Flight of the limitless imagination: a glimpse into a child’s world

A young elementary child walked into the library this morning and handed me a brightly colored sketch (about the library) that she had created just for me (and “Mr. E-M” as well – since we do come as a set!). According to this child, the sketch was about a dream she had experienced about the library, complete with book-sprouting trees, seeds fashioned out of letters and a random assortment of knickknacks created solely out of books (a.k.a. stairs, telescopes, hats, etc.).

The dream was rooted in the book world, a place of awe, child-like bliss and sheer, boundless imagination.

This little girl, (Megan), with her frizzy copper colored hair, contagious smile and mischievous twinkling brown eyes, has never failed to brighten my day whenever she turns up in the library. She loves books like a child should, captivated by the wonder, curiosity and delight within each enchanting page.

And shouldn’t each and every child marvel at the masses of books at their fingertips, each individual book a doorway to a magical land, a spine-tingling quest or perhaps even a glimpse into the enthralling past or even more intriguingly unknowable future? Such stories of fantasy, wonderment and adventure: filled with heroes and heroines; cleverly weaved tales; silly and laughable characters; imaginary fantastical creatures; amusing life-long lessons and so forth.

I guess what I’m getting at is this: this child is a fantastic reminder that the library is not merely a building filled with stacks of dusty, old books. It is an entryway into the remarkable world of wisdom, knowledge and raw human inspiration -- each word, each page, each book another vibrant, eye-opening narrative within the flight of the limitless imagination.

On a side note, Mike and I just returned from a very enjoyable, yet restful staff retreat. It was a wonderful time to bond with fellow co-workers, revel in God's beauty and creation along the seashore, relax in our air conditioned rooms, stuff ourselves at each meal, and play crazy games like "killer bunnies" and "the toothpick game" (which consists of diving in the pool, releasing a toothpick and then fighting against the frenzy of people who are trying to catch it first as it floats to the top! Ha!)

However, even as we are feeling refreshed from the weekend, we do ask that you keep us in your prayers as the dreaded month of October is approaching. Not only is this the time of year when the students tend to test the rules, but it's also Senegal's hottest month of the year and the one with the most power cuts. (We may have a battery back-up system in our apartment, but school is quite another matter! We have one small generator for the entire school, and it can only supply so much power.) Anyway, all that to say, please keep us in your thoughts and prayers!

[To see fun pictures from the weekend retreat, see below...]

While playing "killer bunnies" with some friends, Mike & I decided to let loose our "inner nerds"

Both of us took a leap off of the roof of the main dining area into the pool... with permission from the manager, of course! (Still, don't tell our students... we don't want to set a bad example! Heh heh.)

With a pair of wings, wouldn't Mike look downright angelic? =)

The retreat "worship team" - what a treat it was to play with my father and

long-time family friend, Brad Trosen!