We've Come a Long Way.

I have a new friend--she and her daughter are staying with us for a few weeks. Sherie and her daughter have just moved here for at least a year. The funny thing is we met via my blog, started "chatting" about life with kids here and I invited her to stay with us until she got on her feet. Normally I am not the kind of person who would offer her home to a complete stranger, and I'm sure she's not the type of person who would accept. But that's what Africa does to you, I guess!

I find I can hardly remember what it was like to arrive. When Sherie talks about the horrific stress of packing and organizing, I definitely empathize, but it seems like a lifetime ago that I was having my own nervous breakdown trying to fit my life into duffle bags that weigh not more than 50 pounds. I can see the excitement of being here giving way to the realization that everything takes so much effort and energy in these first few months, and that nothing moves smoothly or quickly. I'm amazed that what we are taking in stride now--because I remember how it seemed we would never accomplish anything in a country where checking off two errands was considered a good day! I remember wondering how we could do any work for PHF when we didn't know anyone and had not a clue about how to begin--not that we had the time, since just getting settled was taking forever. We got help from people who had been here a year or so when we arrived and I remember thinking how they looked so confident and comfortable. I was sure I was never going to feel that way!

And then last week at a friend's wedding, another friend who has been here with his family for over 20 years said, "these folks are here to stay. They're for real." Meaning us. I don't know if that's true. I don't know how long we'll stay. But I took that as a great compliment. Lots of people come and go. Lots of projects start and I suppose many of them don't succeed. For someone who has seen all that and considers us and our work a part of this community made us feel really good about our time here.

I think Sherie will find that as well, although I think she wouldn't believe me right now! We have enjoyed having her here and Ava has loved having a built-in playmate every day! I hope someday she'll have the chance to "pay it forward" to someone who's just arriving and see how far she's come as well!