from Tammy Miller

written Thursday July 19.2012

While at the Pentecostal service on Tuesday night, I was embraced figuratively and quite literally by Pastor Williams' family. The girls, 8 year old Betel and 9 year old Ingrid (or Betsaida) and Mom Alma were particularly welcoming. The girls were generous with their hugs and conversation. Ingrid was particularly intent on doing her best to have me understand what she was saying, repeating things slowly and with intense eye contact as if that would make all the difference - so special! That was Tuesday.

I thought of that family throughout the day Wednesday. Alma works at the Skylark Centre and I watched for her this morning. Something told me she was watching for me too. When we did meet, we said good morning and hugged and smiled awkwardly knowing we could share little else. I knew that I would regret not seeing the family again, not having had the chance to really communicate. I asked Ellen if she would visit them with me and she thankfully and very willingly agreed.

Visiting them late this afternoon was one of the great, if not the greatest, highlights of this grand ad(ed)venture. We chatted through Ellen about work and school and weather. We talked about the past (Alma) and the future (Jessica). We talked about the experience at the church on Tuesday and about their new pet bunny (Blanca). And we threw paper airplanes. I snapped tons of pics which the girls lapped up.

The short exchange was so rich, set in the physical backdrop that from our North American perspective is so poor. Friendship and hospitality cross international lines, language barriers and social status. And in the end...we're all richer. I am so thankful that God has brought me here to find that out for myself, firsthand...Tammy.