Currently Reading....

Right now I'm reading Mountains beyond Mountains, the story of Paul Farmer, doctor in Haiti and founder of PIH, Partners in Health. I've been wanting to read it for years, since it is one of my sister's favorite book, and she brought it to me when she came to visit. I remember that on of the YWAM leaders when I was in England and S. Africa said they tried to read a biography of a Christian missionary or spiritual leader every year (or maybe every six months), because it's inspirational and helps encourage you in the work your doing, get back to your roots and the larger picture as well. It's very good advice. I feel similarly reading books like these (last month I read Three Cups of Tea). While I think I would enjoy them and be inspired by them if I were reading them back home, it's all the more strong and meaningful (perhaps more alive) reading them here, doing what we're doing. It does help inspire and also encourage you to continue on in this work, work of development or "helping others", schools, health, environment. It's helpful to hear their stories, to learn about their struggles and mostly their triumphs and successes after years of work in places many people don't go, or wouldn't stick it out in. And it really is a good thing for me to be reading these books, egging me on to be a better person, to serve people here better, to aspire for more selflessness, more generosity, more drive, vision, and passion, especially comparing oneself (and one's mentality) to Paul Farmer or Greg Mortenson.