May, 2011: Learning Experiences

Early this month the 15 students in this photo traveled with me to the state capital in Salem, Oregon. The trip helps make real what we were learning in our State and Local Government course. This learning experience included scheduled interviews with legislative leaders, the Attorney General (chief prosecutor of the state) and the Secretary of State (who may well become a future Governor). This was the eleventh such excursion I have taken students on over my now 24 years of teaching at Portland Community College. Experience tells me that this day will be remembered long after other memories from this course grow dim. That is because it is empowering. What fear or awe they may have had of politicians is dispelled and they come to see that every person can make a difference with their opinions if such are acted upon.

These groups also often develop friendships lasting into the future. That is no small accomplishment when considering the diversity often displayed among them. This group of 15, for example, include people ages 18 to 48; folks who are gay, lesbian, transgendered, and heterosexual; identifying themselves as Republican, Democrat, Green, and non-affiliated; two who have been homeless for much of the past two years and two others who have experienced jail time for past transgressions; highly skilled students and others struggling to develop skills. What now they have in common is respect for one another and a willingness to help each other learn from one another. They now know that the real learning experience involved not going anywhere, but simply developing relationships amongst themselves!

Just a year ago my wife and I were leaving India and beginning our travels in Italy. We find that much is remembered but nothing so fondly as relationships that blossomed into friendships. As Kris and I celebrated our 28th Wedding Anniversary this month, for example, we are now also reminded that our family friends Stand and Shanty celebrate theirs also just two weeks later! Time for a phone call half a world away in India! Though the connection did not allow for clear conversation, that was of little importance. The thought really is what counts most. I remember my students at St. Thomas College with the help of a fine group photo and the occasional emails which also find their way to me from the busy lives they lead. Yes, we all go on with our lives, but the relationships which serve to ground each of us are rooted in the shared learning experiences of the past. When my friend Ken Isserlis and his wife Nancy shared a meal with us two weeks ago, the fact that we had not seen each other for five years simply gave us more to catch up on in our sharing!

To the extent I am able, much of my life energy is devoted to providing learning experiences for others – which I now more consciously hope will draw the human family together. Beyond the classroom this month, for example, I made formal public presentations regarding Drug Cartel Violence in Mexico, Poverty in India, Corporate Globalization & Water, The Killing of Osama Bin Laden, and The Relevance of Nonviolence (which was aired on cable television). I was also involved in sponsoring events which focused on the May arrest (and, thankfully, release) of Mazin Qumsiyeh by Israeli soldiers in Palestine, a Memorial Day Tribute to the life of Dorothy Ackerman (a Korean War Veteran who is Native American), a fundraiser for Tsunami Relief for the still suffering people of Japan, and two public showings of the film ``3 Idiots`` intended to reduce student stress with the coming of Final exams next week.

The three biggest life events impacting us this month include Kris finally receiving a new prosthetic leg to replace the one that was ten years old and literally destroyed during our travels last year. We are hopeful that an initially painful adjustment to the new leg will soon yield to her having improved physical mobility. A second event involves my employer`s surprisingly speedy response to a Political Science Program Review which forcefully requested the need to have an additional full-time faculty position to better serve our students. Within days the request was granted and I was told that, for the first time I could teach full time on one campus of Portland Community College (rather than two campuses) and be replaced by a new full-time person on another (effective in September). A third event revolved around a seminar I arranged for those joined with me in developing a foundation for dramatically expanded International Exchange Programs for students and faculty at my institution in the future. Great progress was made which increases my hope that U.S. students may be able to exchange places with Indian students at St. Thomas College within two years (and that other such exchange programs will follow in tandem with this).

Learning Experiences already abound in our lives but can certainly be nurtured to expand to touch more and more others. As relationships grow locally and expand globally, the Gandhian vision I hold dear of one world empowered to heal itself may become a greater reality. The chill of the Cold War has passed and the chilling effects of the War on Terror are being resisted. Many hearts are being warmed by the heroic examples of people demanding greater democracy and human rights throughout North Africa, the Middle East, and elsewhere. Their demands for empowerment and justice should be made ours also. Even as climate change is having many adverse impacts (a springtime here later than ever, tornados in the U.S. Midwest more dangerous than in decades), even our common climate can be positively impacted by cultural change becoming manifest this month. The painful experiences associated with the nuclear power meltdown in Japan, for example, together with a very active Green Movement, has prompted even the Conservative government ruling Germany to declare both a complete phasing out of nuclear power production by 2022 as well as a plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 25% over the same time period!

Who knows but that one or more of the students featured in the photograph above may make a decisive difference in helping this world better realize its peaceful potentials? Long after our soul leaves the body we have been given and our individual names are lost to history, those we touch and they touch will continue to be empowered if the learning experiences we promote are continued. Whether or not the reader shares my faith in a spiritual life after death, surely the rippling effects of relationships can be seen. Jesus, Buddha, Gandhi, Mohammad, St. Francis and many others live on as they are embodied in our imperfect lives. A new spring will come to life on earth and ought we not be willing to nonviolently sacrifice in our lives to bring the warmth of kindness to others? Peace be with us All.

April 2011: Reunions and Relationships

This month`s theme is best reflected in this photo featuring a remarkable person who urged me in college to consider teaching as a profession. Dr. George Ball and I were able to spend an hour together during a reunion weekend celebrating the 40th year of my graduation from Whitman College. No one else visited him that weekend, though he is far from forgotten. It is he that is forgetful, remembering few people (including myself) and many people find that disturbing. He now reminds us of our own mortality.

At age 96, Dr. Ball has been retired for 11 years yet still retains an office on the Whitman campus in Walla Walla, Washington state. A Methodist minister with a Yale University Doctor of Divinity Degree, Dr. Ball came to Whitman in 1961 from Hamlin University where he had served as a Chaplain with a passion for teaching Religion. He has been a role model for both critical thinking and compassionate living for thousands of students over the years. Even now, as he is consciously aware that his memory is fading, he approaches death with a grace that is truly inspiring. ``I remember very little`` he observed at least four times during our visit. ``But it is alright.`` ``I have lived a wonderful life. I have no regrets.`` No regrets? ``We only can do the best we are able at the time. Learn from the pain we may cause others as well as ourselves, and continue to do our best.`` Though his mind may be fading, his heart shines as bright as ever before. Even in the twilight of his life he inspires me to be a better person.

We will all die as our bodies break down and expire. Our fear of that too often limits how lovingly we can live. Dr. Ball both fears no death and lives life as fully as he is able. He teaches us still.

Over 70 of my classmates from 1971 attended the Whitman reunion. Most I did not recognize but for the name tags we wore. Most were successful businesspeople, professionals, or scholars from major universities. With no assistance from me, they collected $200,000 as a class gift to Whitman College. The classmate regarded by most as having attained the highest status had to cancel his attendance, having been summoned out of retirement by Barach Obama to Washington D.C. where he is to be appointed U.S. Ambassador to Afganistan. Ryan Crocker, Ambassador to Iraq under G.W. Bush and friend to General David Patreaus (commander of U.S. forces and soon-to-be Director of the CIA), was to have addressed the reunion. Perhaps there will be a future time when we may share. It may be that his critical thinking still lives in the silence required by his service. For my part, I choose to serve my country through a willingness to be much more openly critical of its policies.

When it comes to seeking advice in matters regarding human relationships and how the United States may best interact with the rest of the world, I would choose Dr. Ball over Barach Obama any day, any place, any time.

Another reunion of sorts this month was with those in the Portland metro area with whom I shall a common commitment to War Tax Resistance. I had not seen most of these folks since my return from all of the Fulbright experiences of last year. We met to first organize, then carry out, a protest and educational event for Tax Day (typically April 15th though the 18th this year). In the morning, I joined in by holding signs on a busy downtown Portland bridge that spans the Willamette River. In the evening, I played moderator for an event involving speakers and the showing of the film ``Death not Taxes``. The point of the film was that while death is certain for us all, voluntarily paying taxes for War is not. We can refuse, as I have done using one strategy or another since 1969. In my comments I encouraged everyone to set aside whatever fears we have of personal loss or what others may say – and just do our best to ``sleep well at night``. I know that if my own actions (or lack of action) is too much at odds with my basic values, I do not sleep well. My conscience affects me. Odd as it may seem, war tax resistance for me has nearly no courage associated with it. It is ultimately and quite primarily about sleep!

Relgious activities this month also contributed to sleep. By this I mean more than the occasional nap that sometimes occurs when a sermon goes too long and lacks inspiring content. Conscience was served as our family volunteered again at the homeless shelter hosted at Ascension Church every 7 weeks. Relationships there, both with those being served and other volunteers, strengthen the fabric of life. Easter services, of course, reinforce the messages that we should love others as we love ourselves. That Jesus died for the sins of those who killed him in his time (the Roman Empire and those collaborating with the empire) I have no doubt. That his last words included his willingness to forgive even those who were killing him, continues to inspire others (including Mohandas Gandhi who blessed his assassin by saying ``He Ram! He Ram!`` Forgiveness truly is divine, as it can heal wounds found deep within ourselves.

Becoming more healed ourselves does not mean that we forget our own past or present pain. In fact, our pain can provide a foundation for us to better appreciate and feel the pain of others. Those who are still homeless, for example, here in Portland, in the wake of the March Tsunami in Japan, from the flooding in Pakistan last August, and the earthquake in Haiti (while we were in India over a year ago) – these homeless ARE related us. We can relate to those that are suffering the abuse of regimes that continue to repress the fundamental rights of people in places like Libya, Syria, Yemen, and Bahrain. We not only relate to those who are homeless or suffering abuse -- but we be with them in the sense that we are all members of one human family. We can be with them in both spirit and in supportive actions that limitations in our time and resources may allow.

In many ways, the Sonnleitner family clearly is joined with the Thomas family in India among many others. On Easter my wife and I recalled our sharing with the Stany Thomas and his family in Kerala. It was as if the explosives of early Easter morning were exploding again, followed by the loudspeaker music, a packed worship service that everyone but the priest believed went too long, and the memorable procession featured in the photo from last year at that time. The remembering of the hospitality they shared with us then is made even more sweet as we look forward to Stany and Shanty Thomas coming to see us beginning next August. Yes. Final approval has been announced of Stany Thomas being granted a Fulbright Award to be at Portland Community College (where I teach) during the Fall of 2011. Already we are planning some of the wonderful experiences we may share with them the. The reunion of our families will be cause for celebration.

Communications with others this month have also boosted our spirits. My sister Dina Patel in India continues her work republishing the Collected Works of Mahatma Gandhi. Alvaro Tacchini`s family in Italy is morning the departure of his mother in law and father in law from this life. Our friend Kathy Kelly has safely returned from leading a delegation of peace activists to Afganistan for three weeks – and was almost immediately arrested upon her return to the U.S. for protesting against the use of predatory drone technology in Pakistan. Mohamed in Egypt is back to work as a night watchman at an hotel in Aswan, wondering what the future may hold for the ongoing changes in his country. Mazin Qumsiyeh in Bethlehem continues to provide insights into the unfolding of events in the occupied West Bank, as well as regarding an apparent reuniting of Fatah and Hamas with a common call for change in Israeli policies which create barriers to peace.

In Portland, this month also saw other peace activities in here Portland, Oregon. Among these was the resurrection of a regional Peace and Conflict Studies (PSCS) Consortium, in a Symposium which I helped organize at Portland Community College. Although only a dozen people representing only three institutions attended, groundwork was laid for a better turnout (from at least 10 educational institutions) next November. Kristine and I were also among a large crowd who heard Jody Williams speak about the activities for which she was awarded a Nobel Peace Prize in 1997. Co-founder of a Campaign to Ban Land Mines, Jody began crafting a treaty and organizing on the internet which mobilized support for an agreement to ban the 1) production, 2) sale, and 3) deployment of land mines anywhere in the world. Efforts begun by her in an apartment while she was unemployed have now resulted in a treaty ratified by over 140 countries – not yet including the United States. Neither G.W. Bush nor Barach Obama have been willing to set aside military justifications for the continued use of land mines, even though future generations of civilians (and especially playing children) continue to be killed and maimed by these weapons long after conflicts have ended.

Looking to lifelong teachers like Dr. George Ball provides insights into building a better world. It is not just what they say, it is how they live. It is about critical thinking, yes – but even more about surrendering to a compassionate heart. It is all about how we manifest our values while relating to others, including those who may be overwhelmed by great hardships that prompt them to angrily act out causing great harm to others.

Jesus knew this as he observed how ``Even as you do unto the least of these my brethren, you do unto me``. Buddha was equally astute when he said ``Hate cannot destroy hate, only love can destroy hate``. Among others in my life, Dr. Ball has modeled these truths. When Barach Obama authorized and oversaw the premeditated killing of Osama Ben Laden on May 1st, these truths were trumped by feelings of revenge and political expediency. May God have mercy upon all who kill others, even if they act with the best of intentions.

February 2011: The Whether of our Lives

Pictured here is Vandana Shiva, ecofeminist author and activist, sharing with a large audience last week at Portland Community College (PCC). It is rare that we have a speaker who challenges us to reflect on the whether of our lives: choices confronting humanity (and each of us) at this time in our evolution. She does so by her words and also by her personal example.

Whether or not she would be able to share with my students and others at PCC would be at the whim of the weather! Several days before a severe winter storm was forecast to include up to 4 inches of snow (10 centimeters) with temperatures down to 19 degrees Fahrenheit (-3 C.). The day she spoke the temperatures were down and snow had fallen – and most schools were closed. PCC opened two hours late at 10am (precisely the time she was scheduled to begin)! A second talk later in the day was set for 3-4pm (and yes, more snow closed down facilities by 4pm)! It seems that providence does provide us with learning opportunities. Whether or not we take advantage of them will always remain our choice.

Vandana Shiva`s message can be summarized as follows: Globalization today is a new form of colonialism in which multinational corporations (like Monsanto) seek to control our lives through redefining the Commons as private property from which profits should be enjoyed by the few even at the expense of the many. The Commons includes forests, plants, animals, and water that is produced by nature and now is being patented for production in the name of progress. Without our consent we become test subjects in experiments ranging from genetically modified foods to consumers (of fossil fuels, cosmetics, faster cars, and all manner of unnecessary things) which adversely impact everything from traditional weather patterns, to the increasing gap between rich and poor, to our personal health.

Due to conversations we had had prior to her speaking (as I was moderator for the morning event), Vandana Shiva thoughtfully linked her message to the teachings of Gandhi. Just as Gandhi, in his time, had proposed the spinning wheel in response to global textile production that was disempowering the rural poor of India, now she seeks to develop seed banks in response to the corporate patenting of life which seeks to disempower us all today even as it threatens the precious biodiversity of the planet. It is in this context that she renews Gandhi`s call for Swaraj (self-rule) and Swadeshi (local self-sufficiency) by means of Satyagraha (holding firm to the truth as we see it) and Sarvodaya (constructive programs with the good of all in mind).

As I listened to her, I was reminded of similar talks I was giving throughout the six months of my Fulbright grant in India last year. I was also reminded of how easy it has been to fall back into the comfortable lifestyle patterns my family and I had prior to that experience. Of course there are always degrees of hypocrisy. No one, even Gandhi, has ever remained perfectly in tune with their values. That said, whether or not we seek to reduce the gap between what we believe and how we live (and so reduce the degree of our hypocracies) is left to each of us to decide. Certainly it is easier to point out the shortcomings of others, as well as of entire societies – but our criticisms carry little weight if we exclude ourselves from them. I thank Vandana Shiva for sparking in me a renewed desire to commit to more radical lifestyle changes. Through my communications here, perhaps others may consider whether to make new choices for themselves…

The fires of change continue to burn off past fears throughout much of the Arab world, with the winds of freedom having blown out the autocratic rule of Mubarak in Egypt on February 11th. Now people are demanding change in Libya, Yemen, Bahrain, and elsewhere – with the cost in lives seeming to increase with each falling dictatorship. How far the dominos will fall, we shall see. The current wave of freedom (self-rule, swaraj) may soon seem to recede, but it does wear away at the rocks in our lives in ways that are hard to foresee. Let us proceed forth in the faith that no effort is wasted, no sacrifice is without worth. If we can be true to ourselves as individuals and hold firm to the truth that is ours, over time, others will be impacted and progress will be made towards realizing what Gandhi described as Ram Rajya (the Kingdom of God). Small steps in our lives can cascade into positive global consequences!

On the Sonnleitner home front, changes have also been happening. In a definitely significant first step towards greater self-rule, our youngest daughter Mira has settled into her first living situation free of her parents! Our son Shaman has overcome significant obstacles to personal empowerment by completing his high school diploma! Our nephew, Stephan, departs after over a year of living with us tomorrow when he catches an airplane to Thailand where he will begin several months of solo travel abroad! Our (foster/adopted) daughter Margarita is learning how to cook many traditional Mexican dishes for the first time and even treated us all to a fine meal last night (with an added bonus to me when her one-year old daughter Hanilyn allowed me to pick her up and hold her for the first time)! Last, but not least, the Maldonado Family (close friends to Kristine and I) are all set for improved financial independence as they embark on putting their Mexican cooking skills to work in their own mobile restaurant!

The whether of our lives is clearly affected by weather, socio-political, economic, and other realities that often seem to dictate our choices. Gandhi once said that we may only have as much free will as the deck passenger on an ocean liner. Still, that free will can be used to liberate ourselves and greater empowerment may be achieved. Vandana Shiva`s seed banks help. Overcoming our fears of what others tell us is acceptable can help a lot. Whether our freedom is constrained by the dictators, multinational corporations, social customs that limit our expressions of compassion, or personal fears that may be our most severe barriers – change is possible. We can move about the ocean liner, and even have some say as to the direction it takes. Through the pain that may be inevitable in our lives, at least, let us thoroughly enjoy the opportunities we have to share with one another.

2011 January: Nonviolent Revolutions

The featured photo this month was taken in the Multicultural Center on the Portland Community College Rock Creek Campus where I have taught courses two days each week for 23 years. Inspired by Martin Luther King Jr. (see the mural) and others, these students and I are now coordinating a weekly free speech event series entitled OPEN MIND OPEN MIC (OMOM). In the month just past our events have featured students sharing their experiences relating to how Drug Wars in Mexico have affected their families there, student clubs advertising opportunities for social and educational programming, a birthday celebration of the life of Martin Luther King Jr.. This photo was made just yesterday following an OMOM event focused upon people`s movements now sweeping through the Arab world.

The Jasmine Revolution in Tunisia overthrew an autocratic government which had brutally maintained itself in power there for 23 years. 29 days of surprisingly nonviolent protests, following the self-immolation of a young unemployed man (Mohammad Bouazizi) in December, culminated in a collapse of a government famous for press and internet censorship as well as platitudes of concern for the poor which had resulted in little more than arrests without trial for those who complained. That such a small country of 10 million might inspire others with similar complaints is not very surprising. Now people in Egypt have taken to the streets in earnest, with stirrings of hope also becoming manifest in Algeria, Yemen, Jordan, and even Saudi Arabia. Hope for justice. Hope that empowered people on a mass scale may have better insights into their needs and how to fulfill them than autocratic and paternalistic elites who claim to act on their behalf but are out of touch with their realities.

Gandhi, there should be no doubt, would be pleased. Spontaneous uprisings cannot be expected to exhibit the highly disciplined nonviolence he would most prefer. Yet it is better to act imperfectly than to live in fearful inactivity. The self-esteem central to self-realization (a religious goal) and self-actualization (its secular counterpart) require action. As I commemorated the anniversary of Gandhi`s assassination on January 30th, it warmed my heart to see his spirit resurrected on the streets of Cairo and those who occupied Tahrir Square in spite of the brutality of security forced that had vowed to prevent them from so acting. Since demonstrations in Eqypt began on January 25th, my thoughts have been daily devoted to those who touched our lives as we traveled throughout that country for three weeks last July. At that time, I could sense the atmosphere of severe dissatisfaction as not one person we met had much good to say about the government. Yet fear ruled. When fear is overcome (as is now being revealed) change is inevitable. When true independence and a functional democracy is achieved success is only a matter of time if the activists hold firm. As Gandhi said with regards to the end of British rule in India, it will fall like a ripe fruit.

Gandhi understood that nonviolent revolution has its beginning in our own attitudes. No one can rule us if we rule ourselves. Ultimately the objective is not to simply replace one set of rulers with another – but to rule ourselves (individually and in our communities). This is the Swaraj (self rule) which may bring us glimpses of the Kingdom of God (inspired by the core teachings of each of the world`s religious traditions). For common people like you and I these teachings (seeking Truth, through Nonviolence, with a willingness to Voluntarily Suffer) may be very imperfectly manifest. Still, fulfillment is in the effort. Even what seems like failure in the short term builds toward future success. Sadly, it took years of struggle to affirm the right of those living in the south of Sudan to win decisive victory at the ballot box (opting to create an independent state with over 98% support) this month. Whatever success there may be, it is really not for us to give ourselves credit for what little may be achieved at any point in time. The pride born of egotism is one root of oppressive behaviors! So it is that my greatest praise go to those who risk their lives to build a better world by proclaiming as they do so that GOD IS GREAT (Allah Akbar)!

In our Sonnleitner household, a mostly nonviolent revolution also continues (though it will almost certainly not make international news)! Our youngest daughter (Mira) has moved into an apartment of her own for the first time, with her good friend Naomi (both of whom traveled with my wife and I in India, Italy, and Eqypt last year). Our daughter Sonrisa is progressing well in her university studies, even as our son Shaman is nearly finished with high school requirements and seems more open than ever before to exploring his spirituality. Our daughter Margarita and her family blessed our home with a gathering of about 25 of her (mostly Mexican) friends and in-laws with a party featuring wonderful live music and way too much to eat! Kristine and I gave a talk at Ascension Catholic Church regarding some people who inspired us during our travels last year which raised a little money for some good causes and resulted in an article being written in the conservative Catholic Sentinel newspaper. That the University of Oregon lost a good football game to Auburn (emerging as runner-up to the national championship) was entertaining but of little consequence. Sports definitely can help build both self-esteem and bridges among communities – but it really is not about who wins or loses in the short term, but how we play the game in the present.

Events this month in Tunisia, Sudan, Egypt, and elsewhere highlight the power of nonviolence to build communities of support that may inspire others to more peaceful revolutions. Reflecting back upon the War Resister`s International Conference my wife, son, and I attended in Ahmadabad (India) at this time last year, this months`events were certainly not forecast! Nonviolent activists from all over the world met in the land of Gandhi to give hope to one another, share experiences, and improve their organizational skills. Such people are like farmers for change whose individual and collective efforts reap good crops in unpredictable ways. Those few people at the WRI Conference from Africa may have included only a few from Sudan and Egypt – but those few now find themselves among many calling for greater democracy and respect for human rights.

For those of us currently in safe environments, with adequate food and shelter even when very harsh weather may hit (due to forces unleashed by climate change). It is for us to see ourselves as not separate from the greater suffering of others. It is for us to perform our duties and contribute to the better world of the future which may be largely reaped beyond our lifetimes. Let us support one another as best we can, in spirit, and with such resources as we may share. Father Tom in Tamil Nadu, know that I am thinking of you and your hospice work. My sister Dina, know that your working to republish the entire of the Collected Works of Mahatma Gandhi will have a far-reaching impact. My friend Alvaro, know that as you cope well with the loss of family members, know that those who remain will have stronger relationships than before. Zoughbi Zoughbi in occupied Bethlehem, do not doubt that your efforts to mediate conflicts will bear good fruit. Kathy Kelly, our family friend who is awaiting sentencing for protesting against the use of military drones in Pakistan and Afganistan, know that no prison can silence your message of compassion. My friend Mohamed in Egypt, God be with you as we join you in hope that a new dawn may soon dispel the violence being exposed throughout your country.

All of us are capable of transforming ourselves beyond fear to become the nonviolent revolutionaries needed in this world. May we inspire one another to grow in our willingness to sacrifice for the sake of becoming peacemakers.

2010 December: Reflecting on US

Here is our Christmas photo for 2010: the first picture of the Sonnleitner family in several years. Historic! Left to right are Shaman, Sonrisa, Mira, Kristine, Me (Michael), and Margarita (our former foster daughter, now integral to our family).

Last year at this time Shaman, Sonrisa, Kristine, and I were in India on my Fulbright Grant, preparing to celebrate the New Year in Pala (in Kerala) having just spent Christmas in Chennai (formerly Madras). The flood of these memories includes waves relating to: my first Fulbright lecture at the Madras University where an aggressive member of the audience questioned the relevance of Gandhi; visiting locations where Jesus` apostle Thomas lived and died; shopping amidst the hustle and bustle of the city`s traffic while being confronted with the poverty of many people on the street; and enjoying the simplicity of the only Christmas tree we could find – a 3 inch tall wax candle.

The contrast with this year was stark. Our Christmas tree as a 6 ft. Grand Fir costing $20 (a bargain in the US, but a weeks` wages for a laborer in Kerala). As usual Kristine did most of the shopping while I was over busy completing my Fall Term teaching responsibilities for over 100 students whose final course evaluations had to be done. The pressure of a consumer culture which really values spending over giving and appearances over inner substance hit us harder than usual, partly because our finances are tight. Just as well. Perhaps having to be frugal due to a low bank account may help our family learn to live with less stuff. The challenge to reduce our hypocrisy is greatest when the temptation to conform is most strong. Less money means less temptation, translates to living a little more in line with the spiritual values we often profess. Would Jesus or Gandhi, Buddha or Mohammad be found frantically in a shopping mall searching for last minute presents unneeded by those who would receive them?

Five months after returning to the US from our travels abroad, I have still not returned to a shopping mall. This has less to do with virtue than with the fact that I have trouble enough living a lifestyle modest by cultural standards here. It is good to sleep at night. If my behavior is too inconsistent with my values, sleep is lost. Vegetarianism is the same for me. In my case, eating meat is not an option as sleep would be lost! If sleep is lost, I get really crabby. When crabby no one wants to be around me, including me! There are consequences to all choices we make. I like consequences which bring sound sleep, build relationships, and may fill more stomachs as well as bring laughter more into the world.

When the young Indian questioned the relevance of Gandhi a year ago, my response to him was simply to ask whether or not the Law of Karma remains relevant. It seems clear to me that we (as individuals and as a collective US) can reflect upon how it is that what is sown is reaped. Sooner or later what goes around does come around, yes? Though we may often reap what others have done in the past or how they may be behaving in the present – and so very harmful things can happen to people who might deserve better treatment – we have little control over what others do or do not do.

As Gandhi would say, we have about as much freedom as a person traveling the seas on a crowded ocean liner. Still, we can make choices for ourselves: Shall we live in a first class compartment, on the deck under the stars,or somewhere in between? Gandhi chose the deck and this allowed him to relate better to those for whom the deck was not a choice but the only place they could afford. If we really care about the one billion people living in this world on less than a dollar a day, perhaps we should more sincerely relate to them and be more generous with whatever surplus of our resources that may be shared. While global warming is, no doubt, among the greatest physical challenges facing humankind today, reflection would indicate to me that if we were to better warm our hearts to the needs of others the challenges to be faced would be collectively and effectively addressed.

Students in my classrooms at Portland Community College (PCC) last Fall were in greater pain than has been normal in years past. Many more are needing food stamps to avoid hunger, couches in friendly rooms to avoid homelessness, and flexibility in course deadlines to avoid course failure. Their pain brings more to me as I am aware of how very little I can often do to be helpful. Sometimes we as individuals (and as institutions) feel overwhelmed by this awareness and are tempted to make rigid rules (really protective walls) to protect ourselves from having to be responsible. To do nothing rather than a little, however, is not a moral option.

To give a lot is much better, even if a lot for me seems only a little for you. Jesus described this as the widow`s mite – to give more (time, money, other resources) than it would seem we can afford. When asked what to suggest to commemorate next years` 50th Anniversary of PCC, I responded by proposing a 5 year freeze on any tuition increases! Though neither our Union nor the Administration would seem warm to such an idea, a collective belt-tightening might well help us better relate to those we serve – and warm many hearts in the process….

Besides having all of our children together with Kristine and I for Christmas, my most fond memories of this December include things like getting a friendly email from a former student of mine at St. Thomas College, enjoying a box of chocolate covered cherries (reminding me of my father who left from this world nearly 6 years ago), and Merry Christmas greetings from four moslem friends (two in India, one in Eqypt, and one in Palestine) who were unknown to me at this time last year. One friend (Mazin Qumsiyeh in Palestine) was detained by Israeli military officials after he questioned the authority of soldiers who were in the process of expanding an illegal Jewish settlement in a town near Bethlehem. Through an electronic outcry (via phone and email) from many people (including myself), Mazin`s good karma had him released after only ten hours. This just goes to show that true wealth is found in relationships, not in material possessions which may be lost to governments that abuse their power, or thieves who may break in and steal.

Another small bit of good news may serve to bring you a smile. The Internal Revenue Service has (through some means not understood by me) decided to reduce our family income tax liability from nearly $3,000 (which they were preparing to seize) down to about $60. As military tax resisters who do not wish to finance the U.S Empire or the weapons used to enforce its interests, my wife and I will still refuse to pay the $60. Unexpected expenses this last Fall, however, would have our ability to pay basic bills difficult if the IRS had seized $3,000. See? Sometimes help in challenging times comes from unexpected places: even the IRS!

As surely as 2011 begins tomorrow, my classes at PCC will begin next week. Fond memories are strongly in mind as I reflect upon the many wonderful people from St. Thomas College and Mahatma Gandhi University (in India where I was teaching at this time last year), and others who brought joy to the life of those with whom we shared in 2010. Where are you all now, I wonder? How many of us will still be in this world at this time next year? Let us communicate with one another as best we can for life here can be nasty, brutish, and short (as Thomas Hobbes once wrote). As we hear from one another, and work with one another to carry on, joy can come from the realization that we really are but one big human family.

The future is in our hands, one small life at a time, one day at a time.

In any case, whether we like it or not, the adventure continues!

Happy New Year!

November 2010: of Soap and Stany

It is early morning in the basement of Ascencion Catholic Church. Having arisen from my sleeping bag, I am thinking of Hanilyn (here pictured taking some first steps at her 1st birthday party just a week ago). Hanilyn is our daughter Maggie`s first child. Too cute, yes? Time now to take my first steps of the day also!

Cool and crisp, it is time to turn on the furnace so as to greet homeless guests here with some of the warmth we all need. Once every ten weeks the church hosts up to 15 people: families who have fallen onto hard times due to things like health care costs, unemployment, or other circumstances. To satisfy city codes, someone from the church must stay overnight to handle any emergency that may arise. Last night that was me. Two snoring men, crying children, and the chirping of a smoke alarm (that needs a battery changed) contributed to an unsilent night.

With the new day, all are awaking with surprisingly good spirits. Folks are pleased that soap is available to use in the showers here and are grateful to be able to take a bar with them to the next shelter. They see me typing this and I tell them how, on this day last year, my wife and I were arriving in India. Larry, whose time in prison over 16 years ago continues to handicap his ability to find steady work, tells me that I was really lucky to go to India. Another man interrupts to say how much he liked going to Reno once. A woman observes how nice the bar of soap is compared to the sample sizes they usually make do with. Somehow that soap seems more important now than the glorious experiences of the past year.

The homeless families staying at the church enjoyed a Turkey dinner 2 nights ago, a tradition for the holiday of Thanksgiving. Kristine stayed over that night, after having worked all day preparing a similar meal for 14 who came to our home. In the U.S. Thanksgiving is a time to share a feast with friends and family while being mindful of all we have to be grateful for. Our children Sonrisa, Shaman, and Mira were all there, together our foster daughter Maggie`s family, our friends Gil & Adriana with their boys, and one of my students from Portland Community College who has no family nearby. The three pre-teen boys loudly played Fooseball in our basement and were crazy happy when Shaman distributed his old Pokeman cards among them as a gift.

It is good to take time to be thankful, whether it is for a dream trip to India or a bar of soap today. Sonrisa now has advanced Junior standing at Portland State University and has declared a Sociology major with an Environmental Studies Minor. Shaman is working part time and is hatching a plan that will include future studies at Portland Community College. Mira has full time employment and still loves making music as a skilled base guitar player. Gil is successfully recovering from gall bladder surgery and yes, his kids love their Pokeman cards almost as much as Maggie loves her new life as a mother!

What a remarkable year it has been! Exactly one year ago Kristine and I arrived in India to begin the Fulbright adventure. First a night in Mumbai, then the arrival in Kochi to be greeted by our future lifelong friend Stany. By the end of that second day, we would be in Pala and preparing to furnish our apartment and to meet my colleagues at St. Thomas College. It now seems both so recent, and yet like a former life away....

Over the next nine months, regular end-of-month entries will serve to both reflect upon the activities of a year ago as well as update people we met abroad with more current news. What follows is a sampling of news highlights from November:

This month has been full of activity, not the least of which involved many communications with Stany by email and by phone. He has been selected by USIEF (United States India Education Foundation) as a nominee for a Fulbright-Nehru award that will take him from India to teach courses at Portland Community College (PCC) for 4 months beginning in September of 2011. Originally we had hoped that he might come as early as a month from now, but the wheels of bureaucracy move almost as slowly for him as they did for me. Final notification should be communicated from Washington D.C. in early March. Perhaps it is for the best, he will be an honored guest as PCC begins its 50th Anniversary celebrations next Fall.

Much of my activities beyond the classroom in November have been devoted either to meetings or to speakings! Meetings relating to the Portland Metro Green Party, Peace and Justice Works, Just Skills Seminars at Ascension Church, PCC Peace and Conflict Studies, and the Internationalization Steering Committee at PCC, have been productive but somewhat exhausting. Speaking engagements have included four solo presentations (one on Palestine, two on India, and one relating to China & India) and chairing three panel discussions (on Teaching Peace in the 21st Century`): a total of 7 events in 10 days!

It is a challenge to balance what it asked of us and the energy we may have to fulfill basic obligations. Jesus tells us that we should give our widow`s mite (if even a small donation of time or money, but enough so as to be felt as a sacrifice). But when is enough enough? In this world, in our country, in our community -- the needs are so great and our enough is usually not so.

One step at a time, yes Hanilyn?

Week 26: Assisi

This photo shows the Hermitage Delle Carceri, where St. Francis of Assisi would go in the forests of Mt. Sabasio for silence and prayer – one wonderful place among many described in our experiences of this week.

Walking the narrow stone-paved lanes of Assisi really is like stepping into the medieval past. To all outward appearances, little has changed since the time of Francis. Of course many churches have been built since he died in 1226, but most of these also are at least 500 years old. Through various periods of papal rule, neglect, and civil strife the city (known here as a comune) has grown only slightly in population to 26,000 (only 6,000 of whom live within the crumbling walls of the old city). Strict building codes now preserve the ambiance and most roads (really pathways) are quite steep and winding (a challenge even for foot travel) and are so narrow as to allow only one-way traffic which, even then, would be hazardous to attempt in most automobiles.

Our home-base was La Rocca Hotel, an old monastery renovated inside to have all one could want (including internet access) in its small rooms. Located high up the hillside the city is built upon, on the southeast corner, the sun rises over vast rolling hills of forest interspersed with agricultural lands. Church bells welcome us in the early morning and pilgrims mixed with tourists are abundant on most streets thereafter. Each day seems to begin with clear blue skies, followed by periods of billowy white clouds and brilliant sunlight. Watching the city at sunrise from the nearby citadel of Rocca Maggiore, the panoramic view is breathtaking.

One can see the central square of Assisi (the Piazza Del Comune, dating from the 1st century BC), where Francis disrobed in full view of all and walked naked out of the city to begin the rebuilding of San Damiano Church which would be maintained by Clare, an early follower of Francis. There also are the forests whose caves provided Francis a location for silent meditation on austere fasting. As one`s eyes swing north, one can spot the Church of St. Clare which houses the famous San Damiano Cross, clothing worn by Francis, Clare and other Franciscans, as well as the body of Clare. In the distance is the Cathedral of St. Maria Degli Angeli, a massive structure constructed to encompass a small church built by Francis and the site (then in the woods) where he exhaled his last breath. To the north side of Assisi is the Basilica of St. Francis where his earthly remains are housed in a simple shrine on the lower level, with the massive upper level displaying amazing artwork commissioned by later Popes in honor of this most popular saint in the history of the Catholic Church.

Throughout Assisi, as one might imagine, there are gift shops and restaurants aplenty, all eager to make profit off the fame of Francis and his followers who cared nothing for wealth. The irony achieves deeper levels if one seeks out a public market where fresh produce might allow one to make meals without reliance upon overpriced alternatives. Only a few small grocery stores can be found (known primarily to the local residents)! Simple living in Assisi, in other words, is not very simple! During our 6 days/5 nights here, Kris and I developed a pattern of eating a carbohydrate-heavy breakfast (included in our hotel package), enjoying a simple (but overpriced) late lunch, and then having a picnic in either in our room or outside (if sunshine was warm enough) – using grocery store fare. On one evening I purchased the only head of lettuce available in the small store for use in a salad for which Kris creatively made a salad dressing from mustard and apricot preserves (saved by us from breakfast).

Easily our most enjoyable day in Assisi was made possible with help from a Whitman College classmate of mine, Alvaro Tachinni. He had been my host when last I visited this area in 1972 (shortly after our graduation in 1971). Later he came to Bloomington, Illinois in 1981, where I had been teaching at Illinois Wesleyan University. 29 years later, he now drove the 45 minutes from his home in Citta` Di Costillo to show us sites important to Franciscans located beyond the reach of city buses. As we began to catch up on the years of silence between us, Alvaro was joined by his son David (a nurse, now at age 29 in seminary to become a priest). Together they provided a tour far better than any paid guide might have.

Three sites on the Alvaro tour were most memorable. In the dense woods of Mt. Subasio we walked to the Hermitage Delle Carceri – an austere structure built upon a favorite place Francis would come to for silence and prayer. In a tiny room there is preserved much of the small cave where Francis would sleep on the stone floor. With the natural beauty of steep hillsides unable to be farmed, the sounds of birds and sight of tall holm-oak trees today is much as it was 800 years ago. It becomes easy to understand the love of Francis for forest creatures. How could one not love this place? My spirit laughed at the sight of a more modern sculpture of bronze, portraying Francis (a very short man) laying on his back looking up through trees into the sky. Had it not been an embarrassment for my wife and friends, I would have loved to lay next to the prone figure for a rest in the afternoon shade.

Alvaro next took us to San Damiano, where Jesus on the cross is said to have first spoken to Francis the words ``Rebuild my Church``. Because the building was in ruins, Francis followed the message literally – and reconstructed the building with his own hands. Here his first followers joined him in the task, here Clare sung in the small choir room (where original wooden stalls and lecterns remain) and served as administrator for 42 years until her death in 1253. In a corner of a large dormitory room upstairs which she shared with other women, Clare embraced death only after the granting of her last wish: a papal establishment of her Order of the Poor Clares. The humility of Clare and Francis could not have foreseen the impact of their lives over the centuries, inspiring many to commit themselves to lives of poverty, renouncing all violence towards either nature or its creatures, while always seeking to reduce the pain of those greatest in need. Even as Alvaro`s son once rejected the Church, he has returned to it because of the example of Francis – whose spirit continue to ``Rebuild my Church``.

As Alvaro transported us to the basilica of Santa Maria Degli Angeli, Kristine reminded me that our town of Pala (like Assisi, about 26,000 in population) was home to Alphonsa (the first Indian to ever be named a saint) – who was also a Franciscan! Perhaps she may have once traveled to this basilica, the center of the Franciscan Order worldwide. The massive structure left me saddened at its lack of simplicity until I entered and saw a most strange sight: the Porziuncola (a tiny chapel built by Francis in what was then a forest) is the centerpiece of the basilica – literally a church within the Church! The beauty of its simplicity dwarfs the larger structure around it. Off to the side about 20 feet is the location of where Francis laid down to die on what was then bare ground. His final wish was to have his body taken to a hill where those too poor to pay for a funeral could find repose (a place also where executions took place at the time). When his wish was carried out, that place ceased to be called Hell Hill and became known as Paradise Hill (and it was there that the Basilica of St. Francis was constructed…

Our time in Assisi is now at an end. Alvaro`s final gift to us was a long car drive up to the top of Mt. Subasio where Assisi could be seen in the distance. Winding our way down from 3,000 feet, through several small towns and back to Assisi we could see people hand gliding in the blue sky. It is as if, whether we consider ourselves to be religious or not, the human spirit still seeks the divine. That is the appeal of Francis: a simple man who sought the divine in a way which still inspires people around the world to do the same. Gandhi would call it self-realization. I have no doubt that Gandhi and Francis were able to see the same truth: we all are interrelated as one human family in one interdependent world. That truth, itself, inspires us to better love one another and all of life….

Week 25: Rome.

Here is a side-view photo of St. Peter`s Basilica, as seen from the lst floor of the Vatican Museum. Almost exactly a week ago we arrived in Rome from India (via Doha). Kris and I are now waiting at a bus station where soon we will be on our way for nearly a week in Assisi. We are sitting on suit cases. She is reading her devotionals. I am using a garbage can as a desk for our laptop computer.

In some ways our current sitting scene is symbolic. We have grown used to the relative simplicity (and certainly the lower costs) typical of India. In this regards Italy provides the most severe of sticker shock. During our five months living in rural Pala (India) we were spending $100/month for rent -- while in Rome a (cheap) hotel room for the four of us costs that much in one day! Here also a simple sandwich and soft drink, purchased at the Coliseum, came to 10 Euros (about $13), and we were unexpectedly charged 26 Euros ($48) to have a ``self service`` Laundromat clean and dry about 20 lbs of dirty clothes (which will certainly encourage us to return to an India-style hand washing routine)! At St. Thomas College 20 rupees (45 cents) would buy a simple lunch – while at a fancy wedding we attended 9 days ago in India the feast cost our friend Chummar (father of the groom) a whopping $5/plate (and that included all courses in unlimited supply)! Our daughter Mira and her friend Naomi part ways with Kris and I today – to begin their own trek throughout Europe, hopefully spending most nights with punk friends. If they can keep their total daily spending down to about $50/day each, they should have enough money to cover expenses until we meet up with them again in Egypt – seven weeks from now….

The contrast between India and Italy is also stark in other ways. Two weeks ago the weather in New Delhi was about 110 degrees fahrenheit -- whereas here now people are complaining about a heat wave with highs in the low 80s! The low humidity, by comparison with Kerala, is especially welcome. For us the weather is perfect! Also, as compared to the traditional culture we became accustomed to, all sorts of personal expression is visible here including people kissing and fondling in the parks, women wearing very revealing garb, and folks loudly expressing themselves in an emotional fashion. The landlady at the bed & breakfast place we have stayed at in Rome, for example, seemed regularly to yell at the cleaning woman who, from our point of view, was far too complete in the way she took care of everything (including putting away our personal belongings when we were out)! The ``Vatican`s House`` (where we stayed) was kept very clean (including the bathroom we shared with two other sets of renters). In fact, all of Rome was amazing clean and well kept as compared to most places we visited in India.

Vatican City, including St. Peter`s Basilica and the Vatican Museum, were more amazing than any pictures you may have seen. The Basilica in absolutely massive (the largest church in the world) and ornate (understatement cannot be avoided). It was only with the help of Kris that I was able to distinguish the location of St. Peter himself (just inside the front entrance, to the right): a simple marker completely overshadowed by the Pieta of Michelangelo (the sculpture of Mary holding her dead son). Kris and I both wondered how St. Peter might feel about the incredible wealth amassed by the Church and clearly spent on the opulence of this place…..The Vatican Museum (which includes access to the Sistine Chapel), had treasures beyond belief – from Egypt, Greece, the Roman heritage, as well as all manner of artwork reflecting the two thousand years of Christian tradition. The paintings of Michelangelo in the Sistine Chapel inspired awe from even our (supposedly anti-religious) daughter. The nearly one hour we spent there could have easily been prolonged to a day – if closing time had not been upon us.

For Kristine and I the most exhausting experience may well have been due to my seeking to avoid the high fares of taxis and navigate the public transportation system. It took us two buses (with much waiting and too much walking) to reach our goal for day: Castel Saint Angelo, a massive fortress not far from St. Peter`s from which panoramic views of the city can be had. Well, the views were remarkable – but it took over 250 stair steps winding among many levels of cut stone rooms – to get to the top. Kris stoically trudged through it all while neither the ticket salesperson nor any guide mentioned that there was a service elevator that could be available (something we discovered later). Connecting with the bus lines for the return trip required also far too much lag work, leaving us both exceptionally sore with blisters for the following day.

The next day we went to the Coliseum, Kris and I purchased tickets on a bus that provided a guided tour throughout Rome (complete with earphone English translation) to all us of tourists riding on board (in the open air second tier). We were able to walk all around the ancient grounds where so many gladiators fought to the death, animals were hunted and killed, and Christians were slaughtered. Oddly, among the many displays of art and fighting garb, the impression was conveyed that most of those who lost their lives did so voluntarily (as if slaves, captured lions, and persecuted Christians had a real choice)! In use for 400 years following its completion in 80AD, the Coliseum was in remarkably good condition – though not well modified for the handicapped. Unlike the Vatican Museum, where a helpful employee took the initiative to provide a wheelchair for Kris and had arranged for free tickets for both her and I, the Coliseum had no wheelchairs available and not even a discount for those who might be unable to navigate the extensive ruins. Oddly, it is seemed to be as if Do or Die spirits inhabiting this arena of death lived on, might be laughing a little at our inconvenience.

Among the many pleasant memories that will remembered fondly, there will be the visiting of Trevi Fountain (complete with the most delicious gelacio/sherbert ice cream ever!), seeing unexpected splendors in the Cathredal of St. John the Baptist (with forty foot tall sculptures of each of the twelve disciples), and time spent in the Catacombs near the Appian Way (the ancient roadway beside which Spartacus and his followers had been crucified following their slave revolt in the first century BCE. For Kristine and I a sunny day among lovely trees and a peaceful meadow, growing above the graves of over 500,000 Christians buried in the Catacombs of San Callisto, provided a lovely setting to contemplate the many centuries of history entombed in Rome. That we were able to share this experience and so many others with our daughter Mira has been for us a great additional blessing. The learning experience she and her friend Naomi have had during these last five weeks of traveling with us, I hope, have been enjoyed as much by them as by us. May safe travels be theirs now, until we meet again in late July before we all return to the U.S. in early August.

Although our access to internet service is not as constant now as it was in India, know that our weekly updates will continue to be posted here, for all who care to follow our ongoing odyssey.

Week 24: Goodbye to India

There are too many memories and emotions embodied in these past six months to try to capture them all in any one picture. As we depart from India to Italy this day, my thoughts are especially with students and staff associated with St. Thomas College. Here is the community that has welcomed me both in the classroom and in their hearts. Our group photo includes many but not all of those with whom I worked. Seated in the center is Dr. K.K. Jose, the Principal (who we would call President) of the College. The lengthy conversations he and I have shared have laid a strong foundation for what should emerge as an MOU (Memorandum of Understanding) between St. Thomas College and Portland Community College (in Oregon) that may include a future student exchange program between the two institutions.

Much effort this week has been devoted to my completing a Final Report to the Fulbright folks regarding experiences relevant to my grant. Put simply, I was surprised to discover that various accomplishments during these 24 weeks include: 1) team-teaching 4 courses relating to Gandhian Thought, American Government, International Relations, and Nonviolent Action, 2) publishing four articles relating to Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr., Aristotle, and the Green Movement, and 3) delivering 24 presentations to a wide range of conferences, seminars, educational institutions, and community organizations. 2/3rds of the six months was spent in the beautiful southern state of Kerala, while the other two months involved traveling with speaking engagements in five other states of India. What an amazing collage of experiences, squeezed into such a compact period of time.....

By far the most wonderful memories are associated with people. The family of my teaching colleague, Stany Thomas, has taken us into their hearts and into their home. Much of this last week has been spent with Stany, his wife (Shanty) three children (Tom, Anna, and Hanna), his parents and his aunt where they all helped first Kristine, and then both Naomi and Mira recover from minor illnesses. It was with the loving support of this family that have enabled me to overcome computer problems that enabled me to both complete my Final Fulbright Report and write this blog entry (before we lose wireless internet access later today)!

Being able to share quality time with a few of those from my first visit to India (for six months in 1971-72) has been extremely special. Dina Patel, my spiritual sister and a soul mate: I am so grateful for our paths being able to cross three times during these six months -- and am very hopeful that you may come see us in the U.S. when your grand project is successfully completed (the republishing of the entire Collected Works of Mahatma Gandhi). Laxmi Satyavrata, my friend from those challenging weeks in Calcutta, when birth was given to the nation of Bangladesh: may your friends bring you joy in your twilight years, as your light will always shine in our lives. Memories of others, mostly of this world no more, remind us both of our own mortality and of the blessings that each day may bring if we allow it to.

Other St. Thomas College people will be forever in our thoughts. Our neighbor Chumar and his wife, and the son whose marriage we were all able to attend just two days ago! K.V. Thomas, whose stimulating conversations about culture (as well as soccer!) have produced a lasting bond. Dr. Jose, our landlord, who gave welcomed us into his own home for two nights this week, has always shown great kindness. Stanys good friend, Mohammed Rasheed, who took time away from his duties at M.E.S. College Nekandum to show us the lovely backwaters of Kerala. So... so many others are also worthy of mention, but time is short -- and my internet connection will soon expire in a short time! Father Mathew, another good friend, will arrive to help transport the four of us to the airport at Kochi, where we will see Mira and Naomi off, enjoy a dinner with Father Mathew`s sister and family, and then go back for our departure from India.

FYI: our plan for the next two months is as follows: Mira and Naomi will take a flight this evening to Bangalore, then to Frankfurt (Germany), meeting Kristine and I in Rome late tomorrow. Kris and I depart early tomorrow morning and arrive in Rome (via Doha) earlier than our daughter and Naomi. Next week our blog entry will detail some of the adventures of the four of us in Rome. Following that week, we part ways, with Mira and Naomi traveling together in Europe (Sweden, Germany, the Netherlands, and Czech Republic), while Kris and I will spend a total of three weeks in Italy and three more in Palestine -- before the four of us reunite together in Egypt for the last two weeks of July. August 1st we all fly to the U.S. from Rome, with Mira and Naomi going directly to Portland, while Kris and I will enjoy a one-week stopover in Chicago (seeing the Pierie Clan!) before returning to Portland on August 8th.

Enough for now. We must quickly complete our packing. There is also much activity relating to the funeral for a neighbor of Stany and Shanty: an untimely death of a taxi driver by heart attack at age 42, leaving behind his wife and two young children. The outpouring of support for this poor man`s family is nothing less than inspiring: from covering the funeral expenses to arranging future payments of his home mortgage (his first, approved by the bank only two months ago). In a nutshell, this is a fitting last memory of India: a land of great beauty and great poverty, where the strength of relationships provides the only true security that any of us may have. Not wealth, not military might, but people helping people -- at times reflecting what was once described by Martin Luther King as the Beloved Community....

It is my hope that these weekly reflections have been useful to each of you. It may be that what little we can share of our experiences here may relate to and feed the spirit of love in your own lives. Please be patient with future postings, as they may be as irregular as our future access to the internet, They should come near the beginning of each week, but we will see what is possible.

Goodbye to India for now. I have no doubt that I will be here again, if even it may be in the next lifetime.

Week 23: Rishikesh & Manali

This photograph was taken by daughter Mira while flying in a helicopter over the Himalayas! Unbelievable, yes? How she came to have that chance is part of the experience of this last week. So read on!

The week began with us escaping from the 110 degree temperatures of Delhi and Agra, by taking an overnight bus north to Rishikesh where cooler climates once attracted the Beatles to the banks of the upper Ganges river. Kristine, Mira, and her friend Naomi got almost no sleep since the bus was not air conditioned (as had been promised) and was so overcrowded that some of the children ended up lying on the floors! Although I did sleep, a bad travel experience became worse when the bus unloaded all passengers in Haridwar (even though our ticket stated we had paid to be taken the remaining 7 miles to Rishikesh)! Thankfully, three Indian lawyers I had conversed with on the bus intervened with the driver on our behalf, forcing him to pay for an auto rickshaw to transport us the rest of the way. The travel nightmare did not end in Rishikesh, as it took another hour (including another auto rickshaw, a bicycle rickshaw, a taxi, and a ride (for Kris) on the back of a motor scooter across a footbridge spanning the Ganges – for us to arrive, exhausted, at out hotel.

During our three full days in Rishikesh, the girls enjoyed shopping (without the verbal harassment and bargaining common to Delhi) and we all enjoyed the cooler night temperatures (though daytime still was in the 90`s). A highlight of one day was the four-hour drive thru Rajaji National Park in an open jeep. Our 40km ``safari`` included a beautiful arid jungle complete with dry riverbeds, narrow rocky roads up and down very substantial hills, and lots of wild elephant dung but no wild elephants! Wildlife we did see included eagles, vulchers, wild peacocks, kingfisher birds, lemur families, playful monkeys, wild boar, and scores of different varieties of deer – but no sightings of the reclusive tiger and leopards that feed on them. Mira and Naomi were also sad not to see any king cobras, though their dismay was not much shared by Kristine. I was happy just to smell the fresh air and hear the many sounds of life left free of unwanted human contact.

The automobile drive to Manali took two days, navigating about 300 miles of winding roads at an average speed of about 20 miles per hour! A combination of drugs and the kindness of the women (who insisted I sit in the front with the driver) saved me from any serious car sickness. The topography was frequently breathtaking, with the shoulders of the road to Shimla often without any safeguards to sheer drops below. A pleasant night in Shimla (cooler than Manali) helped us understand how the British would make this their summer capital of India during colonial times. The next day`s long drive revealed scenes of rivers, hills, and orchards (including peaces and apples) that reminded me of eastern Washington State near Wenatchee (where I had spent 12 summers in my youth picking fruit). On the evening of May 14th we arrived in Manali.

Manali is located in the foothills of the Himalayas (at about 6,000 feet) not far south of the border with Kashmir and west of the border with Tibet. Three Buddhist monasteries are located in and around this tourist town, as well as various other temples like one dedicated to Manu (the source of the Laws of Manu that governed north India in ancient times). Our hotel was located within an easy walk of the Mall area where tourists flock to shop from all over the world – enjoying massive hills and nearby snow covered mountains on three sides. During our 4 day stay, we enjoyed a wide variety of food ranging from sushi to noodle soup and spinach omelets to mexican burritos! It was while talking with the owner of the AMIGOS restaurant one morning that we learned of his helicopter service for wealthy tourists and VIPs (at $1,000/day). He took a liking to us and suggested that we join the Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh (in one hour) who had contracted a one-way flight with an empty helicopter to return. So it is that Mira and Naomi were given the ride of a lifetime for a mere $120/each! Kristine opted out as she did not feel up to getting ready on such short notice. I am too cheap, do not like flying, and had another fun thing to do. The girls had a great time – as can be guessed from their photographs!

My fun thing to do that day was to spend nearly two hours with local police authorities explaining why the visa for Kristine and I had expired on February 25th and had not yet been formally renewed! Our hotel manager had been required by law to report the issue to police as part of the heightened security concerns regarding terrorism – and he walked with me about a mile to the police station. At first the officer was unconvinced by all of the paperwork I provided (partly because he was being interrupted every few minutes by a new case/crisis that did not allow him to concentrate. It was a seriously ADD environment with reports of stolen wallets, Indian tourist complaints about their tour operators, and frequently heated exchanges of words. I just decided to remain calm and go with the flow (and maybe spend some time in custody?)! Thankfully, a long telephone conversation with Fulbright staff people in Delhi (who I had kept up to date on my visa problems) satisfied the officer in charge that the reason my visa extension had not been issued (nearly 3 months after it was applied for) was due to an ineffective bureaucracy in Kerala. I complimented him and suggested that Gandhi would have been pleased with his taking time to get to the truth of the matter.

This week has had far too many experiences to adequately discuss in the time now available. There was the lengthy discussion I had with the head of the anti-terrorism unit of the Gujarat State Police (who was on vacation) which surprised me with his largely agreeing with a Gandhian view that only justice for the poor, and not military force can defeat terrorism in the long term. There was the puppy which Mira brought from the street (and into the restaurant) to share breakfast with us one morning – and how grateful the shivering creature was to lap up the warm milk she provided. There was the searching of the markets with Kristine to find a (nearly perfect?) sweater to help her ward off the chilly temperatures…

As we pack this cold morning (in the 50`s) and prepare to return to New Delhi tomorrow (by overnight bus today), we all wonder at the diversity of this amazing country. We also wonder how we will cope with returning to India`s capital only 300 miles to the south: crowds, pollution, and highs in the 110-115 degree range! Though we may be shivering in Manali, we will almost certainly remember our visit here with fondness.

10 days are now left to us before departing from India…..

Week 22: Delhi & Agra

Pictured here are Kris and I celebrating our 27th wedding anniversary at the Taj Mahal in Agra. The view from our Taj Plaza lodging at sunset was wonderful -- though not as spectacular as being at the historic grounds the day after (on Mother`s Day). The beauty of the place was only tarnished a little by the fact that Kris has had trouble sleeping for several nights and I have been making too many emergency runs to a toilet! Finally, finally, I may be blessed with an ailment that can peal a few pounds off my whalish belly!

Much of this week has been spent in New Delhi where we had lodging at the Asian Guest House on Kasturba Gandhi Marg at Connaught Place. The lodging itself was a good introduction to the capital of India: an aging structure with the lobby under construction (dust everywhere and elctrical wires exposed) on the second floor (above a modern art gallery) and with very friendly staff who sought to be helpful in every way they can. At about $20 per person per night, we were able to secure two air-conditioned rooms, each with its own western-style toilet and TV. Basically clean, though with bugs, our room had no window outside, the toilet seat was broken, and the advertised hot water was scarce.

Day temperatures these days in New Delhi sour up to 48 degrees celcius (about 115 farenheit) and left all four of us drinking lots of bottled water! Mira and Naomi the prize for best shoppers, scoring many items for themselves as well as for friends. I would give myself the prize for most miles walked, as forays to the Gandhi Peace Foundation, Fulbright House, and the train station (where I was unable to refund a ticket) helped me average at least 3 miles each day. My walking was by choice, helping me see life up close and slowly while avoiding the overcharging of auto rickshaw drivers who see often treat tourists as cash cows. Many good conversations were had during my outings, including time to visit with current staff at the Gandhi Peace Foundation which had sponsored my travels throughoput India 39 years ago. Some had been employed there that long -- allowing us to discuss people we knew who are no more of this world.

Kristine gets the prize for sheer endurance. One day we hired a taxi to drive the four of us to the bmain mosque in Delhi, the Red Fort (built when moslems ruled north India), and other historic sites. She must have walked well over a mile that day, in the scorching heat, up and down stairs, and across broken pavement. Though she was sore the next day, she and I still managed to spend two hours in the National Museum, viewing displays of paintings, sculpture, and artifacts dating back over 6,000 years! Incredible India is the slogan on many posters which advertise for tourists, but it is all true: India is incredible!

To enjoy the beauty, however, is also to endure some pain (oneself, as well as the obvious problems visible most everywhere). Images of estreme poverty, organized begging, and children selling pencils come to mind -- as well as the smells of garbage mixed with sewage. It is rare for a public toilet to be found, and even then it will be at least 10 rupees (about 20 cents). Many people in India`s capital live on less than 100 rupees today, with 1/3 of the population estimated to be malnourished. my most touching moment in the city was with Kris when our auto rickshaw was besieged by several people asking for money at a stop light. One old woman saw the water flask I carry with me and clearly gestured her desire for a drink. I shared it with her, pouring the precious liquid into her dirty hands as she requested. Even water, so basic to life, is becoming less available here....

As I write now, it is Mother`s Day and the Taj Mahal can be seen from where I sit near a window. The Taj, one of the wonders of the world, a tomb built by Shah Jahan out of grief for the loss of his beloved wife while she was giving birth -- is a remarkable work of art. Still, the Shah taxed his people heavily for the resources needed to build this tomb and many died for it -- including the artisans who were executed so as to insure they could never build another monument like it. The amazing marble structure is, in fact, stained in the blood of the poor -- and yet it still commands awe as a thing of beauty. How full of contradictions we are who build such structures, and how human also are we who can appreciate them.

Tonight we travel north to the cooler climates of Rishikesh and Manali. We travel back to New Delhi by car ($100 round trip) to catch an overnight bus ($54 for all 4 of us) to Rishikesh. Put together with the cost of our modest accommodations, fees assessed to tourists who visit the Taj, and a little shopping, the four of us will have spent in two days what the old woman needing water in Delhi will likely have in an entire year…. If, from one viewpoint, we have a right to enjoy such times as these, from most any other perspective we also have a duties to help improve the lives of others….

Tune in next week to hear of some of the adventures which, no doubt, will be in store for us there! Know that we are thinking of our friends and family every day, with love.

Week 21: Coming Together

Coming together is an apt theme for this week. After 39 years of separation, here I am with Laxmi Satyavrata -- pictured with Kristine (together with daughter MIra and friend Naomi who have just arrived in India this week)! Finalizing travel plans for May also came together following a reunion of Stany`s family in celebration of his youngest daughter`s first communion. A very eventful week!

I first met Laxmi and her husband Satyavrata in 1971 while staying with others at the Gandhi Peace Foundation in Calcutta. They were working in refugee campus along the border of India and what was then East Pakistan. Over one million people were fleeing the violence being inflicted by Pakistani troops upon Benglalis who were agitating for independence. Thousands were dying every day in the camps where food and clothing were desperately needed to stave off both hunger and cool December temperatures. For one month I joined them in their work and together we witnessed the last war between India and Pakistan which gave birth to Bangladesh. The bond forged during this time of hardship has remained all through these years, in spite of many address changes that left us unable to communicate with one another.

Kristine and I arrived in Bangalore by overnight bus from Kerala the morning of the night Mira and Naomi were to arrive by plane from Japan. After settling in our hotel, I went searching to find Laxmi and Satyavrata as I knew that 40 years ago Bangalore had been their home. With difficulty I found the Gandhi Peace Foundation offices in Bangalore and there I received word that Satyavrata had died just one years ago -- but Laxmi was alive and well (at age 79) living less than a block away! Our reunion that day was tearful, as we were sad that dear Satyavrata could be with us only in spirit -- and yet, there we were, able to catch up after so many years! She was amazed at how I had changed from a very thin young man of 21 (who, at 130 lbs was recovering from severe dysentery), to a ripe (good word) man aged 60 (who, at about 190 pounds, is -- heavier)!

Of course it was with great joy that Kris and I greeted our daughter and her friend at Bangalore airport. More than five months separation from Mira had been our longest ever from her -- and our parental instincts had us feeling a little like children at Christmas! Mira and Naomi soon were sharing some of their adventures during their two weeks in Japan -- mostly sleeping on floors with young people there who are part of a global network of those sharing the punk music scene. Though they had loved their time with these new friends, no one complained about sleeping in beds again here! Both also were as excited to visit India for the first time, as Kris and I were to have them join us. Our coming together was meaningful to me on the additional level of my seeing in their eyes the same wonderment I remember when I first traveled here.

Laxmi was thrilled to be able to share time with us all. One day she joined us in a rented car (with driver) who tried to showe us around Bangalore (he was often lost, and sp also would wed have been, without Laxmi`s direction). The Botanical Gardens were a highlight of this tour: over 1,000 acres set aside in the heart of the city, complete with a lotus pond, Japanese garden, a 300 year old cottonwood tree, and too many other scenes to mention. We lunched together and I learned much more about Laxmi`s very hard life than I had ever known before -- which helped Kris and I appreciate how much she has overcome to become how remarkable she is. Even now she teaches yoga in the mornings and provides nature cure services (including massage) on most days! Sadly, our brief visit to her city did not allow time for us to benefit from her skills. Maybe in the next life...

News from this week would be remiss without mention of our celebrating the first (Syrian Rite, Catholic) communion of Hanna, youngest daughter to our good friend Stany Thomas. Dressed in fine white, along with many other young boys and girls, Hanna`s event was presided over by the Archbishop of Kerela (yet another relative of Stany and his wife Shanty). The family reception at Stany`s home served over 150 people a fine buffet lunch -- with almost all of those invited being family members (coming together from as far away as France)! For Kris and I to be honorary aunt and uncle in such a family gathering only confirms how close we have come to be to these fine people. I am glad to know that Mira and Naomi will also share time with the Stany family later this month.

Hopefully the plans I have carefully laid out for May will proceed with minimal stress. Booking hotel reservations and and arranging for transportation has NOT been fun. As we proceed this day to Delhi and further north, I hope my efforts at being a travel agent do not show too much incompetence. For sure, I would never pursue a career in that field. Patience and a mellow personality are required - - and that is definately not me!

Thanks is especially due to several other people in Bangalore who made our four days here especially memorable. We are grateful to Kausalya Kugashankar, proprietor of the Terrace Gardens Guest House, for both providing us with a restful accomodation and inviting us one evening to dine with her and her family. Thanks also to the many people who shared with us during my speaking engagement at Bangalore University, and especially to Dr. D. Jeevan Kumar and his wife and daughter who insisted upon taking us out for lunch after the event. So many wonderful people, so little time. May our paths cross again some day in the U.S., where we may be blessed with visitors from these days.

Bye bye beloved Laxmi -- you will remain like a big sister to me. Goodbye Bangalore.

Week 20: to Tamil Nadu

The featured photo this week shows Kris and I sharing with Fr. Thomas Rathapillil and some of those being served at St. Joseph`s House, a facility providing for terminally ill people. That we were able to take the trip to the neighboring state of Tamil Nadu was a minor miracle in itself, as a belated invitation for me to speak at Gandhigram Rural University nearly had to be declined due to AC bus or train transportation not being available. Our travel agent, Sebastian, managed to find an auto driver to help us out for four days (three nights) at reasonable cost. It should also be said that none of the experiences detailed by Kristine below would have happened but for the efforts of our extremely attentive host at Gandhigram: Dr. S. Narayanasamy.

Making this trip was also, in part, a pilgrimage into my past. 39 years ago (at age 21) I had traveled to Kodaicanal to interview Keithahn, an American who lived and worked with Gandhi for over 20 years – and who was very active in the founding of Gandhigram Rural University. Though I knew he had died some years ago, I wanted to visit his home where we had shared together for a week. So it is we drove the narrow road up to Kodaicanal (which, at elevation 6,000 feet also providing relief from the scorching heat of the plains). It was with difficulty that we were able to eventually find his home, now empty, and the place where he and I had worshipped together on an amazing cliff nearby. While there was a sadness to this experience (most folks we spoke to had no memory of this fine man), we met a woman supervising two young children up the road from his old home. While it was claimed that these two boys were Keithan`s grandchildren, it was later clarified by email from a grandson now living in the U.S. that they were not. We also found the worship place, though it had been partially destroyed by a road constructed to access a palatial home built by the billionaire Birla and given to Sai Baba for his occasional use. Ironic, yes?

The remaining portion of this week`s entry is a reprint of Kristine`s letter to friends sent out a few days ago. If you have already read it, please forgive the redundancy. Her words express our experiences so well would be no reason for me to cover them with mine….

Dear Friends,

We have just had a remarkable few days. Besides Mike speaking to a group of college students, we visited a prosthetic clinic where they make limbs for the rural farmers. They had pictures of amputees climbing coconut trees! Next we visited a live-in community college (not the same as in the States) for young people who need skills improvement before they can apply for college. We both spoke at that event and the young people were very lively and interested, and the Salesian fathers (Dom Bosco) were quite welcoming. The next morning we visited a business man who was crippled by polio, and confined to a wheelchair. He talked about the many challenges that physically and mentally challenged face in India. (ex. Most streets/sidewalks in India would be impossible for a wheelchair to navigate without another person`s help.) Nevertheless he and another teacher organized a hospital train where those with challenges could receive surgeries and needed services to improve their functioning.

We also visited a hospice for the destitute. The priest who started this place (fairly new-4yrs) had a personal experience of finding a man next to a garbage bin trying to eat some rice with the pigs who kept pushing him over. The man was paralyzed on one side and had a gaping, vermin infested wound on the other. So began his mission to help those who had been abandoned by society, often in their last days of life. With the help of an English woman he was able to raise funds for a building which now houses over 300 people. What is amazing is that this Fr Tom suffered a quadruple by pass some years ago (he is 60) and the other two priests who are Jesuits are both over 80 years old! They have a paid staff of about 20 nurses, aids, an MD on call. He now has received a land grant of 15 acres in south Chennai, where he hopes to start another hospice.

Our driver Jibi, was quite impressed with Fr. Tom and at dinner shared with us that he was a Pentecostal Christian (somewhat rare in India) and that their small church (about 10 families) had started an orphanage which we hope to visit soon.

I have to admit missing so many folks and all the comforts of home, but this trip has been a blessing in many ways. Our daughter Mira will be flying into Bangalore at the end of April and most of May we will tour the northern part of India, before returning to Pala for five days to say good byes to the friends that have made this stay so special. Then we fly to Italy, and eventually we`ll visit Israel and Egypt. After visiting my family in Chicago we will return to Portland the second week of August -- nine months of summer!

Love and blessings to all,

Kris (AKA Mrs. Michael)