12/02/2016

I don't travel much, for different reasons. First, I don't need to, secondly, I don't enjoy traveling alone (I have two very clear memories of moments when I promised myself solemnly never to go anywhere alone again - in Milan's old town and in Venice; I hated being in those marvelous places alone), and third, it's usually annoyingly expensive. But I have already three trips lined up for the next year. It's rather unusual. But what's more, each of these trips represent something that has real value and significance for me. So I am hoping these trips will clarify some things in my life, maybe even lead me to the right direction.

I'm going to Newbold again - now that's the only trip I can call 'annual'. I just have to breathe Newbold air at least once a year. My English friends - I'll be in Newbold and/or London on April 4th-11th. If you're around, do come say hello, I'd love it! My purpose of going, well, firstly, just to be around the places I used to be madly in love with. I still hold the view that these three Newbold years were the best ones of my life - carefree, grief-free, filled with wondrous theology and inspiring people to the brim. Most people have long since gone but The Lady and Dr A. N. are still there and that's a reason as good as any to go there. I need to sit in the library and use some books I can't get hold of here (in preparation of Newbold Licence teaching in Riga), I want to have the traditional exhibition-bookstore trip with Dr A. N. And I need to look into the possibility of doing my doctorate in Newbold (through Wales). It's just an idea but I need to look into this and talk to Newbold people. I'm not going to study there just yet but I need a clear picture how it would look like if I decided to go one day and do it full time. Phew, talking about clarifying one's life and future!

Secondly, it looks like I am going to leave Europe for the very first time in my life in the end of May. I might go to Lebanon for 1,5 weeks. The story behind it is rather long but to cut it short, I have ended up in a very bright group of people (mostly from the Baptist church) who are deeply concerned about the migration crisis and how the church could or should respond to it. There has been a lot of brain washing happening here in Estonia and people are hysterical about refugees coming here. So we have been thinking about what could be done. Someone suggested we visited some refugee camps and churches in the Middle East to see how Christians are coping there and what they are doing on a daily basis to help people who have escaped from the war zones. There are about two million refugees in Lebanon and some local Baptists have connections with Christians over there. As soon as they started talking about the possibility of going, I was like, Count me in! I'm so coming with you! And it looks like it really is going to happen. We are looking for different ways of funding this trip at the moment but if all goes well, I should be able to get a first-hand experience of refugee camps soon. And that, heavens, might be a life-changer for me. We'll see.

And then. About two weeks ago I received the official invite from the Division to speak at the youth congress in Valencia next August. I was starting to suspect the whole thing had been T.'s prank but now it really does look like it's going to happen. It's a 12 minute TED talk on a given topic (I'm not comfortable talking about the topic just yet) plus a workshop on homiletics that I'm expected to do there. 3000 youth. I've never spoken to such a crowd in my life and I am a bit uncertain how the whole thing will turn out but I'm willing to work hard on my talk and give it my best shot. Youth congresses are always so much fun so I'm hoping to make some great memories there. Good stuff!

It feels like good things & good places sometimes do come my way. The chances must be taken and memories made. Life needs to be lived. These will be the times I'll remember on my deathbed.

--

Paolo Nutini, Million Faces

3 comments:

  1. Visit to Newbold and 2017 Valencia AYC = great news! :D I'm really happy for you! And count me in as an audience member in your workshop, will you? In the meantime, merry Christmas! :)

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  2. Thank you, Joao! I guess I'll meet you in April then - it's good to have a couple of familiar faces in Newbold still. :) But I hardly think there's anything new for you to learn in my Homiletics workshop lol.

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  3. Why would you think that? It's always good to have new perspectives! :P

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