Mercy, Mercy Me

Storytime!!!!

When I was in Kenya I met this wonderful, intelligent and loving little girl who I just fell in love with.

Mercy Atieno is 12 years old, and she’s living at Villa Teag Children’s Home in Dandora. If you’ve browsed through my pictures, you’ve seen several of her with all the travelers on the day we went to the Elephant Orphanage and Giraffe Center.

When we were at the Elephant Orphanage, she snuggled up close to my left side, holding my hand tightly. She shyly tapped my shoulder and beckoned my ear towards here. As if dispelling the meaning of life in all it’s seriousness, she said softly,

You’re my best friend.

Those are holy words.

My memory floats easily back to that age. In 1993 I would have uttered those same words to my best friend (whoever she was then).

Chances are we would have played MASH, dreamt about marrying Tom Cruise and played Light as a Feather, Stiff as a Board during slumber parties. We would have drunk copious amounts of soda. Giggled a lot. Pinkie sworn our allegiances. Talked about who we’d want to kiss. Begged my Mom to drive us to the mall to check out the new Limited Too store.

BFF duties don't change that much, even as the times do. You're expected to laugh. To love each other. To remember each other.

It would be easy to befriend this girl.

That day Mercy and I laid hands on a baby elephant that had been orphaned. (At the time, the coincidence of an orphan touching an orphan didn’t hit me, but now it’s glaringly obvious.)

As I snapped this picture, she said sweetly,



Will you remember me when you’re in America?

Those beautiful words made my heart swell with love. I promised her I would. That I would write and pray for her. That I would tell people about her.

Since returning, I’ve sent her a letter that she may or may not have gotten (stupid sexy international mail) and taped her picture up next to my computer at work. I pray for her all the time. Those of you in my world have heard countless stories about her.

This morning, Julius’ brother Emmanuel sent me a scanned copy of a letter from Mercy. Some of it is personal…you know, BFF-only stuff, but I wanted to share a little bit with all of you so that you could get to know her too.

This is about my self::
- I have one sister and one brother.
- I enjoy reading and traveling to many countries like Mombasa.
- I work hard to be a nurse
- I would like to go to your country American.

Anyway, everyone, meet my Kenyan best friend, and bestest pen/email pal, Mercy Atieno. She’s pretty damn cool and she likes Fanta. Word.