redeem them from the human condition – what some refer to as evil or the devil. I pray this is what we can do, because whether or not you care about the afterlife, people in this life are suffering and need us!