Lately I'm just engrossed in this really amazing blog of the kiva fellows' stories from the field. It's written by people who are out helping the microfinance institutions in the developing world connect to kiva and get their loans funded.
It's funny, touching, inspiring, revolting, astonishing, and just totally eye-opening about life in various places around planet earth. There was the meeting speaker in one place who, while she was in front of the whole group speaking, would stop to pick her nose, pause to examine what she dug out, and then continue talking... again and again. There are the tales of crazy transportation, with far too many people crammed in small vehicles. There is disease (one girl came down with malaria), injury (one was bitten by a wild dog), run-ins with local officials (one guy went to jail for losing his passport), tasting of local dishes, some of which sound scrumptious and some sickening. There are the inspiring and sometimes tear-inspiring stories of courage and hope of the borrowers, their lives and situations. It's just so totally cool. I feel like I'm learning what human life is actually like for the first time. I feel a part of the whole world. I feel like these people are me. I want to sell everything I own and live at a subsistence level myself and use the rest to just make loans to people through kiva.
I love this blog. So I wanted to share it, with more than just those who still check the kiva thread.
Also, I was linked to this blog called 'holy experience' the other day, too. To tell the truth, I went to it because I thought it was going to be something about the band Tool. That name is a lyric from the song Parabol + Parabola off Lateralus which is two tracks but really just one long song. Anyway, it turns out to be nothing at all to do with Tool. It's by some Christian lady, but it's still pretty neat. It's aimed toward helping us see every moment as a holy experience. So I thought people might be interested in it too, though I warn that it's from a Christian perspective. I don't think she's Mormon, either, but I could be wrong. But it's still cool. It translates well, I think, and perhaps it would for people of different faiths, or even of no faith at all. I'm not sure. But anyway I thought I'd show you.
And also, I wanted to ask people here if they've found any really neat blogs that they follow, and to share them with us. Anyone?
Posted by King of Men (Member # 6684) on :