New eyes.

As I've said before, when I came to the Lake 5 years ago, I was basically a natural disaster taking the Lake or the opposite. Neither of us quite understood how destructive the other one was or how tormented the other was. Everything felt minimally normal and equal. 

Reading back over my journals over the last year from that summer has granted me new eyes and a new perspective of the healing that began that summer. While it seemed that it would literally harm me in the process, it ended up being a great save of face for me. I had to think of someone else. Since then, I have made it a point to look at people's eyes, to watch their body language, facial expressions and listen to their tone. I can translate (minimally) based on these motions and words alone. 

The kids at the lake were somewhat timid with the "muzungus" around. I looked around classrooms and often when I met eyes, they would look down. Cultural things. They looked at me again and normally still pretend it's not happening and then they would take a third and last glance to ensure I've looked away but with my impeccable staring processes, I just kept looking. And finally, the meeting of our eyes allowed me to see much more than just the deep brown color and it gave me a moment while smiling to look into their hearts a little bit. 

To see a little sunshine combined with nightmares of what seems for many of them to be a fiery, haunting past. To see a little passion where there was once an absence of emotion and feeling. To see myself a little differently and to look at them because of that grants me a new kindness and compassion. New sight. New eyes. 

So thankful that as God grants me a new name, He also (time and again) gives me new sight and hearing for those around me. Definitely not an area that I'm an expert in but I am growing here.

Love, Melis

Some of the sweetest faces and eyes I was able to look into... Modah's little brother, Erick the very smart artist and Modah, who is sensitive and protective. Oh to have new eyes.