Whatsoever |
Whatsoever |
Extracts from a journal - recording a journey in the Sinai desert with school girls, teachers and Bedouin guides. A journey for our times ....... The company who organised the trip was called Wind Sand and Stars : such a suitable name for this place of wide plains, weathered soft sand and stars filling the clear night sky. Poem of Place Clean soft sand, red rocks, camels waiting. Animals strong, sinewy, Strong enough to hold a paraphernalia of brightly coloured bags, wooden cartons full of our food – and then each of us, hoisted up, up onto our ‘ships’ Padding over hard rocks and soft sand- up and down, nothing is a barrier. on through smoothly changing views different coloured rocks, different everything. So little vegetation, no ‘clutter’ of humans, every process is visible. On through sandstone hills – smooth rocks, curving gently carved by the wind and sand. A hard night – Dreams odd, frequent waking but back to sleep again quickly The stars shone down on rocks and bushes. Morning waking unsteady, righted by water and food and a shade-giving hat. The camel now more of a companion – the strain of the saddle acceptable – and the ride through beautiful curved sandstone rocks, open plains and pink precipices was …I don’t know...... but I did start singing hymns – praise was possible on this Sunday morning. A place of peace FIELD GUIDE Evidence of life in the dry desert place Black and white bird hopping on rocks; storks migrating in formation; ravens; wagtails; camels of course; lizards. Flies, ticks, moth/butterfly; bee/hornet; big ants; sand coloured spiders Evidence of mouse or gerbil prints, fox hole, hare prints and possibly snake holes Plants: broom like; little paper flowers with jointed stalks; desert melon; palm trees Colours amidst the rocks and sand Blue, blue sky; white sandstone – layers and fossilised coral; brown/red sandstone with basted holes and white beneath; black blocks. Red, deep red. Grey like slater; pink speckled granite. Gentle green of bushes; deep green of oasis. Camels at home here - some brown others white, the real colours of camel hair. The traditional saddle bags – red blue and a little green. The pale worn wood of the saddle bags and a mixture of worn plastic, old rugs, bits of cloth for padding Bedouin who live here clothes – Sabah’s brown jacket. Camel boy who won the race in grey blue tunic. Grubby but pale blue tunics of the others. Little Ibrahim’s white torn tunic. My camel driver’s red brown soft jacket and brown tunic and red and white head scarf. Names of places we have slept – S of Nawamis near G Metamir; Palea el Gibi; Gebel Unm Ushtan; Gebel Mehroam (sand dune); Gebel Mureinh.; Gebel Ghilim The context from the Bible Still small voice of calm
Reminder of the story of Elijah on Mount Horeb. 1 Kings 19:11-13 The Lord said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.” Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave. Then a voice said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” of the story of Elijah on Mount Horeb.
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WhatsoeverThe posts are 'postcards' on my journey through faith and art. The name 'Whatsoever' comes from Philippians 4:8 in the Bible : Categories
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