The City of Angels: Friendship is a single soul dwelling in two bodies.

It’s good to be back in the swing of things. After returning to Bangkok from my hilarious whirlwind adventure with Noam Ron and Bret Crafton, I still had one foot in vacation and one at work. The boys stayed in Bangkok until Wednesday night and we made sure to spend plenty of time together. They reminded me of how nice it is to have people in your life that know you (we’ve been friends now for over 10 years); there are no pretences and no awkwardness, they remind me of the parts of myself I’d forgotten since being here and they’re a slice of my life, home and culture on the other side of the world - and sometimes that’s all you need. We had quite the time in Angkor Thom, an experience none of us will ever forget and we wrapped up my leg of their South East Asia tour with an epic 24 hours in Pattaya and two nights out in Bangkok. While I have to say, it was one of the most fun vacations I’ve gone on, my body was ready for rest by the end of it all.

Back at Mercy, things are all up in the air. A new business plan is being put into place at the bequest of some large donor, in order to carry Mercy and HDF into a sustainable future. Additionally, many of the offices are moving buildings and rooms. I returned with my head in the clouds and an uncertainty of where I was supposed to be. Offices were empty and boxes were piled outside of new doors. It was only today that I felt myself really feel like I’m back, and it feels like home.

I went to bed early last night so I could force myself out of bed this morning for a run. Nothing shakes a funk, like the one I found myself in yesterday, like a solid run. My endorphins led me to Tesco where I stocked up on snacks for tonight’s movie night at Mercy 2, with the Mercy 3 girls again. There is something about these movie nights that makes me inexplicably happy. I have no worries in the world when I’m surrounded by these kids. They have so much love and they’re not afraid to show it; it’s a hug-you-till-you-can’t-breathe, it’s that they want to hold your hand through the entire movie, it’s the way they look up at you with big eyes and bigger smiles and it’s how they fight for that last square inch of lap just to be closer to you. Tonight we watched a Bollywood action film, which ended shortly before 11pm. The kids looked like they had been flattened by a rolling pin- all thrown across each other, passed out, with their limbs weaved together, creating a carpet of kids. The smallest boy, Game, fell asleep holding on to my arm. By the end of the night Ben and I were carrying the boys to their beds. Success.

As if a good run and movie night weren’t enough, the day was topped off by two other significant events. First, I was asked to sit for an interview with the big name consulting and finance firm working with Mercy on their new business plan. Around 25 people are being interviewed from Mercy, the highest ranking people of the 500+ staff and I was asked to be one of them. I will be giving an inside view of an outsider’s perspective; better brush up on my OBII notes from Ken Williams. Looks like one of my papers is going to write itself! Ben, I’m going to need your help!

The second great part of the day is that a project I have been working on with the kids is finished and has exceeded any and all expectations. ((More to come on that later.)) And lastly, tonight I introduced rootbeer floats to May and Ben. Ben’s response: RAD, although we all choked on that first sip of bubbly foam. And May just smiled as she finished off the Hagen-Daz ice cream. Rootbeer floats: life changing.

Actually life changing: Every day at Mercy. How am I ever going to leave this place, and particularly all these kids; your heart really does grow in ways you never knew possible.

Here’s to being back on track.

And many thanks to all of you who have kept my friend Ryan in your prayers and thoughts- he is getting ready to leave the hospital. He’s speaking and walking and the doctors believe it’s a miracle. I’m humbled by all the love there is in this world, so thank you for sending it in his direction.