One Smile and the Rest is History


Most of you know me well enough to know I LOVE children.  In the states teaching kids, and working with kids was my joy. Here in India, nothing has changed.  One day while I was walking home from the market, I smiled at a little girl. Her name was Mahek.  Mahek is the youngest daughter of a family of 9 kids. She greeted me and we chatted a bit on the road. Holding my hand, she invited me into her humble home. With a dirt floor and no door to cover the opening we made out way easily in off the street. Her family welcomed me with a bit of surprise, but also with great joy and smiles.   Mahek and her family have become some of my closest Indian neighbors.  I visit them regularly. Their MuZli* family shares their ways with me, and I share my ways with them. We are real and laugh and have fun together. We are not afraid to be our true selves together.  They are patient with my Hindi and quick to forgive my poor grammar.  But more than any other family, I can sit for hours and hours at a time and talk with this family. Each time more opportunities comes to share my faith and what I believe.  I sat reflecting the other day on our friendship and was reminded that it started with a smile. ONE smile.  Sometimes that’s all it takes.


Pr* with me for regular times to visit this family, and develop our trust and respect of one another. Pr* for us to have deep conversation that go beyond the day to day and into the core of who we are and why we exist.  Pr8 for words to bring enlightenment and truth, yet in love and with humility. Pr* for Mahek, her 8 siblings, and her parents.

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