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Where's Victoria? November 13, 2003   I heard the boat’s horn blow, announcing our arrival to the village. I could hardly wait to get off the boat and see the kids that I met back in July. The kids were there on the dock waiting for us. I got off the boat and immediately was swarmed with kids. I remembered the names of some of them. Hugs were given all around. The first question out of most of their mouths was “Where’s Victoria?” I had to explain that she couldn’t not come along with this team because it was a medical team and there was no room for her. They were disappointed. They wanted to play the hand game with her again that she taught them. We were in the village a total of three days. Every single one of those days I had at least two or three kids come up and ask me about Elie (Victoria). It wasn’t surprising to me that they remembered her, but what was amazing to me was that they remembered her name. It had been 4 months since we were there last. The time that she spent with them, even though she could not speak the language, had an impact on their lives. She did nothing but spend precious time with them in play. She bonded with them on their level. She gained their friendship. They wanted to see her again. It’s made me think of my encounters with people. When I meet someone, do I have an agenda to get across and forget the personal relationship side of it all? Do I spend so much time talking that I don’t give time for the Holy Spirit to speak. Do I build a trust, a friendship that makes what I say trustworthy? When all is said and done, do they really want to see me again? I hope that God never lets me forget about that. I want to touch peoples’ lives, just as Jesus did, through time, love, and compassion. Sandi Todd