I have just over two weeks left in NYC. I don’t know where the summer went. That’s what everyone keeps saying when I tell them I have two weeks left. There’s so many people I’m going to miss. I just got to know everyone at my local church, All Nations Baptist, in Queens. The high school girls are warming up to me. Today we threw a pool party at one of the girls’ house and I laughed sooooo much, never realizing how random and crazy and witty those girls are. Last week we walked up and down Jamaica Avenue passing out tracts to unsuspecting residents of Queens. That was fun. And now I spend only two more Sundays with them.
More than anyone I’m going to miss Maimouna [My-moon-uh]. Last summer, I met Maimouna at the African Friendship Center in Brooklyn, where we teach English. She’s from Niger, she’s Muslim, and her husband moved their family to America for a better life. I started teaching her one-on-one and I wouldn’t let anyone else work with her.. not if I could help being there. We would talk about the bible and I would ask her about Islam, and I would say stuff [like Jesus] that she didn’t agree with.. but we always ended our time together with laughter and hugs. The same way it started.
Yesterday I was sitting on the floor of her apartment. I asked her if she’s ever seen the statue of liberty before. I was explaining to her the statue of liberty, and she chimes in, “ahh yes I think I have seen this in Central Park! But I don’t know if this is what you speak of?” It took me a moment, but I came to the conclusion that the 'statue of liberty' she passed in central park was in fact an impersonator with face paint who switches stances every 5 seconds and holds out a change purse to passerbys..
“Maimouna, I'm talking about an actual statue and it’s huge!”
“Ohhhh. No, I have not seen this.”
I talk about Maimouna a lot [maybe too much] to the other interns and every now and then they’ll ask, “so how’s your Moona?” That’s right. She’s MYmouna. The realization of leaving her didn’t come until I was explaining to her that I'm only here for 2 more weeks. And she asked “so, you are going back to Floreeda?”.. “And then you will come back next summer to Brooklyn?” And I say to her that I don’t have plans as of right now, to come back.
And she replies, “Aw Erin. We are going to miss you.” And I can’t say anything back to reassure her of the future. All I can say is, “I’m going to miss you so much.” My heart clenches and my eyes well up at the thought. Last summer I was her very good friend and I was optimistic of seeing her again.
This summer I am her family.. and I know I won’t be seeing her again.
[not soon at least]
God has other plans for me next year, most of it will be spent somewhere across the globe. And I’m soooo okay with that.
But a girl can grieve a little.
If I remind myself that God is what Maimouna needs more than anything.. and if I want that for her, more than anything else.. well then His plans for her and me,
for our relationship,
can be nothing but very good.
