Self-Compassion as a Path Home to Belonging

One of the great benefits of helping other people heal is that I get to witness the potency of compassion. A person shared with me a moment that had haunted her for decades. It was a circumstance where she not able to help a vulnerable person she loved. Since trauma is not in the event, it…

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My Near Death Experience in Africa

When I was eight years old I was abducted from the US and taken to Africa. It was 1977. I have reason to believe the man who abducted me was a Vietnam Veteran going to Rhodesia so he could fight in the Bush War for the Rhodesian government. He drugged me in order to abduct me…

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Profound Connection on second return to Zimbabwe

       This post is from 2019 second return trip People are arriving, goat meat is being cooked in a huge metal pot over a wood fire, and men are warming the drums by another fire. John goes over and greets the men and they offer that he can try out the drums. Everyone…

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Create Belonging

Giving and receiving help, including others, and honoring yourself are ways to create belonging. Creating belonging is an antidote to alienation. What are the ways we can share our unique gifts unsparingly, while calling out the gifts of others?An excerpt from my book when I first arrived to the village that took me in: “A…

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We found the location of my first village!

A second miracle has taken place. Yesterday we (John my husband, Vanessa our host, Future an area game scout and our fabulous translator, and Maemu) found the location of my first village from 40 years ago. My friend Brianna helped me find words for what took place inside me with this quote. “We need to be…

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Maemu and Robin Reunited !

This post is from 2017 on the first Return trip. From John:   One of the most amazing moments of my life happened two days ago. While on the way to our stay at a Farm on the Limpopo River, we were approaching the lands where Robin lived when was at 8 years old. We had…

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We have arrived in Zimbabwe

April 21 – We arrived in Zimbabwe yesterday. After extremely little sleep during the 3 days of travel I am glad to say we finally slept last night. We can think and speak clearly again. Logistics have gone well, all our bags arrived, and getting Visas to come into Zimbabwe all went smoothly. We planned several…

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