A Very Rewarding Day

I missed my chance to see Robert Gates in person today.  We were in the same building, but I couldn't pick him out of the crowd.  The person I did get to see, in the end, was probably more important anyway.

My oldest two girls and ,I were selling flowers during the WSU commencement.  We do this as a fundraiser for our local track club, and I have to say, that as far as fundraisers go, it is awesome.  I sold roses and orchid leis to proud family members and friends.  They are only too happy to spend another $20-30 to let their graduate know how much they love them.  One guy came up to my table with a huge grin.  He told me he had been working for years to earn the right to wear an orchid lei in the commencement ceremony.  He didn't care what they cost, he wanted one.  I had to agree, both my girls already have their hearts set on them as well.  He let me do the honors of putting it over his head.  That one sale alone made my day.

When we finished there, we went to a graduation celebration for a friend from Ethiopia.  He has been working for the last seven years towards his PhD.  At commencement they told us that 1 in 100 Americans has their PhD.  That in itself is pretty impressive.  After dinner this friend told us all what he had given to get to this point.  He lost his parents when he was 6.  He had worked his way through school all alone.  When he had decided to pursue his PhD in the states.  He just sent applications to every school that came up on google.  He ended up at the University of Idaho because it had the lowest cost of living of the schools that had accepted him.  In order to get his visa to come to school, he had to sell his home, and his car in Ethiopia.  They required him to pay his tuition up front before letting him leave the country.  His professor agreed to this which was the first time he had allowed himself to be indebted to another person.  He left his wife and children in Ethiopia for the first few years, until they could get their visas to join him.

Tears streamed down my cheeks as I listened to this humble man tell of the sacrifices he and his wife had made.  He went on to thank all of the people that believed in him and helped him through dark days when he had no money, and no family here to support him.  He realized that he needed to let other people help him in these desperate hours.  There were people he didn't know that found funding for him, invited him to dinner, gave him rides, helped him learn English, and just kept him company.  It made me realize how important these small acts of friendship can be when people are far from home, and have few people to lean on.  His family has provided that feeling of support to Martha since she has been here.  They have invited her to Bible studies in Amharic.  His wife has made her injera.  They give her hugs whenever we see them around town.  They have been very quick to provide hospitality to those who are lost in this foreign land.  I am so very grateful to have been a  part of this special day for him, I pray that God continues to bless him in his life.

#438-451

piano recitals.

Proud family members taking pictures of graduates.

Proud graduates giving themselves well deserved treats.

Networks of people that invest in so many educations.

Orchids.

Fun fundraisers.

Children running through fields after months stuck inside.

Coaches who love their jobs and love their kids for years to come.

Watching my Ethiopian kids joyfully eating Doro Wat and injera.

Birds sitting in trees belting out tunes to themselves, not caring who is listening.

Little boys who notice details, making ladies smile.

Listening to conversations in many languages as families walk by us.

Seeing people complete really difficult tasks.