'Home'.

Well, I am home now, not sure I feel it though.
My house-mates, Ryan & Phil (+ Manny), were absolute legends last night. Phil came and picked me up from Brighton Coach Station (even though he was tired!) and they left me out a pack of bacon from the freezer with a note saying 'Bacon nom-noms for intrepid traveller types! Ryan & Phil'. It meant so much to me that they did that! It was a thing of beauty to sit down and enjoy that bacon sanger and cuppa' this morning!

You'll be pleased to know that I smugly got a taxi at the first shot when I left Dalian, China on Monday morning (They are notoriously hard to get on a Monday morning rush hour, especially to the airport!) However, I was then humbled when my flight from Dalian was delayed by three hours due to a 'dense fog' over Incheon airport (South Korea). Hanging around in a 'small airport' for a delayed flight is not as much fun as hanging out in a 'HUGE' airport. The flight went smoothly though, once we were on board a plane though.

The final night with Joanne & Suang Il was really cool. We went and had sushi at Matsoi Sushi (an all-you-can-eat authentic Japanese sushi house!) and then went to the N tower (the highest building and most beautiful view of Seoul by night!). The chef at Matsoi Sushi was so happy to see a foreigner in his restaurant that he made a special dish - Grilled Salmon fat sushi! It tasted so good and they were also impressed with my chopstick skills (although had not seen my boo-boo a few days before - let's just say that it is a good thing my hoodie was already soy sauce coloured! Good times, good times.
Joanne & I, then, said our goodbye's to Suang Il and I "escorted" her home, which she found sweet (although, to be honest, I just wanted more time with her and a visual of where she lives, as I have a visual memory). The next morning we had breakfast together at Starbucks, a SWEET cheese scone & a sausage croissant (weird!) and a cup of 'Tea latte' (double weird!) & a Coffee We then went to the airport together. We chatted a bit more about things regarding my letter to her and also about her strong preferences regarding Facebook 'tagging' our photographs. And then she left. The flight was difficult. It was cool, but difficult. I felt like I was, both, heading 'home' & leaving home at the same time. 

When I woke up this morning I stubbornly refused to unpack my bag. Having done so much travelling over the last few years unpacking my bag has become a way of ending journeys & establishing a 'rooted' home again. This is something I was reluctant to do after such a cool time with TirZah in China & Joanne in Korea - although I have, albeit with gritted teeth, unpacked now. I do still feel a little lost though.

So this is a message to let you know that I am 'home' and it is also the beginning of processing my trip. Feel free to comment & question where you would like, sometimes it helps to have other people tweak & trigger thoughts.
Thank you for your prayers, your questions & your advice. They have all helped me to be objective & understand myself a little more at this time. You are treasured friends indeedily.

- Written on Wednesday, the 22nd of December 2010.

Sean Older, Brighton, UK.

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/seanolder
Email: seanolderbe@gmail.com
Skype: Seanyboy_is_saved

My thoughts on the difference.

I have had trouble uploading this video onto my blog. It may just be too big!
Click the link below to see the video.

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/video/video.php?v=440901842799&comments&po=1¬if_t=video_comment

These are just a few of my thoughts on the difference between our host families. Each of the families that hosted us were amazing and very generous. They were generous with what they had though & that differed... a lot!

My Plans for September

Greetings peeps,

I hope that this letter finds you well (I would genuinely like to know how you're doing too. This is not just a “let's-break-the-ice” greeting!)

The other day I was travelling to Lewes having had a quality time at a BBQ with some good youth worker friends of mine. We were casually chatting about our desires, our crazy ideas and our jobs when my friend perked up and said 'You know, I've been thinking... I reckon you should talk to the church about your plans to go to Kenya in September Sean. It would be good for them to know what you're getting up to.' He's right, and it is because of the conversation following that statement that I am writing to you.

You may, or may not, be aware that I have recently been volunteering with a local charity called IT Skills 4 Rural Kenya. ITS4RK are actively seeking to address the 'digital divide' in Kenya, one of the biggest challenges that the Kenyan government faces today (a confession of the Kenyan government itself!). “What does this look like?” ITS4RK seek to bring tangible and practical IT (Information Technology) skills to young people in Brighton & Hove. Skills such as; Recycling & refurbishing computers, Software training, Web design, Film production & Effective communications. These young people will then pass on what they have learnt to the local Kenyans when they spend September there. (Would you believe that I am one of these 'young people'!?).

The ITS4RK team heading out to Kenya in September (this year, a total of seventeen people) are all ranging in age, skills and ethnicity. ITS4RK volunteers have been working very hard to fund-raise for the trip by hosting all kinds of events/exhibitions in and around the city of Brighton & Hove. They have also created an art installation called 'Keys to Kenya' (Designed by Kenneth Okafor – See next page for the design.) where you can purchase a computer key and put it onto the map of Africa. This will then be displayed online in a very cool & innovative way!

One of the projects that the ITS4RK team have been asked to undertake while in Kenya is to make a documentary on the issue of Climate Change, and to do so in partnership with the local young people. Another aspiration ITS4RK are seeking to make a reality is holding a two-day conference for all those interested in setting up new IT Centres in Kenya and/or for those who wish to receive some training in ICT – a first for rural Kenya! This will hopefully take place this September, if we can get the letters detailing the conference back from the Kenyan government.

I would highly value your support (in whichever way you feel appropriate), both while preparing and also while in Kenya. There is a financial need and if you could help then please do contact me (you can also visit www.justgiving.com/itskills4ruralkenya). But even more so, I would super-value your prayers, wisdom & advice from all of your diverse life experiences.

If you are interested in knowing more about the trip or the charity then do not hesitate to get in contact with either myself or IT Skills 4 Rural Kenya.

I hope to hear from each of you (even if it is for a catch up!).

Sean,

Address: 49 The Ridgway, Brighton, East Sussex, BN2 6PD
Phone no: 07752327564
Email: seanolderbe@gmail.com

ITS4RK - 'Transforming rural areas in Kenya into centres for economic empowerment and development.'

Relevance.

I found this in one of my dusty old note books today. I would like to share it with you.

"Sometimes I wonder will the church of the 'tomorrow-generation' still look like this? Does this 'same-old-same' church show a lack of rolling in the required relevancy of today? There are many things that we, as the church, seem to be a bit slow on the uptake on; pod-casting, streaming, decent looking websites, addressing cultural problems, engaging with the latest laws, using the latest innovations within trade and even just being up to date with the current news around us. Will the church that I once knew as irrelevant be even more irrelevant in the future? Do we stare a gloomy future in the face? Surely being in relationship with God, and a God of eternity at that, we can but be relevant? If only we stay 'in tune' with our God?"

Just some thoughts that captured my attention again.