Hello everyone, I have to tell you about a young man I met from Kenya. Last Thursday my door bell rang and after I herded my two small beasts into the den I answered the door. Standing on my doorstep was young black man with the most amazing limpid, sparkling eyes you could ever imagine, (I swear they twinkled like little stars!). The moment he opened his mouth to speak I knew he was from Africa, we struck up a conversation where he informed me he was here in Canada on a scholarship provided by the "Canada Youth Challenge". He is getting a degree in Theology, followed by one in child development and counselling -- he plans on returning to Kenya to help council and care for orphans and street children. We were talking so much my husband Rob came down the stairs to see who was at the door and to make sure I was not being hood winked by some door to door swindler. Rob stood quietly listening as we talked and I told the young man I was going to Rwanda in August with World Vision, I wish you could have seen the genuine look of gratitude on his smiling face, he thanked me over and over and asked God to bless me for what I am doing -- I can still feel the warmth of his hands as he clasped mine to bless me and thank me again, his warmth and graciousness made it difficult to hold back the flood of tears that were welling up behind my eyes. He told me he had been to Rwanda and what a beautiful and safe country it has become, and that the fellow who had dropped him off was from Rwanda -- he shared with me that he has a number of friends that work for World Vision and that their lives had been touched by the wonderful work that they do. We talked a little longer, and I bought a book about healing foods he was selling to raise money for his scholarship program (great book!) we exchanged emails and I wished him well as he went on his way.
After he was gone and I closed the door, Rob says to me OMG! you are going to be like a sitting duck in Rwanda, they will spot you a mile away -- easy prey straight ahead! I countered back that I would not, and that I am not a push over. His response was all they need is a pair of sparkling eyes, and a soft voice and there you'll be standing on the side of the road, no car, no money, no camera, no pass port! I promised him that I will exercise extreme caution while I am traveling, and that I am fully aware that I can be gullible at times but not to worry because Vickie is no push over and she'll keep me in line (god I hope thats true or we're both in trouble) he said okay, he just wants me to be safe and we left it at that. I just have to say how much I loved the randomness of my door bell ringing and finding a young African man standing there who has people in his life that have been touched by World Vision, what are the odds of that! Little things like this just reinforce the belief in me that this is what I am supposed to be doing with my life and it feels amazing.
I now have to go and find a way to remove that sitting duck tattoo that Rob says is plastered on my forehead, I can't see it but he swears everyone in Rwanda sure will!
Carol
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