Taking Half the Road
Posted on 11. Feb, 2009 by Lutheran World Relief in Uncategorized
One of my favorite cultural customs in Mali is the elegant way departures happen here. There’s nothing hasty or unannounced about them. When visiting a community, we don’t merely get up and leave. We request permission to “take the road.” If one’s host has enjoyed the visit, she or he will say, “You may take half the road, leaving the other half for your return visit.”
Kirk Betts, LWR Board Chair with Aldiouma Guindo,
President of the SEPROBIO Sesame Program.
Upon granting us half the road, Aldiouma Guindo, the president of the SEPROBIO Sesame Program in Koro, Mali said, our work is only possible because of Lutheran World Relief.
“No,” I retorted, “your success is due to your hard work and God’s blessing.”
“I understand that” he replied, “but when you ask for God’s blessing, God sends others like you to help us.”
At that we simply said, “Thanks,” and took half the road.
Lutheran World Relief is a nonprofit organization that works with Lutherans and partners around the world to end poverty, injustice, and human suffering.
