Have you ever thought about the saying “to walk a mile in someone else’s shoes?” I mean, really thought about it. If you take the time to consider the words, the saying is a bit silly. I mean, walk in someone else’s shoes? Well, what size are they? Do they smell? Where are we walking?
Obviously we all know that this is not the true meaning of the phrase, yet it is funny that the phrase uses something as insignificant as feet to describe a much deeper motive. I suppose if someone truly wanted to walk in someone else’s shoes there would have to be a real eagerness, but why? Why walk in another’s shoes if yours fit perfectly? I face this question every time I consider traveling to places like Kenya. It is terribly selfish, but if I am being honest, I have to consider how walking in someone else’s shoes may make mine uncomfortable, or worse, they may make mine never fit the same again. As I walked onto the HOPEww site in Mukuru I could feel the flood of emotion. I had not been back to this place since 2009 and still the memories were fresh upon my heart. I could remember the sounds of the kids singing, the smell of the sewage and unsupervised cattle, but most of all, I could remember the joy of the days I spent there, and the pain that had stayed in my heart until this return. Tabitha escorted us onto the site and was eager to show us all of the advancements that the place had made. It was truly extraordinary to see the growth that has come to this place which serves as a beacon within the community. (Read the rest of Emily's visit to Kenya, including updates from some of the JamQuest kids!)
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