Back to Iran after summer storytelling

Autumn has arrived here in southern Virginia; the calendar clearly says so. Last night David and I took a long walk - down the steep incline of our street to Lake Lanier, where dozens of geese and swans were sleeping for the night. A deep mist lay over the earth-- humidity nestling in the low places after a day of heat, with cooler weather promised soon. Ever present deer munched in neighborhood gardens. Crickets kept up their warm weather chorus.

We walked and reflected together. This summer we have spoken 35 times in a variety of contexts: grade schools and churches, colleges and retirement communities. Christians, Jews and Muslims attended. We enjoyed fellowship with the Assembly of God, Baptists, Church of the Brethren, Disciples of Christ, Friends (Quakers), Independent Christians, Mennonites, Roman Catholics, United Methodists. Our "storytelling" included descriptions of our days studying in Qom, the joy of being a guest in an Iranian home, building friendships and trust via MCC/Imam Khomeini Institute's Muslim-Christian Exchange, prayers for dialogue and detante. Discussion was richer than we could have guessed.

One twelve year old boy had read "The Bookseller of Kabul" and wanted to talk about good books. An elderly woman wanted to know how to encourage interfaith dialogue in her own town. People asked endless questions about Iranian cuisine and poetry, the beauty of the countryside, friendships and studies. I tallied up our speaking occasions and realized that we have spoken to nearly 2000 people in July, August and early September.

This week-end we catch our flight back to Tehran, with great anticipation. We are eager to resume our studies and our friendships in Qom, worship with our Armenian friends in Tehran, and our Farsi language skills (modest though they are).
Our thanks to so many of you who hosted us this summer, prayed with us and for us, and continue to support the work of peace and reconcilation. Stay tuned! Autumn is beginning