While overseas, I decided that poetry is a coping mechanism for me especially during transition times. I "picked up the pen" today, but also find solace in Amy Carmichael, George Herbert, John Milton and the likes.
Kristine wrote from Ethiopia to say they had the guys over again- the Ethiopian labor that had worked on their yard. She said Kasim was talkative and interested, they were using Reyes as a translator.
Kasim is amazing. His dad is the Imam in the village- the Muslim leader. He looks it, too, with red-dyed beard, little cap, and a regal look about him. What he usually said when I said hello to him was, oh, you are learning our language! He liked that.But Kasim is talkative. He knows Amharic and Oromo, that helped communication issues and broadened, in a sense, possible topics. Actually just cut down on "language gridlock"- you've got one more language to try your idea in.
We had lots of interesting talks. The most memorable was when he and a few others were cutting Jeff's lawn- like squatting in an area and working on it with a dull machete!- and I came by and started talking about something random. I remember, it was luggage limits. I explained that you only had permission for a certain amount of kilos when you took baggage home. That involved some drama, and got more questions about traveling and my country. Biyya was around the corner and I kept hearing his laugh at the funny parts. Kasim asked if there were Muslims in my country, and wanted to know all about them.
He liked Jeff and Kristine and picked up on their hospitable spirit. Those kinds of things cross any language barrier easily. Kristine invited his kids over, so he brought his kids over. I remember that time he was talking about Tom, and complimented him by saying, we liked Tom because he learned the language and went among the people. Isn't that interesting, there is their "love language." Learn our language, and come be with us. Then we will remember you with love.
I had lunch at his house twice during my whole time there, his wife Nafisa was always really lavish- meal, then coffee, the works. For such a huge jump across cultures, so many of the characteristics of a host are the same. Jeff, Kristine, and the girls were with us, and when Elaina got a little fussy, Kasim said, "We have kids, we understand." Easy going, comfortable host, looking out for our every want.
And who are we to be treated so well, with such authentic hospitality? It is easy to go join a tour group in Kenya and go to a "real" Massai village, maybe even eat some "real" tribal food. I felt more than that, the genuine hospitality of a poor village, unwilling to give their guests anything but the best...
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