refugees

been educating/discussing refugees with the kiddies. first lesson was to educate them that refugees are people seeking refuge (they're not necessarily terrorist or criminals as many of them assumed) asked them what they think should happen. most of them concluded that we should treat them as we would like to be treated be there should be some sort of checking system to make sure they don't have contagious diseases, drugs or bombs. i ask them how long people should be detained whilst this was happening...they reckoned a few days, or however long the health check results take, they pointed out that you can tell straight away if they have bombs or drugs.

then i read them some stories of people who have been in port hedland detention centre for years.

kid: so basically they are guilty until they can prove themselve innocent
me: ummm
another kid: that's like what they did to schapelle corby - guilty until proven innocent
another kid: how are they suppose to prove their innocent while their stuck in a detention
centre? do they get lawers?
another kid: why would they get lawers? they haven't done anything?




my favourite ad is floating through my head...

we are one, but we are many
and from all the lands on earth we come
we share a dream, we sing with one voice
i am, you are, we are......AUSTRALIAN

i've always been proud to be an aussie, and those kids certainly are.
come on aussies, lets stick up for the underdog - charlie

rode to school for the first time in 10 days today :)
kid: why didn't you ride to school last week miss?
me: because it was raining and i don't really like riding in the rain.
kid: so you only care about the environment when it's convenient?

umm, yeah i guess...just like i only care about refugees and poverty and the poor and the oppressed when it's convenient...

charlie

having the urge to blurt but i really should shut up!! listen...be still...wait...breathe...wait...rest...pray...

"Like slavery and apartheid, poverty is not natural. It is man-made and it can be overcome and eradicated by the actions of human beings." - Nelson Mandela

haven't been riding this week. to wet. charlie

god's presence

read/experienced this on sacred space this morning.

I reflect for a moment on God's presence around me and in me.
Creator of the universe, the sun and the moon, the earth, every molecule, every atom, everything that is:
God is in every beat of my heart.
God is with me, now.

god is in every beat of my heart...every beat?? but,but,but......

-charlie

:(

from the desert to the mountain top and back again. missing my girl friends. got a letter from one of them yesterday. made me ball my eyes out…knew it would…why did I so desperately want to read it?

one month ago…the mountain top…i remember…

called up an old, old friend on sunday night. it felt so good to speak to her…so good that I drove to bunbury to catch up face to face…there’s nothing like real human contact. i've never been good at the long distance thing.

the drive itself brought me back to life (in a strange superficial way). cranked up the music, skulled the V, opened the window and charged though the pouring rain…arrrhhhh…to be young and free…

and the next day…the ocean was alive, the rain poured, the thunder crashed. awe, beauty, fear…all at once. waiting to exhale…alive…really alive. a day forever etched in my mind.

and now i’m back home, back in the ‘real’ world. I have about 40 hours worked to do over the next three days (because I didn’t do any last weekend). i miss my friends. i miss my friend.
charlie

Bells

Went to Bells rapid today. It was my first time shooting the rapids in this kayak so i thought i might post a couple of pics. not bad eh?- case



Bells Rapid 1

Bells Rapid 2 

'nothing exciting happens on the path of least resistance'

gold quote from lauren, sunday night