Elevator speech on peacebuilding (but in a car) + birthdays and stress leave

We were catching a ride from the Sunday Frisbee game toward our lodging in Nairobi, and someone asked about my master's degree in peacebuilding. "Do you actually learn anything concrete?" It's a good question, so I thought I'd share my attempt to respond with you.

I have learned valuable conflict analysis tools. When you can see conflict as a system and try to understand how it works, you can also find points of opportunity, where an intervention could create change. I like the term "leverage point" where a little bit of pressure can go a long way because of being placed in the appropriate location or context. I've learned a lot of process tools and ways of thinking about how things affect each other.

We're about to head to the airport after ten wonderful days of stress leave which followed our birthdays, so let me upload these pics for you before we leave our good, unlimited internet!

swimming on Lake Tanganyika on Marks' birthday

Lunch in the Kigali airport on my birthday

There were amazing trees in bloom all over the parcel where we stayed in Nairobi!

Jacarandas have always been my favorite, and this lovely spot was right out our back door!

We even got to go on a nice hike in the middle of Nairobi!

There were caves and a lovely waterfall

Our time here has been really good for us. Good conversations, new ways of thinking about ourselves and about challenges we're facing. Please pray that we'll implement our new learnings faithfully. It's, of course, mixed feelings to be leaving warm showers, grocery stores with lots of good stuff, and reliable internet, etc. But we're both thankful for a lot of things we're going back to in Congo, and we'll be happy to be back with our wonderful team.