Hi, Friends, It has been a month to this day, September 18, since my last letter. It is not a sign that nothing has been going on! I came back from the US on August 12 and jumped into the work of listening to retreatants three days later. This continued non-stop for a month, and then after two days another 8 day stretch, and after that a week of teaching some classes. Pretty soon I felt exhausted, little or no gas in my tank. I begged for a break and finally got it a week ago last Sunday. Sleep and plenty of it was the first order; then a chance to swim at an outdoor pool and take a car and get out of here for some sight-seeing in downtown Nairobi and elsewhere. Mowing lawn and weeding, pruning and watering the rose beds and buying and planting some flowers to replace some that had died have also been part of the change of routine. I am feeling much more normal now, but also aware that while this place is beautiful and a great place for very meaningful work, I sometimes feel rather confined here and am living in a place that leaves me feeling psychologically cramped, sometimes. Part of the problem is that I really have no friends beyond the walls of this place. I don't get to visit homes or share a meal out somewhere. I have to work harder here than I did at Manresa to find balance and stay fresh in my spirit. I see myself here at least another three years, so I have to make this work. So far, my first three years have generally been very, very fruitful and meaningful. But I also feeling the aging process and that makes me think more than I have in the past of my future here. We shall see! I am sure God will let me know what I am to do, what He wants for us. Tomorrow Fr. Bart Murphy an American Jesuit from our community, and I will drive into the famous Nairobi Animal Park immediately south of the city and observe what animals we can see before the sun gets too high and chases all of them into the shade. The park is really large, about 20 miles or so from one end to the other. Yes, there are lions in it. You can be sure we will be staying in our car with the windows rolled up! God has been extraordinarily good to me during my daily contemplations. He continues to be the most real of the Real, and present as so truly good and worthy of being loved and honored, moreso than any words could describe. Just to sit for 45 minutes with that awareness, to be still and as attentive as possible to this is full of meaning. I hope some of you who read this can relate and find support in what I am sharing. It is the main reason I say anything about this in these letters, even though it is so personal. The election process going on now in the USA? I find it to be so ugly, so disappointing, an embarrassment for our country. It is mud-slinging at such a sordid level. I do not care for either candidate. I fear we will have weak leadership for the next four years, regardless of who is president. I will be so glad when the campaign is finally over, the election itself is done and over with, and we can get back to something else to talk about. I need to head off to bed. God bless, and please pray for the USA and its future. Bernie Owens