Choosing a title for a blog is difficult.
"The title of this blog may offend someone," I thought to myself. "What will they think of it?"
I'll come right out and tell you that "Rich Fool" isn't about you, so don't be offended. I was rereading a book that I love called, "Hope Lives" by Amber Van Schooneveld. Page 20 is subtitled, The Rich Fool. If you choose to read it, I warn you, this book could change you and the way that you look at your life. I need to read this book often, because I quickly forget the message that it sends. It reminds me of how blessed I am and the great responsibility that I have to share with others.
Moving on from my blog title choice, I'll tell you that this blog was prompted by a letter that I wrote today. I wrote to a young woman named, Tabia. She lives in Tanzania, Africa. My family sponsors her through Compassion International. I like to call her "my girl" because, of all the children that we sponsor, she is the first one that I chose and the one that I write to.
I'm planning to go to meet her this summer. July 14th is the day that I leave. As I type that date, I feel a little nervous. What will it be like? In my letters I have told her that I love her. I really mean that too. She has become very important to me. I know about her family, what she's learning in school and her dreams for the future. I know that she loves Jesus and that she prays for me and my family. I know she has some pretty dresses and her family has a wooden couch that they bought with the money I sent. I know quite a bit, but at this point in our friendship, there are some things that are missing.
I don't know what the sound of her voice is like. I don't know her personality or temperment. I can't imagine her laugh or what she looks like when she's sad. Is she talkative or shy? These are things that I want to know, but truthfully, finding out the answers is scary to me. It's one thing to write to her, and it is quite another thing all together to go and meet her. What will she do when she first sees me? Will we embrace and cry, or will it be awkward and stiff?
She doesn't know that I'm coming yet so today, when I wrote my letter, I wondered which would reach her first, me or the letter. (Sometimes letters take that long.) She has drawn and sent pictures of me coming out of an airplane to come and see her. Well, I'm two and a half months away from living out her drawing. I hope I live up to her expectations. Yikes! I hope she's not expecting some sort of American movie star. She'll be sadly disappointed. : )
She always signs her letters, "It's me, Tabia". Soon I'll say, "Hi, it's me, Sheri". Whew. There go those butterflies again!
