Family

One of the best parts of this trip, and the hardest, was seeing the girls and their families. It warmed my heart to know that everyone was healthy - seeing everyone again had me smiling with a silly grin of awe. They are so grown, so beautiful, smart and genuinely loving. After four years I was amazed at how much they have all grown, these were not young kids running through the fields anymore. There were new babies, new schools and new roads. That dusty, dirt road that announced our arrival long before we arrived, had been paved over. A two-lane, black strip that allowed cars and trucks to speed by without concern to who might be in the road. The road is the sidewalk, the road is the community, now the road felt dangerous… and this new road took the girl’s father in a motorcycle accident. I didn’t know much about him other than he fathered all of these wonderful kids. The only good from such sadness is the sisters, the mothers of these children, are connected again. Death tends to unite and break down old grievances and I was delighted to see the two of them together, laughing and sharing stories. The time spent with them was far too short, and ever since, I’ve regretted not staying longer or returning to spend more time. Four years is a long time… I look forward to seeing them again soon!