“Harry kicked off hard from the ground. The cool night air rushed through his hair as the neat square gardens of Privet Drive fell away…..He felt as though his heart was going to explode with pleasure; he was flying again, flying away from Privet Drive as he’d been fantasizing about all summer, he was going home….For a few glorious moments, all his problems seemed to recede into nothing, insignificant in the vast, starry sky.” from Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, book five in the Harry Potter series.

I travel today and like Harry Potter, I feel my heart will explode with pleasure. I leave for Turkey on an evening flight out of my favorite Terminal – Terminal E. I can hardly wait to hear the call to prayer, to drink tea while taking a ferry ride across the Bosphorus, to see the skyline of Istanbul. More than that, I will be with my brother and sister-in-law – two of my best friends.

But the trip is a bit more than all of this.

For some of the time I will be working with refugees at a health education center as well as a refugee camp with a small team of people. I am incredibly privileged to be going on this trip. My heart has been with the refugee situation for a long time, and to do something concrete is balm for the soul.

I have packed items like prenatal vitamins, wound care supplies, a portable machine to hear baby heart beats in pregnant moms, other medicines, and so much more into a large, soft-sided suitcase. This trip is way beyond me so I go with my heart humbled and open.

And I look forward to sharing pictures and stories on my return! One of the things my husband and I have often said to people as they return from a trip is “Tell your story! You need to tell your story!” So it is a gift to know that I have Communicating Across Boundaries as a venue for telling those stories. I will have limited access to email but Robynn, as the amazing writer/person who she is will be watching over the blog and Facebook page.

Here is what you can expect: 

• Monday – a piece by Bronzi Bliss, Robynn’s lovely, youngest daughter, on being a TCK. You will see that the writing talent runs in the family!
• Tuesday – my mom, Pauline Brown, writes a beautiful piece on friendship.
• Wednesday – Robynn will continue with her excellent series on suffering.
• Thursday – leaving this open – perhaps I’ll be able to post something from Turkey.
• Friday – Fridays with Robynn continues
• Saturday – the Travel Quotes will continue. I love them so keep them coming!
• Sunday – the Sabbath rest so no blog post.
• Monday – Pictures from Turkey
• Wednesday – series on suffering continues
• Thursday – I’ll be back to regular blogging. 

Your generosity in reading, commenting, and sharing is a gift. And to those of you who have purchased Between Worlds, thank you!

Speaking of Between Worlds – if you buy the book for yourself or a friend during November all proceeds will go to refugees in Turkey. The refugee situation gets more difficult by the day and cold weather is coming. With that cold weather comes an increase in need for resources like blankets, heaters, tents and more. Along with that are the myriad of health needs so I’m thrilled to be able to send any royalties to a cause like this. It seems appropriate given the topic of the book and where my heart lies.

Between Worlds: Essays on Culture and Belonging can be purchased here: 

• Amazon
• Barnes & Noble 
• Powell Books 
• Alibris Market Place 

Read reviews of Between Worlds here: 

• Confessions of a Third Culture Kid – & a Book Giveaway! – Read Becca Garber’s review of Between Worlds and comment to be entered into the giveaway! Ends November 3rd.
• Nomad Trails and Tales by Jenni
• Djibouti Jones by Rachel
• Still Learning by Juliet

So thank you! And have a great week.