Emily Wilkens: Re-purposing TIME.

Just one year ago, I came back from Chad, Africa.   I had managed to explode a pressure cooker full of beans all over myself and Alexandra Paulsen--and to burn my arm, face, and neck pretty good (especially the arm--see photo, day one of arm burn).  Alex and I were evacuated five days later on a small plane, back to the states to be treated.  Having such an abrupt ending to my time there in the village was disheartening.  There was a need for instant adjustment, instant re-evaluation, instant bending, flexing and accepting of the situation at hand.  My expectations had to be re-formed.   Time needed to be re-purposed.

I've been so enveloped by learning about the Congo, learning to speak Swahili, thinking about the women, getting to know refugees here in Spokane from the Congo, sewing for the Congo, writing about the Congo, raising awareness about the Congo, and then a few days ago, I got a call that the funding for my position in the Congo had been put on hold.   The reasons are more than I want to write, (for your sake) but because of that and the unrest in the country because of the elections began today, I've been asked to stay stateside until June.  Flex.  Bend. Adjust. Re-evaluate.

So in the last few days, I've had to make some really fast plans.  Fast plans are a bit scary--they involve a lot of instinct as well as energy.  But come Wednesday, I'm packing my entire estate and heading to LA for my first ten-day-writing school residency.  After that, I'll stay there, living in California for the next six months, find a job, and work on a number of writing projects for school.   I will be working for Panzi USA here stateside, writing for them and communicating with donors and schools who are planning fundraisers for the Congo.   Hopefully in June, the funding will be available and the country will have settled to a calmer state.

I will not pretend I'm not disappointed.   I have a tendency to discredit disappointment and the optimist in me can slap on a smile as quick as light in order to not feel sad.   So, I'm pausing here, to tell you, yes, this is disappointing.

Now that I've said that, I am an optimist, and this time stateside could really be valuable.  I believe that God will re-purposed this gap of time into something that will be meaningful and valuable. I will continue sewing, writing, updating and connecting via this site and from my new home down in California--so I hope you keep checking in.

As for shirts, I've added the last batch to the Etsy Shop!  I was saving them to get really cool people to model them and to feature what they re-purpose, but considering I'm moving in 3 days, all you get is ME, telling you I have a lot of re-purposing in the TIME department to do!

Please, I hope you buy the shirts.  For Christmas presents, for your closet, for your good deed for the day!  I'll still be able to use the money come June, so thank-you!  Head over the the ETSY SHOP and whatever is there, is all there is!  :)  Thank-you!