Joe Jencks & Sipo aka the artist known as "Smok-y" in Soweto. June 2025

Dear Friends,

I am keeping this post brief, because to go deep would be to start pulling on a thread that is in truth, a whole tapestry of recollections and reflections on my recent time in South Africa; and how those thoughts are currently framing how I see matters of state and society here at home in Estados Unidos.

Suffice to say for the moment - WOW! What an amazing trip. I posted about it on FB - but then got too busy to even keep up with that in the last few days in SA. I will catch up. For sure. And for those who are friends with me on FB - scroll down to the first 1/2 of June for a lot of photos and commentary.

Presently, I just finished 3 nights camping with my trees in central Washington State. A one man nature conservancy. 8.56 acres of trees and nothing else. No structures or developments. Marvelous.

I have two concerts this weekend in WA State - one on Vashon Island on Saturday, June 28th with Kat Eggleston. She wrote two songs that I have recorded - The Lady Juliana (2017 on Poets, Philosophers, Workers, and Wanderers) and Letther Home 1914 (2022 on The Coming of The Years). Amazing human and artist.

On Sunday June 29th, I will be in concert in Bellingham, WA with Betsy Rose and Linda Allen. Also extraordinary people and songwriters. I recorded one of Linda's songs - Rosie The Riveter, Revisited (2005 on Rise As One). What a rich life and amazing community. Posters below.

I will be performing on July 11th at Prairie Circle UU Congregation in Greyslake, IL. This event is a benefit for PADS and is co-sponsored by PCUUC & A Still Small Voice 4U. Free to the public - free-will donations will be revieved for the good community work that PADS is doing and that Praire Circle is supporting as a community partner.

The performance will be at:

Byron Colby Barn

1561 Jones Point Road

Grayslake, IL 60030

7:00 PM

And I will close the month as one of the Main Stage performers at the Falcon Ridge Folk Festival. YAY!!!

The finer details of the schedule are still being hammered out, but I do know that I will be part of the famous Friday Night Song Swap with Lucy Kaplansky and Pete and Maura Kennedy. I will also have a solo Main Stage set over the weekend, and then be part of the Sunday Morning Gospel Wake-Up Call. Amen!

More on South Africa soon. Still consolodating my thoughts. But I can say I was overwhenled by the natural splendor of the country and the beauty of the people - everywhere I went.

In Gratitude & Song,

~ Joe Jencks (6-27-25)