Soft Americans

Dearest Rachel – This has been quite the week, honey. Given the hardscrabble life that is common among Hondurans, it’s understandable that they would consider us Americans ‘soft’ in comparison, even if they would never say so to our faces save perhaps in jest, like guys do among themselves. On the subject of guys, I’mContinue reading “Soft Americans”

The Risk of Ruin or Loss

Dearest Rachel – It seems that all too often, I wind up telling you about stuff that happened a day or so ago, rather than what’s happening to me right in the moment. It can’t be helped; it’s just easier for me to focus on writing first thing in the morning (or at the veryContinue reading “The Risk of Ruin or Loss”

from Rachel: The Power of Training

Based on [Daniel 1:4], describe the kinds of Israelites the king ordered Ashpenaz to bring to Babylon according to the following categories: Family background: “royal family, nobility”Age and appearance: “young men without any physical defect, handsome”Intellectual capacities: “showing aptitude for every kind of learning, well informed, quick to understand” How long were they to beContinue reading “from Rachel: The Power of Training”

Rubbish To Get Used To

Dearest Rachel – Yes, you read that title right. But hear me out: I’m not dismissing the differences between Tokyo and Chicago culture as ‘rubbish.’ Nor am I saying that Tokyo is unclean, and full of trash; quite the opposite, in fact. I’m saying that our noticing such differences literally began with it. You see,Continue reading “Rubbish To Get Used To”