I know it' not quite Father's Day yet, but today I am acutely aware of how thankful I am for these men that have given up their time and a little of their sanity to spend these last few weeks with me here. I love Kenya in a way that I will never properly be able to convey to anyone. My soul still feels most content here and I miss it when I'm gone. But that doesn't blind me to how hard it can be, especially for others. It can be frustrating and confusing, and generally it can wear you down in a physical/social/emotional kind of way. It's easy to underestimate the energy it takes to be slightly out of your comfort zone all the time. And it's hot. Which is most noticeable when the situation requires a little more patience than you possess.
How many dads do you know would give up a full month of their life for that? How many husbands would use more than half of their vacation time to work like crazy? I couldn't make a long list. And even more than their sacrifice, I appreciate why they do it. Yes, because they love me. Yes, because they do enjoy it. But they really do it because it matters to them. Because they know it's not really about the things we are doing, it about showing up. It's being a physical representation of love to these children. Our children. Like all kids, they need to know that you will show up for them, again and again, no matter how they mess up or misbehave. Unconditional is a concept that usually needs to been seen or felt to be understood. That in a world that has crumbled around them before, you will not.
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| Janet, Dave and Selah playing a game |
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| Dave and Dad visiting Vincent at his school |
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| Arnold getting a lesson in pocket-knife safety |
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| Dave teaching Faith and Aggry how to pick up |
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| Rain gear :) |
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| Boys and their muscles |
When you get back from a month like this and people ask, "How was Kenya?"
It feels like you need to sum it up in 2-3 sentences before they lose interest, which often comes out as, "It was good." Then followed by a brief synopsis of painting the gate, filling the fish pond, installing running water, and things of that nature. But those are just the tasks. The real work was the showing up. Thank you Baba and Dave, for showing up for these kids. Again and again.
Jessie
