Sunday, October 20, 2013

Outside The American School of Abjua, Nigeria


Imagine that it is four days before a big holiday and you want to feed your family a traditional meal of goat and beef.  You are the head of a large family; everyone is counting on you.  It must be a big feast, a celebration, and your income comes from a bead shop the size of a master bathroom in the US.  Only four days to the holiday.  Now imagine that you will need seven goats and a cow to feed your family because you have three wives and seventeen children.  Now, imagine that out of the clouds stumble a pair of western women, an American and a Canadian, giggling like school girls, and between them spend the equivalent of almost $100 on beads and two table decorations (pictured below).  Imagine how big your smile would be and you will begin to understand our friend in the picture. 



I will never sit down for a meal at my table without thinking of our bead seller’s table and how we all benefited by the magic of our encounter. For the second picture, he insisted on putting on his shades.  


 
Big love to Rita Moltzan, her husband (and upper school principal) Lyle, who I met and worked with years ago in Sumatra, when their sons Taylor and Jordan were smaller than the monkeys on the roof of their home.  Thank you boys for bunking together so we could camp our in one of the bedrooms.  Thanks to William for catching up the laundry, the drivers and screen setter uppers and badge checkers.  So much goes into one of these visits.  And Director Amy, whose hands on leadership touches all levels at the school.

Rita was the ring leader behind our entire African tour and the words “thank you” are too puny to begin to describe my gratitude for her enthusiasm, generosity, and friendship.  But I will say them anyway.  Thank you.



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