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13 April 2009 – The Guest Blog

April 13, 2009 Greg Traverso Uncategorized

Chris and Debi Lorenc have been following the curve of the earth for about six months now, from the Pacific Northwest to the Arctic Circle to Scotland and Italy and Spain and France and Turkey and Egypt and some other important places I have neglected to mention. They arrived in Kenya a couple of weeks ago. You have seen them in photos in Recent News postings, and, in fact, many of the photos you have seen lately have been Debi’s. They are among my dearest friends and having them here is, well, like Easter after Lent.

They have been chronicling their journey in a wonderful blog that you can find on their website:

http://redegggallery.blogspot.com/

and as a special Easter treat they’ve posted the latest entry right here on good ol’  rrop.org. So settle in, bite the ears off a chocolate rabbit and give yourself over to Debi’s photographic gifts and Chris’ writing, which finds the voice in these images and lets it speak.

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Drum roll please.

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This is a contemporaneous blog. That is, right now, we’re right where we say we are: in Kenya.

Specifically, we are in Lukenya, Kenya – about 45 minutes outside of Nairobi — with our dear friend Dave Saunders.

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Dave is the on-the-ground lead person for creating Red Rhino Orphanage here.

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The mission of Red Rhino Orphanage is to create a sanctuary for orphans that provides children with the safety, housing, medical care, and education that they need “in a loving, structured environment on a long term, permanent basis.”

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The west often presents itself with a face of Africa that is the face of a suffering child.

There is truth in this image

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…but no more truth than the face of beauty and promise and strength.

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Dave has been a close friend for 25+ years. Chris and Dave taught together at Bellarmine in San José. Our sons Matt and Nate virtually grew up with Amy and Allison, Dave (and Pearl’s) daughters.

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And there are layers and layers to our friendship.

And yet as well as we know Dave, we are amazed to see in person the dimensions of the work he is directing here…through all the bureaucracy and corruption and colonialist history – and through the sheer weight of the need.

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Dave has been here working on this project for 3+ years now.

There has been an amazingly intelligent and industrious base of leadership and support back home – specifically in the community of Stockton. We can’t adequately describe that whole matrix here.

But we heartily recommend to you Red Rhino’s own website and Dave’s blog. It is perceptive, sharp, witty, literary, hip.

https://rrop.org

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Brit Stockert is also here, volunteering for four months. Brit was formerly in the Air Force, but has been moving from that experience towards pacifism. Here in Kenya she is working towards achieving NGO status for Red Rhino, and she has also been volunteering in an existing children’s home.

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Today on Good Friday we prayed the Stations of the Cross through the streets of Nairobi

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…and spilled into the basilica until it was filled with several thousand people.

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We remembered and venerated Christ’s passion and death

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…and prayed that by accepting suffering ourselves

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…we might grow into a community

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…who would serve one another more lovingly.

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We are connected with the Red Rhino orphanage project not just because of our friendship with Dave and other friends at Red Rhino, but because of this shared belief that we need to build communities in which we each support one another more lovingly.

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We have been traveling for 6 months now. From the very conception of this trip, no single place on our map has been as earmarked and dog-eared as being here with Dave and the Red Rhino Orphanage has been.

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God willing, nothing else was going to stop us from getting at least this far.


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Bless you all in this season of resurrection and renewal and friendship.

David, Debi, Chris and Brit


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Comments(12)

  1. jim micheletti says
    April 13, 2009 at 5:47 pm

    Love loudly. Debi, Chris, and Dave–I’m seeing much Trinity at work here.
    Smiles and determination, dignity and grace. Eager to be in on a discussion for an immersion program for students, including one slightly older one who is considering kayaking there directly from Monterey.

  2. martin says
    April 14, 2009 at 12:16 am

    dave — this is a fantastic blog entry. except somewhere up there they called you “hip”. while that gigantic-flying-neckflap hat you’re rockin may be functional, it ain’t hip.

    be hopeful gilbert doesn’t mistake you for a king cobra and let fly with the shovel.

    –martin

  3. Dennis J. Bava says
    April 14, 2009 at 12:17 am

    Buona Pasqua…David, Debi, Chris and Brit!

    The photos and commentary are very fitting for this Easter Season!

    For what David has done and is doing out of his genuine love for the children at Red Rhino, words alone are inadequate. How wonderful it is that Debi, Chris and Britt are with David, to witness God’s manifestation of His works through him.

    Together with his high school classmates of over 40 yrs. ago, we shall toast David and all the selfless and generous supporters of Red Rhino, when we meet in Menlo Park on 25 April, for St. Joe’s and St. Pat’s Alumni Day.

    David, caro fratello, ti voglio tante bene!

  4. Bob says
    April 14, 2009 at 8:09 am

    Beautifully & gracefully done! I hope you (Chris & Debi) enjoy the rest of your trip as much as I enjoyed your posting & David, if you’re still reading Sally Forth, you’re not as out of touch as I might have suspected…I hope you’ve had a chance to read your book with the best title ever,”Why Time Begins On Opening Day.” Go Pads! 6 & 2 with a sweep of the Gmen…Bob

  5. Rod says
    April 14, 2009 at 12:36 pm

    Good to see such great friends together in such a faraway land. David, I hope that they brought an extra razor or is that an NCAA victory beard growing? Rod

  6. Peggy says
    April 15, 2009 at 10:38 pm

    Beautiful

    I just came home from a three day absence to find my freezer had been left open. Loss of food ($$), extra electricity ($) doesn’t matter after reading this message that gives me back perspective.

    Thanks to Chris and Debi, and as always to you David, and to Brit on whom we are relying.

    From the Stockton home front–
    Peggy

  7. david says
    April 16, 2009 at 6:04 pm

    Dear Jim,

    Start paddlin’! We’ll all be happier when you beach the boat in Mombasa. Just be sure to bring Lisa and Kristen and Sophia with you, and immerse us all in the glory of family feminine beauty. We’ll start talking.

    Please bring Hawaiian burgers. Love,

    David

  8. david says
    April 16, 2009 at 6:14 pm

    Dear Martin,

    Evidently your cable package doesn’t include the BRAVO channel, because you musn’t have seen Heidi Klum strutting her gigantic-flying-neck flap hat on Project Runway. She’s always copying me…and I’m not loaning her my Samba’s…no matter what.

    Recent running score: Gilbert/shovel = 2 cobras = 0

    I’m sending you a subscription to Vogue.

    Love,

    David

  9. david says
    April 16, 2009 at 6:22 pm

    Caro Dennis,

    Keep the spare room swept, because one of these trips I’m going to pretend to return to Kenya and sneak up to Lago di Como and hangout with you and Anna and George.

    Hug all the fellas for me at the reunion, and let’s all keep looking up, where they’re always pointing.

    Your pal,

    David

  10. david says
    April 16, 2009 at 6:32 pm

    Hi Bob,

    I have read some of “Opening Day” and saw in my mind the green that only a ball field through a tunnel opening can conjure. I’ll take Los Gigantes at 2-6, at least for now, as long as the Pads stay one step ahead of the dredded (locked ) Bums.

    Infield practice at the diamond around June 20th.

    Sallying forth,

    David

  11. david says
    April 16, 2009 at 6:39 pm

    Hi Rod,

    I can’t afford a razor until my winnings check arrives. Until then, it’s Scoobie Doo.

    Keep the bait fresh. Love to Karen.

    David

  12. david says
    April 16, 2009 at 6:43 pm

    Dear Peggy,

    Sorry to hear about the accidental defrost, and glad about the renewed perspective.

    All four of us here are fine, and sending love to the homefront. Thanks for your rock steady work and continual moral support.

    D,B,C&D

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