Faith and horrors in Haiti, Afghan women secretly marathoning and cabbage’s culinary ascension.
Three things this week and a poem about escape
Oh great, we lost an hour and the kids have no school all week! Welcome to Spring Break in Ontario as we leap ahead toward Spring. To put an exclamation mark on it we got slammed with snow. Oh how life roars.
But these early morning, pre-coffee musings are, of course actual blessings. And the heart truly goes out to people in the world, near and far, facing the unthinkable.
I'm amazed this week by the courage and faith of people in the most impossible circumstances.
I hope the links below from Haiti and Afghanistan inspire and move you.
Thank for taking time this weekend with Things I Wrote Down. Here's the list and a poem.
Faith an horrors in Haiti.
It’s so terrible to read the news coming out of Haiti and to hear that there are real concerns about genocide. Here’s a few headlines that cause the heart to sink:
'Haiti will go hungry soon' as looting sparks food shortage crisis and society 'plunges into chaos'
US pushes Haiti’s prime minister on transition as gang leader warns of ‘genocide’
US mulls deploying Marine security team to Haiti amid gang crisis
A friend who was on a call this week to pray with Haitians helping their fellow citizens on the ground as turmoil increases, spoke of their faith. Painfully, personally aware of how horrible the situation is, they prayed, “God it would be so much worse without you in the midst of it.”
What a startling, humbling reminder.
Afghan women secretly marathoning.
Over at
Substack (Unveil) we featured our friend and fellow filmmaker Kate McKenzie who embarked on a risky and wonderful adventure to run a secret race in Afghanistan. She captured The Secret Marathon as Afghan women risked their lives in an act of courage and protest so that all people can run free.Watch The Secret Marathon for free on UnveilTV.
The documentary is worth a watch and perfect viewing if you want stories of women that inspire as the world rightfully gives attention to International Women’s Day.
Cabbage’s culinary ascension.
Grandma Doka would be so proud. Molly was a maker of cabbage rolls, a delicious Hungarian staple served on the family table. A dish she passed down to my mother and one we all love.
So it would be no surprise to her that cabbage is ascendant, apparently having a big moment in the western culinary world.
As Asia and Europe eye roll, read this article from the New York Times to see if your mouth waters a little.
A poem about soaring above circumstances.
The terrible situation in Haiti and the anecdotes of faith that emerged from it reminded me of this poem, which explores the spiritual paradox that we can soar on wings even when it seems our feet are nailed to the ground.
flight
escape
I run
I fly
from fear
forward, backwards
away
the panic of darkness
made severe by a memory
of safety
the growing shadow hovers
spreads
like shed blood
absorbs presence with absence
I run for fear
no matter where
displaced by confusion
the memory of hope
from fear
the heat of it
the smell
its steel pressure
against my skin
fly, fly
closed off
in the last place
where the serum of darkness
has not spilled
lifeless
force-fed desperation
movement ceases
I faint
escape is a
word
of obscure nightmares
malaria dreams
the possibility
that emptiness might fill
might inhabit me
terrifies
sudden immobility
only the
bullet’s exit wound
I asked not for
terror
still, it has come
hard pressed
against what
remains
of the wall of
faith
backed against
its rough brickwork
no place safe
oh to revisit
the childhood
of ignorance
wind carry me
on swift wings
fly
I soar
above height
darkness recedes
like a tide
pulled against
will back to sea
I take flight in
the shadow of wings
they carry me
I fly from fear
rays of light
penetrate my skin
bathe every cell
in warmth
fill all shadow
but the one
presence returns
the total distinction
from
everything else
I run
I fly
I soar on wings