Love Before Sight

Of course, there is the standard love at first sight, but there is also that love before sight.  When you are so proud of someones words, their accomplishments, their intention, and their persistence. You may be in contact with this person solely through email and you can tell that you are going to have a special relationship with them. You can tell that your similar ideas, philosophies, and desires are going to collide into a powerful and intriguing conversation when you meet.  You want to spend time with that person getting to know all about them, share your stories, experiences, and your hopeful beliefs for people and community. 

When I first met Mrs. Francis, this is exactly what happened. I was arriving down the dirt road trail in the heat and I could see her in a distance. A beautiful older woman in her 60s with short blond hair ,little freckles, a white crocheted top, and jeans. We gave each other a big hug and looked like two old friends reuniting.  She was so sweet and concerned about all my time on the bus. She had my lunch prepared for me and my room all ready. 

It was the start of a beautiful friendship and from there she served as a friend, a listener, a teacher, and almost like a long lost mother. We sat in her office sharing our life experiences and  her journeys through Africa.  I sat and shared my theories about community poverty and how we can improve the MH community. She explained how the project distribution and funding component work. I learned a lot about the non-profit sponsoring, grants, and funding and how that plays out.  It was just active discussions on how we can improve things and make things better in MH and the world.

That is the most wonderful part of a good organization-the good people who want to engage in teamwork and truly listen and learn from you. There is no jealousy or competition rather there is an open environment to learn and appreciate each other.  This is when things really get done.