Day Trip to Santa Barbara

I had a full day on Monday. I headed up to Santa Barbara, where I was a guest in my friend Paul Orfalea’s class at UC Santa Barbara. I was supposed to go up on Friday, but a wildfire there (called the Jesusita fire after the trail it started near—which trail I used to hike when I lived in Santa Barbara) kept me here in Los Angeles. The dean emeritus of UCSB’s Gervirtz Graduate School of Education, Jules Zimmer, was a guest at the class as well. Paul’s very excited about my heading off to Dodoma and asked me to speak for a few minutes about Our Lady Queen of Peace Educational Centre. He’s keen on forging a relationship between the centre and the Orfalea Center for Global and International Studies at the university. Mark Juergensmeyer, director of the center, and I had only a brief chance to chat – we discovered that we have a mutual friend: Fr. John Coleman, SJ, who taught me at JSTB and until recently held the held the Casassa Chair in Social Values here at LMU. It was an interesting class. Afterward we followed the custom and went as a class to Freebirds for the world’s best burritos (Mark Orfalea, Paul’s cousin, is the restaurateur).

I have to say, though, that for me Paul’s taking me over to the offices of Direct Relief International was the highlight of the day. They provide “medical assistance to improve the quality of life for people affected by poverty, disaster, and civil unrest at home and throughout the world” and “work to strengthen the in-country health efforts of our partners by providing essential material resources – medicines, supplies and equipment.” The director, Thomas Tighe – a Bellarmine College Prep alumnus – was very generous with his time. He kindly introduced me to the folks most involved in their work in Africa, Paul Thompson and another of his colleagues (whose name – I’m sorry – I’ve forgotten) who had just returned from Tanzania. Thomas wants to help in any way they can. He suggested as we look forward to opening the two-year post-secondary program that we consider a program for health technicians (whose roles in Tanzania are very expanded), sorely needed in Tanzania. I’ll be in touch with these good folks when I return from my trip in June.

The day ended with a chance to spend time with my friends Jason and Carla and their daughters, Sela and Lilia. The trip back to Los Angeles provided me a chance to reflect on just how generous folks are.

Malkia wa Amani: Utuombe.