tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-58267662012-01-03T22:06:03.386-05:00On September 10, 2003, I was baptized and born again. This is the true story of my walk with Christ.Rachel Nguyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01534890739695708419noreply@blogger.comBlogger6291100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5826766.post-57735473079525534612012-01-01T22:11:00.000-05:002012-01-01T22:11:35.115-05:00

I have only been a 'minority' a few times in my life.  When I was 18 I went to Hawaii for several months and experienced being a minority for the first time.  I was living in a neighborhood with very few white people.  Every day I took the bus into Honolulu and heard Samoan kids calling each other Haoli as an insult.  It is the word for 'white'. In Vietnam I stood out like a sore thumb.  I

Rachel Nguyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01534890739695708419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5826766.post-90266880468343008382011-12-31T17:12:00.000-05:002011-12-31T17:12:14.733-05:00

I am a fastidious packer.  In fact, my husband makes relentless fun of me when we are getting ready to travel.  He is a 'throw a few pairs of shorts in a backpack'' kind of guy, while I am of the school that makes multiple lists, organizes with a staging area for weeks before the big trip and spends countless hours thinking about what I am likely to need. Having said that, the following is a

Rachel Nguyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01534890739695708419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5826766.post-29866095303610455412011-07-22T23:57:00.001-04:002011-07-22T23:57:45.573-04:00

There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. Galatians 3:28

Rachel Nguyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01534890739695708419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5826766.post-84743514600887199912011-07-13T10:23:00.004-04:002011-07-13T10:36:49.049-04:00

A few of my facebook friends posted this:Don't like gay marriages? Don't get one.. Don't like cigarettes? Don't smoke them.. Don't like abortions? Don't get one.. Don't like sex? Don't have it.. Don't like drugs? Don't do them.. Don't like porn? Don't watch it.. Don't like alcohol? Don't drink it.. Don't like guns? Don't buy one.. Don't like your rights taken away??? Don't take away someone

Rachel Nguyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01534890739695708419noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5826766.post-45775227627724891162011-06-30T14:41:00.003-04:002011-06-30T16:59:01.099-04:00

Is it possible that the act of trusting another person can also lead to a deeper trust in the Lord?I have learned to trust in the act of confession. I trust the sacramental nature of it. I trust the person sitting on the other side of the screen. In my case, my confessor is always someone I know, so it is an even greater trust knowing that I will see him again outside of the box.But God has

Rachel Nguyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01534890739695708419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5826766.post-86394260688557249842011-06-13T23:16:00.003-04:002011-06-13T23:39:29.939-04:00

Today a friend was talking about her 50th birthday. It makes me wonder if I am ever going to do anything significant, she said.I believe that for me, the answer is no.I used to think that I was going to be exceptional. At what, I was less sure, but I really thought that someday, somehow, I would be.... known for something.I know I have posted before about my exceptional parents. I grew up

Rachel Nguyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01534890739695708419noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5826766.post-82596346635781432972011-06-05T22:29:00.002-04:002011-06-05T22:31:44.419-04:00

And after a weekend of gorgeous weather, lovely drumming, church, great food, even a beer or two, I am trying to get back into work brain.It is a tough transition sometimes. So, off to bed I go to read some psalms and say some prayers and get ready for the week ahead.

Rachel Nguyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01534890739695708419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5826766.post-57584756393582704032011-05-24T22:18:00.002-04:002011-05-24T22:22:55.937-04:00

Almost every day, one of my facebook friends posts a picture of a dog that is destined to be put to sleep in a shelter, somewhere in the country.I am never sure what we are supposed to do about it, but every time I see it, I think of the thousands of tiny, unwanted babies who die every day at the hands of a doctor in a clinic.It's not that I don't love dogs. It's that I think our society is just

Rachel Nguyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01534890739695708419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5826766.post-32283088613829718102011-04-27T11:32:00.003-04:002011-04-27T11:42:03.743-04:00

I am still feeling like I spent a weekend away with the love of my life. My Sweet Friend has drawn me close in the last week. I feel very blessed indeed.And joyful that the Easter season lasts until Pentecost...

Rachel Nguyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01534890739695708419noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5826766.post-43098310221865792112011-04-26T08:50:00.000-04:002011-04-26T08:51:21.117-04:00

The Paschal Homily of St. John Chrysostom is read at the end of Orthros (Matins) at Pascha, the feast of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, universally throughout the Orthodox Church. It was composed sometime during his ministry in the late 4th or early 5th century."If anyone is devout and a lover of God, let him enjoy this beautiful and radiant festival. If

Rachel Nguyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01534890739695708419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5826766.post-78767763692071594432011-04-23T23:27:00.004-04:002011-04-24T00:06:01.494-04:00

I have good news.Yesterday during the three hour meditation at church, I was reflecting on Jesus crying out to God from the cross.My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?Sadder words have never been spoken. A more anguished cry I could not imagine. And for years now I have tried to understand how it could be that Jesus would be forsaken.Good Friday has been for me, in the past, a day to

Rachel Nguyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01534890739695708419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5826766.post-69594470822948532582011-04-03T22:24:00.002-04:002011-04-03T22:50:26.474-04:00

This is my 7th Lent as a Christian, and every year I am given a gift from our Lord. And every year so far it has been some kind of painful. It isn't easy spending time in the desert. No. Not at all.I was having lunch with my spiritual director this week and remembered something from my days as a student of tarot. In the ancient Jewish tradition of the Tree of Life, there is one branch that

Rachel Nguyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01534890739695708419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5826766.post-41062696689381329212011-03-28T21:43:00.002-04:002011-03-28T21:46:19.309-04:00

Lord, I am tired. I look upon the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the Lord, creator of Heaven and earth.

Rachel Nguyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01534890739695708419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5826766.post-61001798098797268032011-02-26T09:29:00.007-05:002011-03-03T08:19:25.297-05:00

I know you are compassionate. I know that you believe that a woman has a right to control her body. I know your hearts are in the right place. I truly believe that about you.But from the moment of conception, from the moment a sperm cell and an egg unite, there is a shift in the woman's body. The union of those two cells is a moment when a separate life is born. The woman's body recognizes

Rachel Nguyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01534890739695708419noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5826766.post-5671633553210611162011-02-25T23:40:00.003-05:002011-02-25T23:57:10.070-05:00

Not too many people know this about me, but it is true. When I play my drum during a performance, I am almost paralyzed with stage fright. My heart races. My breathing gets shallow. I begin to feel like the muscles in my arms are going to stop working at any moment. Fear sends the sweat trickling down my back and my stomach feels like it is going to turn inside out. It borders on a full

Rachel Nguyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01534890739695708419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5826766.post-63377215726364493692011-02-24T17:59:00.003-05:002011-02-24T18:03:10.661-05:00

I was looking at an old friend's photos on facebook today. I realized that there was a whole life that I left behind. A whole group of friends who continued on without me. Lives. Deaths. Kids. Houses. Coffee and beer and parties and running into each other at grocery stores.And for a moment, I wondered what it would be like if I hadn't moved away. I wondered if I would have been in those

Rachel Nguyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01534890739695708419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5826766.post-39440172895344222032011-02-13T16:58:00.005-05:002011-02-13T21:13:56.585-05:00

We first saw our apartment at 3am after having traveled for nearly a day from RI to Mali. The cab brought us through the dark streets of the city, past countless dusty stalls that during the day sold everything from charcoal braziers to roasted lamb to replacement motorbike tires.The big highway from the airport was new and very fancy, with lit up LED lights embedded in the pavement, giving that

Rachel Nguyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01534890739695708419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5826766.post-21820254284239600052011-02-11T13:20:00.002-05:002011-02-11T13:32:57.565-05:00

I brought it in my big duffel bag, wrapped in clothes, hoping that the thin nylon guitar bag would somehow protect it's neck from snapping. By the time we got to Mali, the guitar was no worse for wear. It was already old and a little beat up when we started, missing a string and out of tune. It was Sidy's guitar. He wanted me to bring it to Mali for him so he could leave it with friends. It

Rachel Nguyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01534890739695708419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5826766.post-75415821703041146732011-02-02T21:07:00.002-05:002011-02-02T21:22:51.515-05:00

The last week has been a blur, but every now and then a fragment of an experience drifts to the surface of my consciousness. I relish these little gifts. They are, to steal a phrase from Hildegard of Bingen, like feathers on the breath of God.A friend of Sidy's was in the hospital and when we were in Koulikoro we stopped by to say hello. We pulled our green bus over to the side of the road and

Rachel Nguyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01534890739695708419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5826766.post-68253385308829369392011-01-25T17:34:00.002-05:002011-01-25T17:36:42.961-05:00

Two days back from Mali and my heart, head and body ache a little.

Rachel Nguyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01534890739695708419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5826766.post-74766396312267839802010-12-11T14:05:00.003-05:002010-12-11T14:17:26.542-05:00

A year or so ago, a brain study found that people who believe in God or have religious experiences have a different brain structure than those who don't. You can read a summary of the research here.I find this kind of fascinating... especially given that my dad and I are on completely different ends of the spectrum as it relates to God. My father is an atheist and I am a washed by the blood of

Rachel Nguyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01534890739695708419noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5826766.post-89764366286017635762010-12-07T08:39:00.003-05:002010-12-07T08:58:31.614-05:00

When I was in high school in Providence, we always joked about Saki's pizza on Weybossett Street: It's the Italian restaurant with the Japanese name run by Greeks. My religious landscape is a little like that: She's the charismatic catholic at heart who goes to a low Episcopal Church and works in an Evangelical ministry.And maybe I am not actually a Catholic at heart. But Catholicism

Rachel Nguyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01534890739695708419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5826766.post-25213328469563386252010-10-23T11:55:00.004-04:002010-10-23T12:04:07.924-04:00

...But I have been reading over some of my earliest blog posts this morning, and it is amazing to revisit the early part of my walk with Christ. I don't think it is a coincidence that I started this blog in 2005, right about the time I left the Unitarian Universalist Church and began seeking a Christian community. This coincided with the 2nd anniversary of my baptism.I visited a few Episcopal

Rachel Nguyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01534890739695708419noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5826766.post-44403308710050309322010-10-17T17:10:00.002-04:002010-10-17T17:21:52.441-04:00

For several years now there has been a bible study at Grace on Sunday mornings called "Live it". I can't remember if I have ever sat in on it before, but today I got up early and joined the conversation. The whole thing takes place out in the narthex. (Foyer). And because we are who we are, the group is made up of a mash up of folks. Today we had a retired priest, a few folks from

Rachel Nguyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01534890739695708419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5826766.post-76791831537195656812010-10-16T14:29:00.002-04:002010-10-16T14:40:17.828-04:00

In January I am heading back to Mali for a couple of weeks. I have already started packing. I am not excited. No. Not at all.This time, I am bringing my eldest son with me. About a month ago I asked him if he wanted to go and at first he said no. But after thinking about it and talking to a friend, he decided that he did want to go. I am beside myself.There will be an interesting group of

Rachel Nguyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01534890739695708419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5826766.post-87284988814351570632010-10-10T22:35:00.002-04:002010-10-10T22:56:16.569-04:00

I have been keenly aware of the pressure I am under, especially at work. It is a tough job, heading up a charity that depends 100% on donations to survive. Not only am I about supporting my staff and keeping the organization on an even keel, but I am also a figure head that represents the organization out in the world. And there are times when that feels like a very heavy load to carry.

Rachel Nguyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01534890739695708419noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5826766.post-85968152946913806662010-10-04T08:29:00.006-04:002010-10-04T11:11:46.629-04:00

My local hometown bird cage liner (The Providence Journal) has recently started a themed section called Thrive that appears on Monday mornings. This section of the paper is entirely devoted to New Age spirituality in all it's various forms. There are articles on Feng Shui, yoga poses and 'finding your inner strength'. Today's version had story after story about how women are leaving churches in

Rachel Nguyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01534890739695708419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5826766.post-28561712105366074222010-10-02T18:05:00.003-04:002010-10-02T18:14:08.514-04:00

I have been playing djembe for over 4 years now, but I have to admit, I have always wanted to play the dun duns. Dun duns are the big bass drums in the West African drum ensemble. They are the booming, melodic backbone upon which the other drums weave their magic spells. It is a heavy responsibility to carry the whole rhythmic structure of a piece. If the dun duns mess up, the djembes, the

Rachel Nguyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01534890739695708419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5826766.post-5216880405573070372010-09-30T08:46:00.002-04:002010-09-30T08:55:55.562-04:00

Have you ever seen images of Pope John Paul II at prayer in his chapel?He would lie face down on the floor, white robes notwithstanding.We at CareNet have found ourselves in that position a few times recently. Lying face down, or kneeling with our heads pressed to the floor. Sometimes prayers of petition. Often prayers of thanks.Yesterday, we were praying that our financial dry spell would

Rachel Nguyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01534890739695708419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5826766.post-42451389904424416712010-09-28T13:21:00.002-04:002010-09-28T13:39:17.091-04:00

I found out that one of my oldest childhood friends just won the genius grant from the MacArthur Foundation. I am really happy for him. This is a kid who knew what he wanted to be from the time I can remember. In 8th grade he was practicing his calligraphy during math class. When you hear news like this, inevitably, such a thing invites you to a bit of introspection. It is pretty clear that I

Rachel Nguyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01534890739695708419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5826766.post-47831653347024247062010-07-25T16:45:00.003-04:002010-07-25T17:03:38.896-04:00

Today I had the pleasure of speaking at St. Andrews by the Sea to help them kick off their Episcopal Charities Fund campaign. I was invited by my former Rector, Bob Brooks, to talk about CareNet Pregnancy Center of RI.And I will admit, I was more nervous about it than I have been for any other speaking engagement. It was my first time speaking at an Episcopal Church. Since the Episcopal Church

Rachel Nguyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01534890739695708419noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5826766.post-28847747687521906302010-05-10T22:29:00.003-04:002010-05-10T22:37:22.212-04:00

Maybe we should just pack it in. Sell what we can. Give away the rest. Walk away. The SBA told us today that it won't even give us a minimal loan to cover the repair of our machinery unless we sign our house on as collateral. And you know what? After 20 years of been there, done that, I am just not willing to do it again. We finally got out from under the SBA last year when we sold the

Rachel Nguyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01534890739695708419noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5826766.post-33667762455802880582010-04-30T17:10:00.002-04:002010-04-30T17:31:58.110-04:00

I was invited by Barth Bracey, the executive director of RI Right to Life, to attend the RI House hearing on the Woman's Right to Know act last Wednesday. (H7377)In a stunning show of spinelessness, the committee, before hearing any testimony at all, voted to send the bill back for further study. That means that it is left to languish in committee for year number 16.The bill basically requires

Rachel Nguyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01534890739695708419noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5826766.post-45654003579549693662010-04-27T15:11:00.002-04:002010-04-27T16:18:11.684-04:00

Today marks the end of the 4th week after the flood.Status: The shop is still not fully functioning. Most of the machines are running, but at least two are still needing repair. We have mostly given up on the idea of a Government loan. Apparently we can reapply, but frankly are too busy with getting on with things to jump through all the SBA hoops (again) so it will have to wait until things

Rachel Nguyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01534890739695708419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5826766.post-9339210392419129572010-04-21T10:51:00.002-04:002010-04-21T10:56:19.194-04:00

Finally, finally, I got to speak to a real live human being at the Department of Labor and Training. And she was very kind and concerned and took care of our problem with the unemployment benefits within about 32 seconds. Boom. Done. We were able to check on the status of Nguyen's employees too.Yesterday I was really in the pits about all of this, so this phone conversation was a huge gift.

Rachel Nguyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01534890739695708419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5826766.post-83338279925213324312010-04-20T08:29:00.003-04:002010-04-20T08:30:58.831-04:00

And then there is the part of me that thinks that because I am not handling this well, I am a bad Christian. Because I feel fear, anger, loss, grief, I am not trusting in God. Forgive me, Lord, if that is so. I need healing.

Rachel Nguyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01534890739695708419noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5826766.post-50432849068754722642010-04-20T07:50:00.002-04:002010-04-20T08:12:06.635-04:00

and the recovery is excruciatingly slow. Just yesterday Nguyen and Don were able to get a repair technician in from Maine to look at the CNCs. He diagnosed the problems and made his recommendations. They are having motors rebuilt and circuit boards replaced. All reasonable expenses after a catastrophe like the floods 3 weeks ago. None of which will be covered by the fabled FEMA grants or

Rachel Nguyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01534890739695708419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5826766.post-83967685237442058842010-04-17T09:15:00.003-04:002010-04-17T09:30:23.202-04:00

I will admit, I have been feeling a sense of anger and frustration about the lack of government support for the flood victims. At every turn we seem to hit a brick wall. Yesterday, it all finally came to a head. I had been trying for days to get the unemployment situation straightened out. I was unable to reach a human being and could not figure out what to do with the conflicting information

Rachel Nguyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01534890739695708419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5826766.post-80861553392184516112010-04-15T08:41:00.003-04:002010-04-15T08:48:36.289-04:00

That is exactly what the government is offering us to rebuild our business after the flood. Zero. We were rejected for the SBA loan because our business lost money for the last two years.Well, duh.RI is in the midst of the worst recession EVER. The fact that we are still open is a miracle. I am trying to figure out it if it is someone's best interest for a little business like ours to fail.

Rachel Nguyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01534890739695708419noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5826766.post-67747747359696435902010-04-07T09:05:00.003-04:002010-04-07T09:21:10.405-04:00

I will admit that as a pro-life Christian, it was a little hard for me to read Obama's Easter breakfast confession of faith and take it seriously. It truly puzzles me how a Christian can also be the most pro-abortion president we have ever had. He said all the right things... but for me, it sounded a little too well rehearsed. He could have been talking about an economic policy, really.But

Rachel Nguyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01534890739695708419noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5826766.post-74555859875284308092010-04-07T07:50:00.003-04:002010-04-07T07:55:55.360-04:00

If you offer to bring me dinner, I am going to say yes.If you offer me some help cleaning the shop, yes.If you ask me what you can do to help, I am going to tell you.This is new for us.Nguyen and I are used to being the ones who do the helping. We are the ones who cook dinners, rake leaves, shovel snow for the elderly neighbor. We are the ones to send money to an orphaned child in Mali, or a

Rachel Nguyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01534890739695708419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5826766.post-45916149633815943742010-04-05T08:54:00.004-04:002010-04-07T07:50:13.017-04:00

why it has taken YEARS for New Orleans to get back on her feet.Because there is nothing.No federal funding.No help for businesses. Nothing.A homeowner can get a grant up to $30,000 to fix their kitchen, bathroom, bedroom. A homeowner can get a low interest loan at 2.9%.But a business, the ones who rebuild the houses, the economy, the jobs, the health coverage,are offered not one single dime to

Rachel Nguyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01534890739695708419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5826766.post-986543529355227742010-04-03T09:17:00.004-04:002010-04-07T07:57:11.611-04:00

I really couldn't believe what I was seeing as I walked through my husband's shop yesterday, a day after the water from the Pawtuxet River receded. The water mark on his CNC milling machine was at 38 inches.Outside, a HAZMAT team was trying to determine if chemicals from a neighbors chemical processing operation had leaked. We had to wait to find out if the whole site was going to be shut down

Rachel Nguyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01534890739695708419noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5826766.post-46247446507824012272010-02-28T14:01:00.002-05:002010-02-28T14:05:25.091-05:00

that it is possible to be gracious and loving even when you disagree with someone? And if that someone is a non-believer, isn't it even more important to love them first, and foremost?We disagree on some things, it is true. There may even be anger there sometimes. But when I look into your face really carefully, I see that you are a child of God, and I know that Christ loves you. And really,

Rachel Nguyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01534890739695708419noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5826766.post-5901051277245979612010-02-17T09:42:00.003-05:002010-02-17T09:48:29.392-05:00

I am giving up some things. I decided to stop drinking alcohol for the duration. And sweets. I am going to read the New Testament. Maybe do a scripture reading at dinner with the family. And we, as a family, are giving up frivolous spending. By the end of Lent I will have a few extra bucks to donate to charity.Mostly, Lent is a time of recognizing our failings and offering them to God, who

Rachel Nguyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01534890739695708419noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5826766.post-72397640619248744452010-02-07T17:17:00.002-05:002010-02-07T17:21:30.193-05:00

Lord, I have been lifting up some pretty big prayers lately. I have been praying for the people I love. And I have to send up a great big thank you for all the prayers you are answering. So, today, I pray for my friend who is at a turning point and needs some clarity and conviction that he is on the right path.And I am praying for my mom, who is struggling with her health insurer over a

Rachel Nguyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01534890739695708419noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5826766.post-21702862063751294032010-02-05T13:49:00.002-05:002010-02-05T14:03:28.024-05:00

Every year, I confess on this blog that I love Lent. And frankly, I would be hard pressed to express why, exactly. Perhaps it is the intentionality of it. It intrigues me to choose a fast, a sacrifice, and offer it to God. And lest I think that I am going to someday become some sort of perfect Christian, I always seem to fail at least once or twice during the season. One year I gave up

Rachel Nguyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01534890739695708419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5826766.post-64853570512995161822010-01-24T17:41:00.003-05:002010-01-24T17:46:21.202-05:00

So, after the burst of reflection on my trip to Mali, I had an epiphany of sorts. It occurred to me that I need to learn Bambara if I want to understand anything about the culture of the Bamana. So, on Friday, I started with Bambara lessons with my friend and drum teacher. And you know what? I am totally excited about it. All day yesterday I was listening to the recording he made for me. I

Rachel Nguyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01534890739695708419noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5826766.post-50799324462814613992010-01-03T18:32:00.004-05:002010-01-03T18:55:12.999-05:00

I somehow thought that being friends with a Malian would help me understand the culture of Mali. Or that because I loved the music and could hum along with Habib Koite or Salif Keita, I would feel at home in West Africa.I should have known better. My own experience told me that this was not the case.In Vietnam, standing on the bridge in Nha Trang, not only did I not know Vietnam better for

Rachel Nguyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01534890739695708419noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5826766.post-4722673963225021182010-01-02T09:40:00.003-05:002010-01-02T10:01:34.267-05:00

We arrived before dawn, after 24 hours of traveling. Shuffling past security, I handed over a scrap of paper with Sidy's father's business address as my contact information. I was waved on by a man in a military shirt and a beret.A long line to retrieve our luggage. Then, finally, out the door, greeted by young men offering cab rides, cell phone calls, God only knows what else.Sidy and Ali

Rachel Nguyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01534890739695708419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5826766.post-26989258048199098382010-01-01T17:20:00.004-05:002010-01-01T17:39:17.902-05:00

The brochures at the travel clinic are clear. Don't eat raw vegetables. Don't drink the tap water. Don't go out without your sunscreen and bug lotion. Don't go out at night. Don't go to nightclubs. Don't rely on ATM machines: there is only one and it doesn't work.The truth? I did avoid the tap water. I did wear my sunscreen and bug spray. But I also went to nightclubs and danced until 4am

Rachel Nguyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01534890739695708419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5826766.post-23062767890455934062010-01-01T17:17:00.003-05:002010-01-01T17:19:41.936-05:00

what generosity was. I thought I had seen it before.But it wasn't until I was leaving Mali and was given gifts, big and small, from the cook, my friend's mother, my friends,That I finally understood.

Rachel Nguyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01534890739695708419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5826766.post-85848525692850699522010-01-01T17:11:00.002-05:002010-01-01T17:16:58.726-05:00

that my friends would have wanted.Things like malaria tablets and high powered insect repellent and cipro for diarrhea.She can't see you today. She is sick with malaria. I felt overwhelmed by the fact that I, there for only two weeks, had enough malaria medication to get me safely through my time in Africa, but my Malian friends had no such thing.I can't get a years worth of malaria tablets for

Rachel Nguyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01534890739695708419noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5826766.post-54779266554537942462010-01-01T14:07:00.003-05:002010-01-01T17:08:13.646-05:00

Clean. Nose, mouth, ears, hands, feet. The plastic tessolet filled with water sat under the tree in the courtyard and several times a day my religious friends would perform their ablutions before unfurling their plastic prayer mats and laying them on the concrete paving stones to pray.Then, stand, hands clasped, kneel, forehead to the ground, stand, kneel, hands together, words whispered

Rachel Nguyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01534890739695708419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5826766.post-43217013774330347252010-01-01T14:02:00.002-05:002010-01-01T14:06:57.103-05:00

I noticed that foreigners in Africa liked to assert what they knew as if it were fact. This is how the Africans feel about thus and so, an aid worker would say. This is what they think of this or that, or the other, over there.We were driving along the streets at night and I noticed, over and over, brightly lit orange signs that simply said 'Orange'. What is 'orange'? I wondered. Orange Juice

Rachel Nguyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01534890739695708419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5826766.post-40213459106921512382010-01-01T13:57:00.002-05:002010-01-01T14:01:39.446-05:00

I tried to type on the dusty keyboard. The internet cafe was about 4 blocks from our house and I had been meaning to take the short walk so I could reconnect with home, send an email or two, post a brief comment on this blog. But though I managed to negotiate the price and get online, I realized as soon as I started typing that the keyboard was laid out in the French way, with the Q and W and T

Rachel Nguyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01534890739695708419noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5826766.post-89089460609919804802010-01-01T13:50:00.002-05:002010-01-01T13:56:02.758-05:00

I was riding in a cab. Sidy, Lisa and Rusty were in the back. I was in the front. The window was open and we were speeding down the main road, passing vendors with vegetables on their heads, kids selling phone cards at stop lights, guys with rusty blue carts upended on the curb waiting for someone to hire them. Green buses zig zagging in and out of traffic. Then the river, spread out clean

Rachel Nguyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01534890739695708419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5826766.post-38460814712830745982009-12-06T18:03:00.002-05:002009-12-06T18:17:29.179-05:00

A friend commented today that although she knows I love my job, she also can tell that it weighs heavily on me. She can tell that I am juggling a LOT of balls and am sometimes overwhelmed by it all. And it is true, I do feel the weight of it, even as I try very hard to share the load with Christ Jesus. It is not all mine, Lord. It is not all mine.And I am even juggling too many balls at

Rachel Nguyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01534890739695708419noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5826766.post-30697191860925947442009-12-06T00:47:00.003-05:002009-12-06T00:48:47.150-05:00

I have been lucky enough to meet people who radiate God's love. You can feel it when you are near them. When I meet people like that I want to pull up a chair and sit for awhile,Basking in the flow of God love energy.

Rachel Nguyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01534890739695708419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5826766.post-37799456242357725772009-11-27T21:47:00.003-05:002009-11-27T21:53:18.320-05:00

Some snippets from an ongoing email conversation with a friend:I am a trinitarian through and through. Frankly, I never really understood Unitarian theology very clearly. It is something about God choosing a guy named Jesus and elevating him to semi-deity status.To me, that is just not scriptural. John clearly states that the Word was God, was with God, was made flesh and dwelt among us. And

Rachel Nguyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01534890739695708419noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5826766.post-73108825494466378352009-11-09T08:56:00.002-05:002009-11-09T08:59:58.169-05:00

Lord Jesus Christ, son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.Lord Jesus Christ, son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.Lord Jesus Christ, son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.Lord Jesus Christ, son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.Lord Jesus Christ, son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.Lord Jesus Christ, son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.Lord Jesus Christ, son of God, have mercy on me, a

Rachel Nguyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01534890739695708419noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5826766.post-84761783964908460482009-11-04T22:40:00.005-05:002009-11-05T08:29:45.033-05:00

I feel, sometimes, like I am trying to carry too many groceries in a bag that is a little tattered. There are holes. The top is frayed. Stuff pokes out.And not pretty stuff, either. Not the baguettes and a bottle of wine. Not fruit and cheese.Nope. What slips out of my ratty old bag is a half eaten bologna sandwich and a banana peel.(What in God's name is she going on about, you ask.)I am

Rachel Nguyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01534890739695708419noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5826766.post-35896307183367740842009-10-20T13:17:00.004-04:002009-10-20T13:20:58.330-04:00

Right now. I'll wait........There. Don't you agree that that first chapter is enough for, say, a lifetime of work? I joked in Bible study that I need to put the whole chapter, maybe the whole book, on my fridge.Thank you, Beloved, for the book of James.It speaks volumes to me, today. I want to sell all that I own and give it to the poor. I want to apologize to my husband for speaking out in

Rachel Nguyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01534890739695708419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5826766.post-68908455968637320812009-10-14T09:53:00.002-04:002009-10-14T09:58:39.143-04:00

I planned to go back to bed this morning, to catch up on some sleep before my long, late shift at work, but couldn't because I was too excited about things. Pray and fast.Fast and pray.Pray ceaselessly.Pray.And then prayers get answered in ways you could never, ever, predict.Behold, I will create new heavens and a new earth. The former things will not be remembered, nor will they come to mind.

Rachel Nguyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01534890739695708419noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5826766.post-18270222845280602702009-10-11T22:18:00.002-04:002009-10-11T22:21:49.605-04:00

I was talking to a fellow about CareNet-RI. "I am pro-abortion" He said.I didn't respond."I was around before Roe v. Wade. People died because of illegal abortions." He continued.People have died since Roe v. Wade, too, I thought to myself. 50 million of them.

Rachel Nguyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01534890739695708419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5826766.post-25048600832930438312009-10-10T17:56:00.002-04:002009-10-10T18:05:26.839-04:00

Here's the pie recipe that won Emmett and me third place in the Ledge Farm CSA pie contest today:Crust:3 cups white flour, sifted. (We forgot to sift, but no harm done apparently)2/3 cup lard, cubed1/3 cup sweet butter, cubeda generous pinch of salt9 T ice waterPlace flour, salt, butter and lard into the cuisinart and pulse for a couple of seconds until the butter and lard are pea sized and

Rachel Nguyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01534890739695708419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5826766.post-5546345449832417442009-10-06T08:06:00.004-04:002009-10-11T22:23:47.615-04:00

Gentle treeA drum shell,A chair,A cross.The hide of a goat becomes a wineskin, a drum head, a lash.Iron, from deep in the earthLike a root,a sword, a ringor the nails that held you up, Lord.

Rachel Nguyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01534890739695708419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5826766.post-32668694053859956812009-09-29T22:03:00.002-04:002009-09-29T22:19:29.696-04:00

Today, Africa was on my mind.I listened to the music I recorded while I was there. Immediately I was brought back to that evening on the balcony, with Sidy and Maze and Yacouba and the rest. Maze wearing his yellow shirt and playing his jaunty new, yellow trimmed drum. I could see the bats and smell the night air of Bamako.My memories of Mali will always be bittersweet for me, I think, now

Rachel Nguyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01534890739695708419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5826766.post-15821849408577006332009-09-18T12:05:00.002-04:002009-09-18T12:08:26.852-04:00

Oh, wait,I am there. I have stepped out on a limb.(Can you pray for me, please?)Fear has left for the night. The door swings closed behind him. Because Christ has entered the houseAnd will sit with me for awhile.

Rachel Nguyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01534890739695708419noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5826766.post-41753504542759539112009-09-01T22:52:00.003-04:002009-09-01T22:56:23.125-04:00

in the midst of the busy-ness, to pray. I need to pray to God right now.Lord. I am sometimes afraid of this path you have called me to walk. I am afraid. Please, Lord, please help me turn that fear over to you. I am not brave, but I am willing. I am not strong, but I am obedient. I am not courageous, but I want to do your will in all things. Is that enough, Lord? Is it enough for me to

Rachel Nguyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01534890739695708419noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5826766.post-1951161263849717812009-08-14T12:50:00.004-04:002009-08-14T13:06:09.680-04:00

You know when you feel like you are moving along and suddenly realize that everything is falling into place in an uncanny way? Weird coincidences start happening. Delightful little moments when things come together effortlessly?Jung called it synchronicity. New age folks might say that they are in harmony with the Universe. For Christians, it is sense that you are being blessed by God and he

Rachel Nguyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01534890739695708419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5826766.post-23520826582565664212009-07-26T19:43:00.004-04:002009-07-26T20:00:03.037-04:00

The Chinese have a dish called 1000 year old eggs. They take a duck or chicken egg, wrap it in clay with lime and ash and bury it in the ground. After awhile, the egg basically cooks from the chemical reaction to the coating. You wash it off, break it open and have a kind of pickled egg that has a totally unique flavor. It doesn't really take 1000 years. Maybe a few weeks. Or months. But it

Rachel Nguyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01534890739695708419noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5826766.post-64616268393043736102009-07-17T06:44:00.003-04:002009-07-17T07:00:41.237-04:00

Yeah, I am still here.And I am doing great, actually. Tired most of the time from my hectic new schedule of, oh, say, 3 jobs plus having a pair of kids at home for the summer. Hmm. Make that 5 jobs if you count the kids and my unpaid but very busy job as my drum teacher's business manager.But it is all good these days.Here's the latest:Job 1. Kids. Great. They are about old enough to fend

Rachel Nguyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01534890739695708419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5826766.post-66329207713785822222009-06-15T14:47:00.002-04:002009-06-15T14:49:49.165-04:00

Even broken, my heart loves big.I feel like it fills so full it overflows. Today I am in love with the world. Is it that I can see God in you? Is it that you, too, are so full you are overflowing?Let's sit together and overflow together.Because even broken, my heart seems to work.

Rachel Nguyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01534890739695708419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5826766.post-42462444089058906302009-06-11T14:38:00.003-04:002009-09-18T12:12:24.317-04:00

This week I accepted a job as the Executive Director of CareNet, RI. CareNet is a pregnancy resource center that supports women facing unplanned pregnancies. I have been volunteering for them for about 3 years now, teaching childbirth classes. For a brief time in the fall, I also worked there as the volunteer coordinator.I am excited to be doing this job. CareNet offers critically necessary

Rachel Nguyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01534890739695708419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5826766.post-74723176966670114912009-06-09T08:36:00.005-04:002009-06-09T13:38:48.668-04:00

When I wake up, it is the first thought that enters my mind. My friend. My loss. My sadness.And at night, as I am drifting off again, it is the last thought of the day.Day in and day out.During the day, if you bump into me at the grocery store, or see me in a drumming class, or chat with me by phone, you may not recognize that something has changed. It's not the brave face, exactly. More

Rachel Nguyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01534890739695708419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5826766.post-69403480239566299452009-06-05T21:33:00.004-04:002009-06-05T21:52:07.498-04:00

When my friend Mazé died, I spent a week crying. It was one of the saddest weeks of my life.And I noticed some things.People had a hard time dealing with my grief. My mom kept trying to rush me off the phone. Some of my friends didn't want to be near me when I was crying. Others seemed to be having a difficult time understanding why I was so upset since I had only known Mazé for a short

Rachel Nguyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01534890739695708419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5826766.post-65321318709424832722009-05-22T09:29:00.000-04:002009-05-22T09:30:40.467-04:00

My dear friend and teacher, Mazé Kouyaté, died unexpectedly this week in Bamako. We suspect it was a cerebral hemmorhage.Mazé was a very intuitive and powerful teacher. When I studied with him, he never said a word, or even used facial expressions, but would just demonstrate what he wanted me to do and wait until I got it. I will never forget what a thrill it was when it all finally clicked. I

Rachel Nguyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01534890739695708419noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5826766.post-87259000197321966622009-05-11T15:37:00.002-04:002009-05-11T15:44:46.287-04:00

When I work at Nicole's, I often cook several dishes at once. I feel like a kitchen dervish, chopping here, tasting there, lifting lids on steaming pots and stirring stir fries while the smells of baking things emanate from the oven. I am a culinary mad scientist. My life is kind of like that, too. Together, the many dishes can sometimes be overwhelming, but each is a labor of love. Each dish

Rachel Nguyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01534890739695708419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5826766.post-34582750749290072692009-04-11T23:18:00.003-04:002009-04-11T23:23:09.081-04:00

God surprises me.I never know what to expect from Holy week. And each year it is different.This year, I did all the same stuff, but the big surprise was that the moment... you know, THE moment, was during the Great Vigil tonight. It was when my priest was singing the beginning of the liturgy, in the darkness, in the candlelight. When suddenly I was overcome with gratitude and love and filled

Rachel Nguyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01534890739695708419noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5826766.post-66002741968298808382009-04-02T09:30:00.001-04:002009-04-02T09:30:05.699-04:00

My hero.

Rachel Nguyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01534890739695708419noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5826766.post-59909710423670388192009-04-02T08:52:00.002-04:002009-04-02T09:26:12.848-04:00

Day 6 on my new food plan.I tell you, cooking for my client has helped me a lot. She needs her food to be nutritionally excellent because it is fuel. Plus it has to taste great. So even before I went to the doctor, I was thinking about making some changes to my diet. The first few days on Weight Watchers were TOUGH. Your body kind of goes into shock when you first start a program. I was

Rachel Nguyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01534890739695708419noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5826766.post-95484782297214112009-03-27T16:05:00.003-04:002009-03-27T16:14:09.124-04:00

I know people who think they are fat, even when they are thin. They look in a mirror and the image looking back is big, but in reality, they are normal sized.I am pretty much the exact opposite. My body size is much larger in reality than it is in my head. When I look in the mirror, I see round, yes, but mostly I see myself as a fabulous babe. :-)It often comes as a shock when I see someone

Rachel Nguyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01534890739695708419noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5826766.post-90696053114615442942009-03-21T10:03:00.004-04:002009-03-21T10:18:46.909-04:00

My friend's husband does not have pancreatic cancer. The tumor is benign. When I saw him last night I felt like I was seeing Lazarus back from the dead. This week has been hellish for them... the days between finding the tumor and the biopsy.I have a confession. I did not handle this well.I have way too much experience with pancreatic cancer for one lifetime. And I love my friends so much it

Rachel Nguyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01534890739695708419noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5826766.post-19748703074214332242009-03-17T09:12:00.002-04:002009-03-17T09:16:05.602-04:00

If you are reading this post, I want to ask a favor.My friend Paul is having a biopsy on Thursday on his pancreas. Over the weekend they found a mass on it.Please pray that the mass is benign. Pray for him, his beautiful wife and his children. Pray that they will have the strength to deal with whatever is coming.

Rachel Nguyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01534890739695708419noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5826766.post-61018068184930730972009-03-17T09:05:00.002-04:002009-03-17T09:11:23.685-04:00

So, a friend read my blog post about the dent and called me. "I want you to get your car fixed" she said. She explained that she felt there was enough abundance in God's world for giving AND car repairs. That it wasn't an either/or proposition.I was stunned. But not really. I didn't want to accept her offer. But I did. I cried.Nguyen said 'You know it's not necessary.'And I said, yeah, I

Rachel Nguyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01534890739695708419noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5826766.post-972461179021163812009-03-02T20:29:00.002-05:002009-03-02T20:35:27.932-05:00

The doctor with the yarmulke.You, beautiful Muslim woman with the head scarf in the produce aisle. Or you,Monk,Walking down Westminster street, white rope tied around your waistBrown hooded backBlack shoesYouWhen I see you, I am reminded of how much I love God. And how much I love that you, too, love God.And it makes me love you.Yes, you.

Rachel Nguyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01534890739695708419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5826766.post-4960988321571924382009-03-01T12:19:00.003-05:002009-03-01T12:30:26.506-05:00

Walk with me, will you?Because we will feel alone, you and I. We will feel like we are standing at the base of Mount Sinai in the Judean hills, with nothing, not a living thing, for miles.We will forget that Jesus is walking with us. When we feel exposed and naked in the glare of the desert light, when we cannot find a place to hide, we will feel utterly and completely alone.But we won't be,

Rachel Nguyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01534890739695708419noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5826766.post-89783202684995075632009-02-25T10:00:00.004-05:002009-02-25T10:34:22.064-05:00

A few weeks ago, a woman backed her car into the side of my minivan and left a huge dent.For the first time in 20 years, I filed a claim with my insurance company. A couple of days later, an adjuster came out to the house, assessed the damage, determined that I was not at fault and wrote me a check.I fully intended to get the car repaired.I love my car. It is the closest I have ever come to

Rachel Nguyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01534890739695708419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5826766.post-3972185260405614262009-02-22T15:56:00.002-05:002009-02-22T16:16:15.230-05:00

Today, during his homily, our Rector announced that he is retiring and will be leaving at the end of June.He said it so matter of factly I almost didn't react at first. His homily was a prelude to our annual meeting, which took place following the service. By the time I really registered what he said, we were on to the Nicene Creed.As we said the creed, it occurred to me that it was totally

Rachel Nguyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01534890739695708419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5826766.post-29383383498277905062009-02-01T22:46:00.003-05:002009-02-01T22:55:49.024-05:00

Yesterday was the first day I was out and about. I went to the Vietnamese New Year party at my sister in laws.A couple of people asked about my trip and I couldn't talk about it without crying. I am not sure why. At one point, I was actually suppressing sobs. I was talking to my brother's girlfriend and I could barely hold it together.Today I had lunch with my drumming teacher. I called him

Rachel Nguyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01534890739695708419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5826766.post-63025810473724937222009-01-31T10:18:00.004-05:002009-01-31T10:22:10.298-05:00

You know how when you hear your voice recorded it sounds totally foreign and strange? When I catch the sound of my own voice on a recording, I am always mortified to realize that that is how I must sound to others. But here's something funny:As I have been listening to the recordings of the drumming in Mali, I have caught a few bits of my own voice speaking French and for some reason, it is far

Rachel Nguyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01534890739695708419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5826766.post-6038631376560922092009-01-31T09:31:00.001-05:002009-01-31T09:31:57.348-05:00

Spectacle Ballet du District de Bamako Video sent by pazonote Thanks to my friend Bubudi at Djembefola forum! Here's a video of some of my friends from Mali. The second group to perform is the District of Bamako Troupe. My dance teacher is the man in gold with the dreadlocks. My drumming teacher is the soloist.

Rachel Nguyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01534890739695708419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5826766.post-33072355747879395152009-01-30T18:04:00.003-05:002009-01-30T18:18:28.448-05:00

Bear with me. I am working this out as I write.I think when friends say that a relationship or situation is 'complex', it is a code word for something else: Conflicted. Angry. Hurt. Damaging.I remember having breakfast once with a woman who practices 'polyamory'. In other words, she has multiple relationships going at once. She was a Christian and we were at a conference together and when

Rachel Nguyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01534890739695708419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5826766.post-64383052463457374122009-01-30T11:58:00.002-05:002009-01-30T12:16:06.516-05:00

I got sick on the way home from Mali and have been in bed nursing a bad cold since I got back.On many levels this was a major bummer. Obviously there were lots of things that needed to get done. Nguyen's patience was already tried mightily having the two boys for two weeks while I was gallivanting around Bamako. For me, too, being sick was no fun at all. It has been terrible to miss work for

Rachel Nguyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01534890739695708419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5826766.post-26768578115289690402009-01-28T14:18:00.002-05:002009-01-28T14:27:50.972-05:00

I spoke French in Mali. My French is 18 years rusty... and was never that good to begin with. On paper, I studied it for 7 years or so. In reality, I never really 'got it'.So in Mali, a few things came back, but it was painfully frustrating much of time. I would go running to my friend Lisa's dictionary to find that crucial word. The word that would open the whole realm of meaning in a

Rachel Nguyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01534890739695708419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5826766.post-36512938987400920262009-01-24T08:48:00.002-05:002009-01-24T08:55:58.009-05:00

My new Malian sister gave me some beaded bracelets as a going away gift. They were tied together with a little scrap of plastic bag.Each morning, when our housekeeper started a charcoal fire for the tea, she used a bit of black plastic grocery bag as a firestarter. It worked like a charm.Nothing is wasted in Mali. Not the bags, not the food, scraps of metal or bits of this or that. Everything

Rachel Nguyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01534890739695708419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5826766.post-82433299210540249112009-01-23T09:36:00.003-05:002009-01-23T10:05:55.392-05:00

I have tried to start this post several times, but get halfway through the first sentence and abandon it.Maybe it is because there is too much to tell. Maybe because I am still processing. Maybe because I am still grieving a little for having left Bamako.I cried on the plane ride home. Not because I wasn't happy to be coming home, but because I was overwhelmed at how much joy I felt while I

Rachel Nguyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01534890739695708419noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5826766.post-91277726264773571482009-01-13T13:15:00.002-05:002009-01-13T13:44:23.013-05:00

My posts will remain short because it is so difficult to type using the French keyboard... but I just want to check in and say that life here has been very very good. We are thouroughly enjoying our time. Every day we study dance and drumming, then perhaps go out to some street party to see other drummers and dancers.My birthday was one of the most extraordinary experiences of my entire life.

Rachel Nguyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01534890739695708419noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5826766.post-74080240910177745112009-01-09T10:14:00.002-05:002009-01-09T10:31:36.145-05:00

Today is day three and I feel like I have been in Africa forever. Except that the keyboard is different, so typing is very slow and laborious.Food- unbelievable.Bed- Very comfortable.Africa- I don't know where to begin. Perhaps there is no way to begin. Except that before I came people said that this would be a life changing experience... and I think it would be more accurate to say it is a

Rachel Nguyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01534890739695708419noreply@blogger.com4