Rapunzel, Rapunzel, Let Down Your Hair!

Friends,

It has been a few days since I have written, and I have much to say. However, for the sake of time and interest, I will simply share with you a major hilight from yesterday.

On our third and final day of clinic, we were a team of hot, exhausted, and sluggish people. Our site was not ideal and we were overwhelmed with heat and dirt and smell. If you close your eyes and imagine a tiny, hot room filled with over a hundred people who have rarely bathed in their life, you might have a small glimpse into our day.

In desperate need of a break, Casey and I decided to stroll down the road, take a few pictures, and breathe some fresh, dusty air! As we walked, I noticed that we were more of an oddity than usual. As white people, we often receive stares of curiosity... and when I am with the tallest members of our team (Clay and Casey), there is even more gawking! However, yesterday--something was different. Children were crying and hiding. People followed us as if we were leaders of some odd parade. It was as though we were a neon sign that people could not take their eyes off of. When I asked about it, one of the Kenyan doctors and Regan shared that the children in the area probably have rarely seen a white person. Unlike the more populated city areas, this rural town does not get the same foot traffic and opportunity to view mezungus.

Later, I took another break with Clay. This is where my story starts to get good. The people love Clay. They try to make him eat things, and they want to share their life stories with him... in some language he doesnt understand! As I stood back and shot pictures, the people tried to make him eat unripe bananas and the children hid from him as if he were Kenya's version of the abominable snowman. As we were walking back to the church site, we were met by an elderly woman who was quite obviously aggitated. She was rambling loudly and quickly in another language and Clay kept saying, "I dont understand you!" which made her all the more aggitated. Finally, a young woman stepped up to translate. The woman was upset about something from the clinic, and when we told her we couldnt help her with that, she continued on in her 5 minute monologue of angry ranting. When I turned to the girl with questioning eyes, she hesitated for a moment and then said, "She says she is so glad you are here and God bless you." Right. That woman probably cursed Clay and I to the ends of the earth. If weird things start happening to us, be prepared to exorcise whatever voodoo she placed on us! :)

Ah, now here is where it gets really good. Are you ready? As we were packing up for the end of the day, I heard this blood-curling screaming outside from hundreds of children. I stepped out the door and found Tim (another very tall, white member of our team) down on one knee, SURROUNDED by hundreds of children. He was offering to hug them, and the children would run at him one by one and he would scopp them up and swing them around and give them the biggest bear hug you can imagine. For them, it was a really special game--exciting and a little fearful at the same time. After all, if a big man who looks completely different from anything youve ever seen before wanted to swoop you up and swing you around, you'd be afraid too! Tears pured from my eyes as I watched this man scoop children into his arms and show them the love of Christ. It didnt matter if they had HIV or Tuberculosis. It didnt matter that they smelled awful and have never been bathed before. It didnt matter that their teeth were rotting. This man loved on Jesus' children with the biggest and most open heart I have ever seen. What a beautiful picture of Jesus' words, "Let the little children come to me."

As this all was happening, I took pictures and videos of the smiling faces. One of my buddies from the day (a 3ish year old boy) and his sweet sister found me in the crowd and came to tug on my skirt. They wanted to see the pictures so I got down on my knees and pulled my buddy on my lap and let him look at my camera. In a matter of seconds, I too had a crowd around me. Being so low to the ground, everywhere I looked were the shining faces of beautiful children, dying to see themselves in the LCD screen of my camera. All of a sudden, I began to notice a gentle flip of my ponytail. Once. Twice. Five times. So, I reached up and pulled the sunglasses off the top of my head. Suddenly, there were tons of tiny hands caressing the top of my head, as if they were touching the finest silk. Again, I reached up and pulled the tie out of my ponytail, letting my long, blonde hair fall down my back. Instantly, hundreds of hands were in my hair. I kid you not. Children. Adults. It did not matter. Everyone wanted to touch this strange, new hair. I have the longest hair on the team, and I had noticed some of the women looking at it with curious stares all day. Finally, they could touch this strange thing... and touch they did. My hair was stroked and tugged and sniffed. Once the children could see that I didnt mind the touching, they placed their tiny hands on either side of my face and looked at my skin with bright interest. Everyone who touched my hair started yelling "So nice!" in their native language. I have never felt more adored or more beautiful. What a special, special gift they gave me.

As much healing as we can offer with our array of medicines and medical care, nothing compares to the touch and love of another. This is the greatest healing. Just as Christ ate with, drank with, stayed with, and loved the dirtiest, smelliest people... so, too, should we hold out our arms and say, "Give me a hug!" Nothing heals a heart more than a hug and some genuine love.

Praying you hug and offer a loving touch to others today,
Amanda