Hi Guys.
We leave for India in one hour!
I am sitting at Gate 10 in Terminal 1 at JFK in New York, borrowing the good man Clint’s shiny PowerBook. Trisha and Emily are here. For me, it’s a few close friends and a lot of new faces.
We are going to India because pain is a global issue, because hearts break the same all over the world, because the world is huge, broken, beautiful, terrible, wonderful.
We are going to India because slavery still exists. I thought, even recently, that it was an ancient tragedy, the stuff of history books. According to Anti-Slavery International, there are over 200 million people living in slavery today.
200 million. People.
People were made to be free.
We are going to India to learn, hoping to be changed, that we might become some small part of the solution. We are going to India because it is one thing to be aware of the broken things of our world. It is something different to meet them, to touch them.
Clint McManaman is part of our crew, and he’s created a website , [url2=http://www.missiontocalcutta.com]www.missiontocalcutta.com[/url2] where you can keep up with us if you like.
On a personal note, my friend Byron says that friendship is likely the best thing that happens on this planet. He says it’s one of God’s great gifts to us.
I said goodbye to two friends this week, one to death and one to distance. The distance is possible to cross, worth fighting for. We have airplanes and phones and a hundred other things. Death is the harder thing.
I never knew Jack as well as I did two days ago, laughing and crying with fifty friends, hearing the most amazing stories, standing among some of the best good men God ever made. I will remember Jack always, for his kindness, for his art, the way he loved life, an ocean, a sunset, a conversation. People mattered to Jack. It was so beautiful to see.
Surfers say goodbye in the ocean. We make circles and hold hands and scream out loud. It’s one of the great things that happens in the surfing community. We did this Wednesday for Jack, and it was truly an honor.
Switchfoot’s “Burn Out Bright” has been with me like a friend this week. I suppose it’s a fight song. I needed a fight song. I want to share a piece of lyrics with you:
“I want to burn out bright
Does it have to start with a broken heart
broken dreams and bleeding parts
We were young and the world was clear
Young ambition, it disappears
I swore it never come to this
The average, the obvious
I’m still discontented down here
I’m so discontented
If we only get one try
If we’ve only got one life
If time was never on our side
the before I die, I want to burn out bright
So a spark ignites in time and space
To make it through this human race
You bite and claw your way back home
But you’re running the wrong way
The future is a question mark
with kerosene and electric sparks
These’s still fire in you yet
yeah there’s still fire in you
If we’ll only get one try
if we’ll only get one life
if time was never on our side
then before I die, I want to burn out bright”
On a lighter note, we’re excited about some new stuff that was just added to the online store. These are in stock and ready to ship:
LOVE Zip Hoodie in White, “Stop the Bleeding” Deon in Olive, Title beanie in Black.
These are available now for preorder:
Flexfit Title Hat in both Black and White.
Also, for those of you who want to help us spread the word, we’ve added Deon (Anberlin) 4×6 flyer cards to the “Promote” section.
[url2=http://www.rawtalentinc.com/twloha/]Online Store[/url2]
OK, well, here we go. Nine hours to Vienna, Austria. Three hour layover. Eight hour flight to Delhi, India. Seven hour layover. Two hour flight to Calcutta (which they now spell Kolkata).
Like my smiling friend A.J. said to me last Sunday as we turned a page to begin a strange new chapter, his eyes behind sunglasses and mine full of tears, “the journey continues.”
Much love to you guys. Can’t wait to tell you all about it.
Peace.
jamie