Under the Baobab Tree

Heri kwa Mwaka Mpya! Happy New Year! We pray 2010 will be a grace-filled year not just for some, but for all…

“By the sea, by the sea, by the beautiful sea…” I am sitting near the water’s edge, relaxing near the Indian Ocean! Earl & I are spending three days at the Benedictine Fathers’ beach house before we report back to school on January 4th. We do not live far from the ocean – it is only about 1 ½ hour walk from our home to the northern side of town. But keep in mind that that is a mostly un-shaded walk in the hot sun! So we do not visit the ocean very much. But here we are and it is unbelievably beautiful. Our room overlooks the ocean and we are steps away from a dip in the sea! In fact, it is high tide now and we are going to dive in! I’ll be back after our dip…
That was sooooo refreshing! Although the sun is sizzling hot, the sea green water is delightful – clean & clear & just the right temperature! Everyone waits for the high tide because at low tide the water is very very far from shore! How relaxing it is to sit here near the water’s edge with the waves lapping the shoreline, the seabirds breezing by, hermit crabs scurrying along in their over-sized shells, hummingbirds bopping around, delicate butterflys flitting here & there, a lone boatsman poling his way across the horizon, a red hibiscus bobbing in the breeze, palms waving in the wind…this has been a very restful, peaceful, soulful time…
I love getting up before sunrise to walk along the shore and to welcome the dawn. The tide is still low at that hour and one can see stately cranes standing knee-deep in the water…waiting and watching…waiting and watching…for that one tasty morsel to swim by. Usually there is not a soul on the beach – just me, the sea, and God…
In the evening I love to watch the moon rise over the ocean. During the night Earl & I can hear the waves breaking on the shore as the tide comes in and then the waves rock us back to sleep. The night before New Year’s Eve the blue moon was almost full, glistening on the deep dark deep.
Our beach house is called “Eden 2” and if it weren’t for the mosquitoes it could be “Eden!” Yes, we can taste a little bit of heaven on earth, but earth is not heaven when we are surrounded by poverty, hunger, and disease. We pray this little getaway by the sea will help us help others taste a little bit of heaven too…Diane.