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I have returned to the United States, and now have time for some important things in life... spending time with my family.

Here I am in front of the zendo at Tenryuji, sometime in the middle of my second Osseshin, with its 12 hours of meditation a day.

We went begging today, literally. Called "takuhatsu," the Buddha advised his monks to live on only what they could beg that day.

Thierry-Marie and I received teihatsu, ritual head shaving, in preparation for another Ozesshin. Ozesshin is an intense retreat of sitting zazen for 10 hours a day in a zendo, interspersed with chanting sutras, walking meditations and a bit of work. Sitting on folded legs for so many hours every day is very painful, and one tries to use the pain to focus and clear the mind.

After working in the gardens, pulling weeds for a few hours, the monks all break for tea. It is hot, so we have iced tea. Very civilized.

As light fades, we head back to the zendo for evening zazen.

The Ozesshion begins! The center of the Osession is time spent in zazen meditation in the zendo, pictured here.

Tonight our OSesshion retreat starts, so today we wait. We prepare as well, but mostly we wait.

While we wait, there are hundreds of visitors to the Sogen-ji monastery to attend the annual formal tea ceremony today.

Downtown Shibuya, Tokyo. "Bustle" doesn't quite capture it. Everywhere you look, you could look more and see more.

My first day in Japan. Tthe Dominicans took me to visit a local Shinto shrine, Meiji Jingu.

This is my nephew Kyle in the back of his father's Chevy Suburban. Kyle is 15. He is learning to play the guitar, and is fiddling around with my road guitar as we drive.

I have been given many gifts in my life. Gift-giving is an impulse we all share, wanting those whom we love to receive the blessings we are able to give.

Sor Lucia Roge Nutritional Center. Not a very exciting name? "nutritional center"? , but an incredible place.

I'm on tour in Guatemala with Food For the Poor, seeing our work.

The last day of my retreat, and the desert is in bloom.

Mike and I planned to camp in the desert next to Lake Powell. We bought an inflatable canoe so that we could go out on the lake. But like the "best laid plans of mice and men," things went astray.

Scott Steinkerchner OP
Final Paper for The Saving Work of Christ with professor S. Mark Heim
May 17, 2001

Tea in the rain.

Africa begins to work her spell on me. The people, the land, the sun, the LIFE. Above is a view of Maasailand from just the other side of the hills here in Karen. I have been told that Nairobi is not really Africa, but that Africa begins where it leaves off. These photos are Africa.

One of the biggest tragedies here in Nairobi is the huge number of children living on the streets, with no homes, families, food or schools.

Typical of the economy and situation here, this woman sits all day every day on this same corner, roasting corn on a little charcoal grill to sell for a few shill

As good as any farmers' market I have seen, anywhere in the world is the Indian Market in Nairobi.

Our fish pond, reflective of society here in Kenya. So many layers. When I saw it I could not help thinking of M.C. Escher's Three Worlds.