philhollands.com

Over the last two and a half years I’ve slipped in and out of varying degrees of post-Africa related depression. I don’t need a medical text to figure the only way to treat the depression is to return to Africa.

As a way of celebrating the completion of my degree I had always planned to return to Africa in the summer, in between my last exam and starting full-time work as a registered nurse. However, a late change to my final clinical placement at the Royal Children’s meant I would be grounded in Brisbane over that time. The only chance I had to return to Africa this year was straight after my paediatric placement in July. So, after jumping through a plethora of hoops, making calls to uni, Royal Children’s, and various travel agents I’m thrilled to say I’ll be flying out of Brisbane on the 10th of July!

To say I’m excited is a vast understatement. I’ll be spending 2 weeks in Dar es Salaam on a reconnaissance to look into the likelihood of starting a babies home in Tanzania. After that I’m off to Uganda, where I’ll spend the rest of the time in Kabale to see the kids and to catch up with the folk there. It should be a great time to recharge before I head back into my final semester of studies.

Interestingly, the day I had planned to book my tickets I had woken up that morning from a vivid dream. I was standing in a room of a house, looking into another room with half a dozen babies sitting down at a table, eating lunch and making a big mess. I really sense there was great significance in the timing of that dream. I really look forward to this reconnaissance mission with great anticipation and expectation.

Since making the move out of home a couple of weeks ago I’ve been in search of a new sanctuary of study. Although the new place is clean and quiet and uni is only a 10-minute drive away, I felt I needed something else. I needed a place that had a space that was open and quiet, a wifi connection, a commercial grade espresso machine, and a nice big window where I can gaze out into the big blue. It seemed like a tall order, but I’ve found that such a place exists.

³ Defend the cause of the weak and fatherless;
maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed.

⁴ Rescue the weak and needy;
deliver them from the hand of the wicked.

… Jesus