around the world

How delightful to have this wonderful possibility of sharing thoughts around the world. Two people in Pakistan - unknown to each other as far as I know - have contributed to this process in the last few days.

Last week I mentioned the moths that captivated me and I'd already put some of the pictures on Flickr.

Pakistani photographer from Lahore, Waheed Khalid, (look at some of his portraits) responded with a poem:

shama kehay perwanay se
peray chalaa ajaaaaaaaa
meri terha jal jaey ga
yahan nahi aaa
woh nahi sunta usko jal jana hota haiiiii
pyar dewana hota hai
mastana ho ta hai

I asked my friend and former colleague Paul Thaxter who'd worked in Pakistan if he could translate. (Though afterwards I thought it might be Hindi, not Urdu). It seems it's high Urdu and Paul in turn asked Pakistani friend Anila, who replied with this translation:

A flame asks the flying insect
(these flying insects appear after rain and
continuously fly around the lamp and at last it burns)
go away
you might be burned like me
don't come here.
But he doesn't listen, and burns
Love is crazy
Love is mad.

This is a film song named Kati - Patang
Music:- R D Burman
Lyrics:- Anand Bakshi
Singer:- Kishor Kumar

Oxford, Lahore, London, Karachi, Flickr, Moths - thanks all!

wave goodbye to Waterloo

Jonny's posted a fun farewell photo of CMS folk here and a lovely tribute on his blog to friends leaving . Thanks for the grace prayer Jonny.

and then there's my silent movie - slide show really - of our last Waterloo drinks the following day in the Camel and Artichoke, Lower Marsh ...



It's a strange time, as a long and enriching phase of my life draws to a close. As CMS moves and restructures, and wonderful people leave, it feels disturbing. But at the same time as I'm leaving, valued friends are staying, new delightful people are joining - and the vitality of the community with its collective gifts, aspirations and anticipation encourages me too. My thanks to the people I've travelled with.

It's been a dream-like experience to be 'carried' on the love and prayer of faithful friends while the future remains unknown - and that includes old friends and colleagues who've phoned out of the blue to say "I've heard ..." and to ask how things are going.

Back in November as I began to realise what was coming, I felt moved to make the welcome message on my mobile a reminder to myself "the jar won't run out" (1 Kings 17.14). This promise was also in the bible readings in the Anglican church today, just two days before my CMS employment actually finishes.

captivated

I've been captivated recently by Scarlet Tiger Moths. There was this one that turned up on my front doorstep on 27 May



and then there's been about one a day for the two weeks since. (The scarlet bit is the underwing, not visible here.)