Isaac

Two and a half years ago I took my first trip to this beautiful country, forever changing the way I view life through the experiences and relationships that she graciously offered to me. There was one friendship in particular that my friends and I still share stories about. His name is Isaac. Two and a half years ago we spent a week doing construction in a local village, Mbiko, but we high schoolers on the trip didn't do a tone of the construction part of it. We were way too eager to spend time with the people and learn from their culture and way of life... and well... let's just be honest we really just wanted to play with the kids.

We spent hours at the football field (soccer field, but I'm trying to get in the habit of using the term that the ENTIRE rest of the world uses for the sport) at the top of the village playing, laughing, running, talking, and eating waaayyyy too much sugar cain (which we picked from the local fields) for our own good. There was one particular teenager that got our attention, mostly because he kept offering Steph Rocco and Kelly McBride more and more chickens, goats, and cows for either's hand in marriage, but when we sat down to really discuss this boys life he could not stop expressing his desire to have an education and his love for art, but wasn't able attend school because his family could not afford the expense. This, unfortunately, is the status of thousands of children in this area. Kelly and Steph went back determined. After talking to various people back in California they found a sponsor for Isaac! And that was the last I ever heard of this kid. I knew he was safe, sound, and educated because he was sponsored, but I had no idea of his whereabouts and frankly thought I would never see him again...

... Until he showed up at our front door today. What was supposed to be a quick visit to ask my mom a simple question about his sponsorship turned into 2 and a half hours of catching up and discussing his passion for art. Over and over he would say "I've missed you all so much! I thought I'd never see you again, How is Kelly? and Stephanie? I thank them so much for finding me sponsor!" It seemed a if every five minutes he expressed his surprise to see me and with great joy, the feeling was mutual. He poured out his love for art and painting and the spark it ignited in his soul. And when he pulled out all of his drawings from his bag, his face expressed the same excitement that came from a 5 year old telling his mother he learned how to ride his bike with no training wheels. It is both his escape and his connection to the world around him. It's his way to release the pain, frustrations, and joy; and also to connect with and analyse the details of the world that no one else may see so easily.

And let's just be honest, it was pretty cool having him remember all of us after all this time and on Thursday he is taking me back to his village to see some old friends there. Needless to say, I'm pretty stoked about Isaac.