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November23, 2006 - "The Thankful Chair" >> |
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"I Believe in You!"
A message of Hope, stories from the
road.
By Bob Perks
*************************************************
Hello, my friend!
The only story this week is a little longer than
normal.
We were in Guatemala for a week. This is one
story.
Thanks to the more than one hundred "friends I've never
met" who took the time
to send a note to my son Keith. You will be a part
of the celebration party
we will hold next week.
Ten years cancer free on 11\20\06
"
*************************************************
Perks Pearl of Wisdom
"You can only carry physical things so far before they
feel
a burden. But you can hold onto the memory
of someone special for a lifetime." Bob
Perks
*************************************************
You can find great gifts related to
my stories
by visiting our online gift
shop.
"Wishes" Gift
Store
Special one of a kind gifts.
Tapes, Books, Greeting Cards, Wall prints,
Send a Hug Mugs, T-shirts
Buying products helps keep these messages
F R E E
*********************************************************
Make a donation to
help us continue to
"Touch the world one person at a
time"
These messages are f r e e...
but writing and speaking is the way I make a living.
If you enjoy reading and sharing my work, you can help us
continue
our "Ministry of the Heart" in 2006 by making a donation of any
amount:
If you can't help financially at this time there is something you can
do...
an even greater need...
please pray for our mission to "touch the world one person at a
time."
Thanks, my friend!
Bob and Marianne *********************************************************
All stories copyright 2006 Bob Perks
Today's Message:
"The girl who stole my
heart"
by Bob Perks
I wanted to take her home with us. But she
had
a home.
I wanted to touch her hair, smile and tell her that
everything would be just fine.
It wouldn't be.
I wanted to sit and talk with her awhile, but she'd never
understand.
I was from America and she was from
Guatemala.
My life has changed in ways I felt immediately upon my
arrival there. But I
know, too, that I have changed in ways marked so deeply
that I may never
notice.
She was around ten years old but her face reflected an
image of being a
young woman with life experiences a child should be
unaware of.
I was overwhelmed, shocked, maybe even frightened from the
moment we walked
out of the airport terminal.
People surrounded us grabbing our luggage, whisking it
away in such a hurry that
I had no time to take notice if it was going to the right
shuttle. To my right,
a young woman repeatedly asked for money "for my
baby." Glancing down, I noticed
she was pregnant, perhaps six months along. She was
holding a small basket
and repeating "Please you buy
Chiclets?" She had two packs inside.
"For my baby," she repeatedly slowly in a mournful deep
tone.
This was just the beginning on a journey to a place I have
never been.
A place now I will never leave, because it is so deeply
cut into my very being I will take it with me
on the rest of my life journey..
The hotel shuttle now surrounded by locals made the moment
an uncomfortable welcome
to my first-ever visit to a country rising from
economic challenge and political unrest.
As we began to pull away, others in the shuttle expressed
concern for their belongings causing
us to stop and take inventory.
The men who carried our bags and the woman begging for "my
baby" now closed in
on the open side door.
"Tip! Tip! Mr.,Tip!"
Not having had time to exchange our currency, all we had
were U.S. bills. But they made no fuss
in accepting them.
Startled and uneasy, we began our one hour journey to the
Hotel based in Antigua.
Mid-day traffic slowed the journey that would normally
take less than one hour. I sat covering my face
with my hands unable to process what was happening.
"Are you Okay?" Marianne asked time and
again.
"Yes, yes...I will be," I replied.
The obvious lack of pollution regulations permitted large
trucks and buses to fill the mid day
air with thick fog-like emissions which poured into the
small van shuttle.
Further up the road amid heavy road construction, we came
upon even more street venders
selling everything from water to local cell phones.
They stood in the traffic often following
vehicles for long distances in an effort to make the
sale.
The mountainous terrain provided a roller coaster-like
ride driven by the fact that speed limits
seem to be unregulated or simply unobserved.
After what seemed like an eternity, we pulled up to the
front gates of the hotel we were staying in.
Others arriving and another four or five street venders
added to the already unsettling experience.
But once we stepped inside, the world just beyond the
gates seemed to disappear.
Luxury. Beauty. Comfort.
It would be the very next day, after a good sleep,
that I would meet the girl who stole my heart.
There is a market nearly three hours away from Antigua,
famous for handcrafted goods. Our bus
left at 8:00 a.m. and traveled the most incredible
mountain roads winding past small shacks, patches
of narrow hilly farms and wandering pigs, goats and sadly
thin dogs.
The bus competition among "Chicken Buses" as they are
called, causes drivers to take big chances
in the most unlikely places.
Several times after climbing nearly straight up the side
of a mountain and hitting a curve darting directly in the
opposite direction, a chicken bus would dare to pass us on
this two lane road.
This beautiful country is blessed with even more beautiful
people. Often times as we passed, they would stop
working in the fields to wave and smile at
us.
But it was one child in particular who would really get to
me this day.
We were warned not to drink the water, eat certain foods
and to watch for thieves and pick pockets.
No matter where you went you were surrounded by women, and
young boys and girls all promising to
"Give you best price. Buy for your mother or your
wife," they said repeatedly.
Most carried beautiful blankets, beads and hand woven
scarves. This young child hand one thing to
offer. A frog whistle.
"Please, buy. It's a whistle!" she would say and then
gently blow to prove it.
She followed us along with at least a dozen other
locals. I was nervous and emotionally detached
from all of this as I tried to keep our group
together.
It wasn't until I saw my wife Marianne stop to speak to
the children that I really connected.
She knows the language enough to get through a
conversation. She told them how beautiful
everything was and followed with "No, gracias!" as she
tried to politely turn them away.
But they kept after her.
Finally she caught the eye of one little
angel.
In her language she asked, "How are you today?"
"Bad." the young child mumbled.
Marianne, then went on to ask why.
My heart swelled with pride as I watched her make every
effort to bring a smile to the
child's face.
We moved on and she and the others were
relentless.
Finally, not out of frustration, or weariness, but
responding to that Voice inside me, I stopped.
Turning to the young girl I asked "How much?"
She could have said a million dollars. It would not
matter. Our eyes connected and my heart,
my spirit, my soul absorbed her presence. What
seemed liked several minutes, I looked into
her soft warm face, losing myself in her eyes. The
dust of the long, hard work day covered her
tanned flawless skin. Her eyes, dark and sunken in,
appeared as chestnut brown pools. Her hair,
dirty, but neatly kept, framed her face.
I reached into my pocket and pulled out the largest bill I
had.
Once again I asked "how much?" She replied but it fell on
deaf ears.
"Enough?" I asked as I placed the bill in her hand.
I knew it was much more than enough.
She blew the whistle one more time and handed it to
me.
Her smile was like the sunrise and her memory remains with
me still.
Marianne saw us standing there and realized what I had
done.
She asked the child how she was and she
replied "Good, very Good"
I hold that whistle everyday. I can feel her small
hands still grasping it, hoping to make a sale.
I blow it and ask God to let it ring gently in her ear
reminding her that someone cares for her.
Of all the bad things they warned us about, the
precautions we needed to take, the only loss that
I had experienced in Guatemala was "The who girl
stole my heart!"
You can see a picture of the whistle and others of our
trip by visiting my Gallery
"I believe in You!"
Bob Perks
I encourage you to share my stories with your friends but, when
copying I ask that
you keep my name and contact information
attached so that new readers can find their way
here. Use of this
story for commercial use is prohibited without
direct permission
from the author.
***********************************************
May I Suggest...
Need a quick pick me up?
Visit my audio blog to hear my inspirational
messages
and you can hear me sing, too.
Visit my photo album:
Why not send me your picture to be added to
"My Friends I've never met"
Think you missed a message from
me?
Here are the archives...
*************************************************
Your Comments... If you would like
to share brief comment
about today's message, please write to Bob@BobPerks.com
I will use only first names and no email
addresses.
**************************************************
"I wish you enough!"
Bob Bob Perks is a professional speaker, author and vocalist. Member National Speakers Association. Visit http://www.BobPerks.com Visit Bob's story site: http://www.IWishYouEnough.com Sign up to receive Bob's free stories sent three times weekly. "I wish you enough!" written by Bob Perks (c) 2001 "I wish you enough sun to keep your attitude bright. I wish you enough rain to appreciate the sun more. I wish you enough happiness to keep your spirit alive. I wish you enough pain so that the smallest joys in life appear much bigger. I wish you enough gain to satisfy your wanting. I wish you enough loss to appreciate all that you possess. I wish you enough "Hello's" to get you through the final "Goodbye." |
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| << November10, 2006 - "Where's the river...? |
November23, 2006 - "The Thankful Chair" >> |
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