While walking through the graveyard adjacent to the Living Compassion property in Kantolomba on the recent trip, I was reminded of one of the many reasons practice is so tangible when we are in Zambia. One after another, grave markers read birth dates of 1970, 1982, 1978, 2009, 1959, 2000, 1967, 2005… It is much easier here to remember that we do not have forever. Kindness, compassion, and care for fellow humans is the only way of being that makes any sense. Life feels precarious here, and yet every day the team takes meticulous care with the appearance of the Living Compassion property, the preparation of the food for 800 children, and the myriad details needed to run the program. Gratitude is palpable.
Life invited us to this community more than six years ago, and working here has deepened our practice immeasurably. Every day I spend with the children and the members of the cooperative, simply participating in the work of the moment, is a direct reminder that we are not separate. My heart is open, I want to serve, and I am served. I am excited this year to discover more ways all in the Sangha who wish can join in this form of practice we call “service”—in Kantolomba, in the United States, and inside our very own hearts.
Gasshō, Jen
Africa Projects Coordinator