Tonight as I lie here listening to the strong winds and warnings of tornadoes, I can't help but be reminded of the first time Mr. Onyango said, "I love you."
It was one night mid March of 2012. I was on the second floor of Asbury Theological Seminary girls' dorm in my bedroom on the phone. He has this funny habit of saying a huge paragraph when he could just say a short phrase. Well, this night was no different. He talked about every detail of the first day he saw me. He talked about how moved he was watching me do ministry with the girls in Kenya. He discussed how he was too shy to approach me but very grateful when he was invited to the dinner at Mama Terry's. He even brought up all of the thoughts that were flowing through his mind when we went to Lake Victoria with my pastor's son. Just as he was just about to get into how he felt about me, I heard the sirens.
The Resident Assistant was knocking each door on the hall telling us to come to the basement for shelter. I tried interrupting but he wasn't hearing it. He wanted to continue explaining how he felt about me. After the third knock on my door, I said, "Aldo I must go. We have a tornado." Instead of him just agreeing and getting of the phone he says, "What's a tornado?" So then I have to explain what a tornado is.
After explaining, he continues telling me how he feels about me. He is not getting the picture. I'm headed down stairs and go into the room they have prepared for us. About thirty people are in this small room and I'm feeling claustrophobic. I'm sneak out and head to the bathroom in a private stall to give Aldo time to say what he has been beating around the bush to say. Just as he is about to get it out, my RA comes into the bathroom yelling at me, "You have to get in here." I hang up on him because there is no quick goodbyes.
I head into the room with the RA and go straight to the back only my seat has been taken so I sit in the middle of the room, knees to chest and head in folded arms. My heart was beating heavy. I knew for sure this man loved me and I felt so bad that this stupid tornado was preventing me from hearing him say it.
I bawled like a baby and all the girls in the room were asking what was going on. Everyone thought I was just having a panic attack over my claustrophobia. I played it off. lol.
Before long the tornado warning was lifted and we were permitted to return to rooms only on the first floor. A sweet girl welcomed me in her room so I could have this private conversation. As soon as I called Aldo back he didn't say hello. All he said was, "Babe, I was trying to say that I love you."
And after all that do you know how I responded, "Ah. That's sweet. Thank you." LOL.
Hey... give me a break. I AM NOT KENYAN!!!
It was one night mid March of 2012. I was on the second floor of Asbury Theological Seminary girls' dorm in my bedroom on the phone. He has this funny habit of saying a huge paragraph when he could just say a short phrase. Well, this night was no different. He talked about every detail of the first day he saw me. He talked about how moved he was watching me do ministry with the girls in Kenya. He discussed how he was too shy to approach me but very grateful when he was invited to the dinner at Mama Terry's. He even brought up all of the thoughts that were flowing through his mind when we went to Lake Victoria with my pastor's son. Just as he was just about to get into how he felt about me, I heard the sirens.
The Resident Assistant was knocking each door on the hall telling us to come to the basement for shelter. I tried interrupting but he wasn't hearing it. He wanted to continue explaining how he felt about me. After the third knock on my door, I said, "Aldo I must go. We have a tornado." Instead of him just agreeing and getting of the phone he says, "What's a tornado?" So then I have to explain what a tornado is.
After explaining, he continues telling me how he feels about me. He is not getting the picture. I'm headed down stairs and go into the room they have prepared for us. About thirty people are in this small room and I'm feeling claustrophobic. I'm sneak out and head to the bathroom in a private stall to give Aldo time to say what he has been beating around the bush to say. Just as he is about to get it out, my RA comes into the bathroom yelling at me, "You have to get in here." I hang up on him because there is no quick goodbyes.
I head into the room with the RA and go straight to the back only my seat has been taken so I sit in the middle of the room, knees to chest and head in folded arms. My heart was beating heavy. I knew for sure this man loved me and I felt so bad that this stupid tornado was preventing me from hearing him say it.
I bawled like a baby and all the girls in the room were asking what was going on. Everyone thought I was just having a panic attack over my claustrophobia. I played it off. lol.
Before long the tornado warning was lifted and we were permitted to return to rooms only on the first floor. A sweet girl welcomed me in her room so I could have this private conversation. As soon as I called Aldo back he didn't say hello. All he said was, "Babe, I was trying to say that I love you."
And after all that do you know how I responded, "Ah. That's sweet. Thank you." LOL.
Hey... give me a break. I AM NOT KENYAN!!!