Blue Christmas

Swiss Mountain Lake

When we were gathering and sorting photos for a 'Christmas' card to send to family and friends this year we realized there was a blue theme that unified many of the pictures. You can see our card here as well as a couple of the originals.

In some ways it doesn't seem that long ago that we posted Christmas greetings on this site a year ago. I don't feel like I have any profound Advent/Christmas thoughts to share this year - but if you need some encouragement or a reminder of some things that matter during this season that often becomes so frantic - go to Geography of Grace - the website that I still manage and edit for CTM. There have been some powerful and moving thoughts posted this Advent season.

We had a great time taking photos of swooping seagulls one day at a NC beach.

We are grateful for the opportunities that have come our way this year - the opportunity to continue in school and pursue a calling (see Andrea's school update below), being able to return to work and have a steady income, catching up with old friends and classmates, Switzerland, clear blue North Carolina skies, and profound moments at Duke Chapel.

Duke Chapel lit up by sunlight shining through the stained glass windows at this time of year.

Wherever you find yourself at this time, may you find hope and joy and peace this season.

Duncan and Andrea

Andrea's School Update

Duke Campus this Fall

Well it has certainly been a while since you heard directly from me. School has been all consuming for good and for bad! I continue to feel very privileged to be able to take three years and learn many things that I had never even heard of before, but I also struggle with impatience in wanting to be back in the real world. At this point I’m exactly half way through my dual degrees (Master of Public Policy and Master of Business Administration) and have another year and a half left.

Duke Library

This past semester was my first semester of business school. It was a whirlwind of eleven classes in twenty weeks! For those of you who knew my fear of taking an accounting class and learning that I had done it all wrong for my job as Finance Manager, the good news is I don’t think I’m going to jail. J The bad news was, my years of bookkeeping and accounting experience in a nonprofit did not help me much in for-profit accounting! I had no leg up in taxes, inventory, bad debt, investments, and common stock, which, you know, turned out to be the entire premise of the class. Oh well, the point of school is to learn, no? J

Other highlights from this semester include: participating in an overnight case consulting challenge and getting third place overall with my team, working on a project for a new marketing campaign for a domestic violence and sexual assault center that will continue through next semester, “starting” a company and “making” over four million dollars in six weeks for a class, hearing interesting speakers who come to Duke (like Apolo Anton Ohno), and finally presenting two papers I wrote at Southern Connecticut State University’s conference on human trafficking at the end of October.

Andrea and Apolo Anton Ohno, Andrea speaking at the SCSU human trafficking conference

In January I start my second semester of business school and then will do another summer internship. In what, I am not sure, but trust that I am working hard over this break to make contacts and figure it out. However, do rest assured that I am also spending some quality time over break laying on the couch reading for pleasure and catching up on news, TV, and sleep!

Duke Gardens this Fall

Summer Summary

Well for the random few that do check this site, patiently waiting and hoping for an update - I wanted to post a quick update to let you know the big news. After a whole year and way too many job applications...finally...tomorrow I rejoin the working world in almost a fulltime capacity! 32 hours is actually ideal as it allows me to keep doing some of the part-time work I have been doing for Center for Transforming Mission as well as potentially set up a little private practice as well. It's been a long time coming! I certainly didn't think that our one year anniversary here in North Carolina would come and go before I began working again. So thanks to those who have been so supportive and prayerful during this time. I'll write more about what the job entails after I find out what it entails in the next couple weeks!

All the middle school and high school kids here head back to school this week and Duke undergrad students begin in a week so it's somewhat fitting that I start back too! Andrea has already been back in school three weeks. After returning from Switzerland, she had a week in Seattle, got back here on a Wednesday and then started school on Sunday, August 1. It's been a bit of a whirlwind for her. But so far, she is liking business school. It would be interesting to see what she would say was her summer highlight. Perhaps one day she'll write something here! (But, don't hold your breath!)

In addition to the three weeks in Switzerland the highlight of my summer was my Faith Academy class reunion. It's really hard to believe that it has been 20 years since the great class of 1990 graduated. For fellow Faith alum who might read this, I have included just a couple photos of those that gathered just a couple hours away from Durham coming from North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Virginia, Washington, Texas, California, Pennsylvania, Ireland, Cambodia and the Philippines. (Hope you recognize some faces! More photos on facebook if you are interested.) I wasn't expecting it to be such a profound couple of days for me, but it really was a significant time for which I am so grateful! I wrote the following on our Class of 90 Facebook wall:

It's been a wonderful 48 hours and as pics are posted and hopefully some thoughts and comments too, hope that those who weren't able to join us can get a taste and also know that you were greatly missed. From some good filipino food to late night discussions, swimming, hearing a few never before told stories, to realizing that the Scharfe's and Miss Wollerton were a little younger than we all are now when they started at Faith(!!!) to a wonderful time of sharing- it has been a quality time and reminded me how thankful I am for our remarkable class. Last night as we walked to the symphony and fireworks in Charlotte our line of 40 or so folks including all the kids stretched for a block. It was quite the sight...Truly grateful.

so many stories...

so much laughter...let me capture this moment

the flash of the fireworks

the light in your faces

i want time to slow down for just a little longer

in your presence I have felt at home

Finally, before I head off to bed, a plug for another website/blog of sorts that I am privileged to manage for CTM. Geography of Grace is an online gathering place for conversation and resource-sharing among followers of Jesus living and working in vulnerable communities. We also hope to be a “listening post” for all people who hunger for good news in our world. We have glimpsed the transforming work of Immanuel—God with us—among the least, last, and lost. Through Geography of Grace, we want to give voice to that story.

Anyway, as mentioned, as part of my work with CTM which includes grantwriting and editing, I also manage this site and post a weekly article or thought. You won't get much of my writing but for those who have a heart for justice especially among the vulnerable and marginalized in the world, you might appreciate it. I posted the following poem a few weeks ago. It seems to fit well with the wandering nature of The Wilson's Wanderings as well. Enjoy!

there is a place

beyond the border

where love grows

and where peace

is not the frozen silence . . .

to get to that place you have to

go or be pushed out

beyond the borders,

to where it is lonely, fearful,

threatening, unknown.

only after you have wandered

for a long time in the dark

do you begin to bump into others

also branded, exiled,border crossers,

and find you walk oncommon ground.

it is not an easy place to be,

this place beyond the borders.

but it is a good place to be.

Kathy Galloway

(Sani Pass border crossing from S. Africa to Lesotho)

Switzerland - Take Two

When Andrea and I were here two years ago, I don't think either of us thought we would be back so soon, but no complaints here! So from a land of alpine mountains, lakes and meadows, where bells can continuously be heard ringing out from church steeples and making music under the necks of peaceful cows and sometimes nervous sheep, a country of chocolate and cheese - and so much more - this is just a brief update on the latest wanderings. I have been delighted to be able to experience all of the Swiss adjectives and descriptions above and then some! And I have been able to hang out with Andrea on weekends and a couple days that she was able to take off.

After spending a couple nights in Geneva, most of my time has been spent in Weinfelden, a small village about an hour north of Zurich. Like so many Swiss towns it straddles a river and then creeps up the hills and is quickly surrounded by fields and farms. Andrea and I arrived for the weekend and our gracious hosts have been Thomas and Lilian, our fellow travellers who we met in South Africa and have been friends with since. I have stayed with them for the past two weekends along with Andrea and also the week in between when she returned to Geneva. In addition to feeding us and answering our many questions, they have also taken us to Appenzell and Ebenalp for a good swiss hike and a great Rosti (a hearty somewhat similar to hashbrowns meal but so much better topped off with pungent Appenzeller cheese) lunch at a restaurant perched literally on the side of the cliff.
(Photo: Andrea, Thomas and Lilian beginning the hike up to Ebenalp.)

(Photo: Berggasthaus Aescher - 170 year old mountain hut welcoming visitors and serving great Rosti.)




(Photo below: Fondue dinner with Thomas, Lilian and her dad.)





We have also had dinner with their parents and I was fortunate to be able to spend the day with Lilian's dad as he took me to the Abbey Library at St. Gall (St. Gallen). I wasn't quite sure what to expect when it was suggested to go see a library - but when you realize that it was back in 612 that the Irish monk Gallus erected his hermitage on the site, you start to realize the significance of the place. By the 9th century it was a thriving abbey. So the "library" built in Late Baroque style around 1760 is the library of the former Benedictine monastary which had a second period of glory in the 17th and 18th centuries. Today it contains about 170,000 works, of which 2100 manuscripts predate theyear 1000. It is quite amazing to see books that were written so many years ago. And the actual room is exquisite. For sure it earns it's World Heritage Site status. And just for good measure, Hans (Lilian's dad) also took me to the shore of Lake Constance and across the border into Germany which sits on the lake.
(Photo of library taken from a post card - no pictures allowed inside!)

Another day I went into Zurich with Thomas where he is a Dentist at the university there. He gave me a grand tour and got to see him work on a patient. I explored some of the sights in Zurich including the great churches before surprising Heinz and Christiane Mayer, long time former co-workers of my parents in North Thailand who now live and work in Zurich. I hadn't seen them for probably twenty years and pulled a classic TCK move not letting them know I was coming. After much catching up and a quick delicious thai meal we made plans to get-together again yesterday when Andrea was back so that they could meet her. Joining us at lunch yesterday was son David and his wife Christine. As it always is, it was great to catch up and reminisce a little. Heinz and Christiane operate an incredible home for university students (international and Swiss) called Oase . It really is a wonderful gift and service that they offer.

After another delicious thai meal, we went to the Zurich zoo - another highlight of this trip for me. Whenever we travel we try and explore zoos or botanical gardens and the Zurich Zoo does not disappoint!

Another highlight of my time here was spending a couple days with Hedi Herrman - another former colleague of my parents in Thailand. We stayed with her two years ago and were thankful to be able to catch up again.

Weather wise, it was cold and grey the first week (the coldest May Switzerland has had in years - seems to be a theme where ever we go), but this past week has been glorious. Sunny and warm. The farmers are cutting their hay, the cows and sheep are happy and content in the fields. I have loved walking up the hill behind Weinfelden and exploring the farms, fields and forests of this beautiful country. Anything alive and growing always captures my attention so whether it is an amazing tropical greenhouse or a cute cow (or the three very cute degu's Thomas and Lilian own), there has been much to keep me enthralled. How can you resist the following faces?

Until next time...Duncan













(Andrea trying the Alpine horn before our fondue dinner at Lilian's dad's house.)

Seasons

This too shall pass…good words to remember when times are good but especially when times are hard…that nothing stays the same forever.

This will be a post on seasons – both literal and metaphorically – but in many ways using seasons as a theme is the best way to sum up the past four or five months. I don’t think I have ever been as grateful for the coming of new seasons even if the hoped for metaphorical seasons aren’t quite as dependable as the literal changing seasons.

Since last posting (in December!!! Happy New Year everyone! OK, Thai New year wasn’t that long ago), we have walked through three literal seasons here in North Carolina – Winter, an incredibly short Spring and now what I consider to be Summer (but the locals most likely still refer to it as Spring!) But when it is 90 (32 C) degrees in the first week of April and local strawberries are being picked – I call that summer! Everyone said that North Carolina was much colder and snowier this past winter. Although we didn’t have quite the dumping that other places on the East Coast experienced we did have snow several times. (Photo: Andrea on the deserted street in front of our neighborhood.) But I’ll take a colder, snowier but much shorter and sunnier North Carolina winter over a long dragged out Western Washington winter any day. Now of course this year, Seattle and Tacoma experienced the warmest winter they have had in years!

I was actually back in the Northwest three times during the first three months of the year. In January I attended a week long retreat at Mt. Angel Abbey in Oregon organized by Center for Transforming Mission and the Street Psalms Community. (More on CTM later.) It was my first time to stay at a monastery and be able to experience the daily rhythms of the life the monks live which was good and a timely gift. I was also able to spend time with family and friends back in Seattle/Tacoma. During this time a short term employment opportunity also presented itself. Sadly it was due to the closing of Sound Youth Counseling, the counseling agency where I worked in Tacoma for seven years before leaving in 2008. It’s a long story, but due to several reasons that could have been easily avoided, the decision was made to shut down operations. Even closing was not handled well and everything was sort of left in pieces with much uncertainty and limited leadership to ensure that things were done right. I agreed to help out for two weeks to help tie up loose ends and do what needed to be done so that the agency would not lose its non-profit status AND if in the future there is the leadership, energy and finance in place, that it could be restarted with relative ease.

In March I returned to Seattle again for a wedding of a friend, a former bible study member and also one of the team that went to the Philippines ten years ago to lead Faith Academy’s Spiritual Enrichment Week and High School Retreat. It’s been amazing to see what has happened to this group in the last ten years. Of the ten of us that went at the time two were already married (and still are), of the rest all but one have married and there were at last count six kids between the group. So it was fun to catch up with some that I hadn’t seen in a long time!

And then spring arrived in North Carolina sneaking in with a greening of…well everything. I loved watching the forest that I often run through – which for several months was just brown, quickly turn green and lush – so lush that where a week or two earlier I could easily see though the trees, all of a sudden I am unable to see farther than five or ten feet. Waves of wisteria climb wild, high up into the pine trees – sometimes 50-60 high. Driving along the highways, you’ll see stretches of solid purple embankments…then a week or two later the azaleas began exploding like fireworks…and now honey suckle is taking over and blanketing many areas. It’s so wonderful. And my first experience with major pollen…I walked through the grass one day and later on wondered why my shoes had taken on a greenish hue. A few days later the full effects hit. The pollen (again, just for our benefit, was much more severe this year than most, everyone said) was so thick you could sweep it off the sidewalk. Cars were blanketed. It looked like a cross between the ash that fell from Mt. St. Helens back in the Northwest combined with the powder that is thrown and smeared during Holi (India) or Songkran (Thailand). So whether it’s being surprised to learn that tulips are grown as annuals here (they don’t survive the hot wet summers – and the deer eat them) or being fascinated by the blooming redbuds which make the trees look like they have been wrapped with pink led Christmas lights, I have loved experiencing new seasonal patterns here! And again, how can you complain when it is 90 degrees in April?!

I’ve also been sucked in by…the birds! I don’t even know what they all are but living in a place surrounded largely by forest, makes it at times feel like we are living in an aviary. Probably beginning in March, we began to be woken up by the birds in the morning and I have to admit, I’ve been mesmerized by many of them. I’ve never lived where cardinals are before so they have become my favorite as I learn to recognize their many songs and calls.

I also was sucked in by a certain basketball team winning the National Championship. Normally whenever the team would play on campus I would curse and mutter because parking would be impossible. Literally. Even if you have a parking pass for a certain area, basketball trumps your right to park there! But by the end of the season and as they started making a run in the tournament, I was sucked in to watching the Duke team (and there success was because they were a team and not individual superstars play. One evening Andrea walked out and I was watching a game on TV (and I rarely watch any sports on TV) and she asked ‘Are you becoming a jock?!’ Not quite, I just liked the attitude of this team. When they won the championship, we went with some friends to see the traditional bonfire on campus. (Photo - Andrea is with Bruce and Renee Puckett - Bruce is the Assistant Pastor of the Congregation at Duke Chapel and the one I help with the youth group.)

Other highlights for me have been continuing to be involved with Duke Chapel and volunteering with the youth group. I have also continued to be a part of the ISI international student group. It’s been really encouraging to meet with people of faith from around the world and hear their stories and insights. We also made two fast trips up to Washington DC which were fun. Andrea has been to DC several times, but these were my first times. Though we didn’t have too much time to see sightsee, it’s still a little odd and surreal to be in places previously seen in so many movies and on TV.
(Photo to the left: Tourist)

So there have been some wonderful things that we have enjoyed, but the past months have also been very difficult in other ways. If you read the posts at the end of 2009, you will know the frustration I was having in trying to obtain my mental health license here. It’s a long long story and not even worth repeating (unless you happen to be moving to NC and also plan on getting licensed – if that’s the case you DO want to hear the whole story so you know what to do!) because of how much ineptitude and incompetence involved. But long story short, the board did finally grant me my license in March. Not that I am using it yet! Many of the counseling jobs that were available last year are of course no more and I am now having to jump through some of the hoops regarding setting up a business here in NC so I can work independently. And of course that involves getting a form from my favorite North Carolina Board of Licensed Professional Counselors…cue another long wait! I’m not sure it will ever end. It’s been difficult to walk through this season when it seems somewhat meaningless, but I have been trying to find meaning in it. Both Andrea and I have been reminded that God is looking after us – and we are so grateful for the journey we went on in the past year and a half where God so obviously looked after us. We try to lean into the fact and remember that this is still true today, but I won’t lie, it has been difficult to do at times.

I mentioned the Center for Transforming Mission (CTM) earlier. Kris Rocke, who is the director of this organization has also been a friend, mentor and wise counselor to me over the past five or six years. CTM is a grassroots leadership development organization committed to developing communities of grassroots leaders who serve high-risk youth and families in hard places. They equip urban leaders to teach and preach Good News among those who have been labeled the least, last and lost. CTM is based in Tacoma where they serve and train grassroots leaders in the Northwest and several urban centers throughout the U.S., but they also are working in Central America, the Caribbean, and Kenya. Kris was one that went out with Andrea and I to do a training in Thailand in 2006.

All this to say, last year Kris asked if I would like to do some grading of papers for a cohort of students in Nairobi, Kenya who are working on their Master's in Global Urban Leadership in partnership with CTM and Bakke Graduate University. In addition, in the past couple months, Kris asked me to take on some development work in the form of grant writing and also to maintain and edit the Geography of Grace website. This website is basically an online resource with submissions and articles from different folk in the CTM network who are working with the vulnerable and marginalized around the world. Being unemployed, being able to work from home and keeping me plugged into things international and with an organization and people that I really respect, this was a no brainer. And it has been a real answer to prayer as far as bringing in a little income and keeping me from completely rotting as I wait for whatever is next! And I have really enjoyed it and hopefully am bringing some of my gifts to the CTM network. Please visit www.geographyofgrace.com. I may not have posted here as much, but you are guaranteed a new article there every week – not that I am writing it – just editing, putting together the accompanying pictures/artwork and posting it.

For Andrea, this year has been a challenging one, especially this past semester. I’ll let her write more on it if she wants, but let’s just say she has met her share of frustration with classes being all consuming. She has literally spent most of her waking hours doing something related to school. It has not been fun.

But…this is where it does become a little more fun. As part of her degrees, she has to do an internship each summer. This summer she is working/interning with the International Labour Organization in Geneva, Switzerland – in fact she is already there! After taking her last exam on April 30, she left the next day on May 1 and has already completed her first week. Because Business School begins at the beginning of August and her internship must be a minimum of ten weeks, she had to leave right away. I’ll be joining her for the next couple weeks…

So the Wilsons are wandering again. From season to season, we have survived the first academic year (even though Andrea will be working every day this summer she’ll have her evenings and weekends free – a novel concept after the experience of this past semester!), we still have a roof over our heads, and I get to get on a plane again! It has been a difficult and challenging season at times but we know God has looked after us.
See you soon in Switzerland!

Duncan

(Photo - Murphy's law? Many times when we take a photo of ourselves, it doesn't turn out so great - the one time it does...I have a phone in my hand?!)