Okay, so I know that this may seem goofy to some of you.  (Perhaps those who have gone to college will have an idea, and I am sure it is only a portion of what the folks who have been in the military service have felt.)  But I finally was able to take time (and I was savoring it), to open one of the boxes that Gordon insisted, and Gordon and Linda paid a small fortune to ship here, because it just wouldn't fit in the three suitcases I was allowed (and that Linda spent HOURS carefully packing for me to fit in as much as possible, get the weight JUST right - nothing broke and nothing was even wrinkled!!).  THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU LINDA AND GORDON!!

The boxes were shipped on January 27, arrived in Windhoek, Namibia sometime around April 20- they had to go through South Africa and there was a postal strike on!)  And although all five boxes were a treasure (the sixth box went back to  CA for some reason and arrived there around May 20!)  The very first box was so wonderful it literally mad me cry. 

 Here is a representation of what means a little bit of home- My God is Still Speaking travel coffee mug- can't go anywhere without it and it reminds me of the many cups of coffee I have shared with my mom and sister.  My UCC New Century Hymnal that will give many possibilities for new music for the church here, my clothespins so that I can finally do a
REAL washing and hang things OUTSIDE instead of having a dripping bathroom, magnesium that I need for my back (and which it took months to find here), a roll of VERY soft toilet paper (I have found some here!), and my softball mitt and ball to play and to remind me of my Dad especially, as well as my brothers and one of the twenty or so of my precious books I included!!  I brought all the Marcus Borg and Gregory Riley I had plus a bunch of other progressive and wonderful scholars as well as prayerful peacemakers.  I am happy to have them to keep me company, spur me on to ministry in the Way of Jesus the LOVING, JUSTICE seeking and PEACE bringing, and to share them with the congregations and ministers here.

Here is the start to unpacking the box with lot of other things on the bed- including card games!  And there are still four boxes to go. (You can see the box on the right was re-packaged by the postal service for some reason!) Thank you Linda and Gordon!!