A Few Days with Marilyn

   I loved spending time with Gary and Marilyn Skinner for the past couple of days. They are like my second parents so it was good to have some time with them. No matter what day it is or what is going on, Marilyn always has something amazing to say, something life changing or something that makes you think for the next few hours. I love it.

   It was good to come to her and run all my ideas and thoughts past her first. Gary and Marilyn have been running Watoto Childcare Ministries for the past 28 years I think. They know a thing or 2 about how to run a children's home and a baby's home. So I was talking to Marilyn about all that I was thinking and planning. As I ran my ideas by her, she told me what she thought and gave me a lot of encouragement. One thing she said to me, I will never forget.

"Paris, don't leave a memorial to yourself, leave a legacy. You have to train them to run the babies room like you did, that will leave a legacy. If you don't empower them, then you will just leave a memorial to yourself, and that will soon fade away. "

   I thought about that statement for hours after Marilyn said that. She told me that there is a fine line between leaving a memorial to yourself and leaving a legacy. But it was important that I knew the difference. That was just a statement she made in passing. We weren't even having a serious conversation. Those were the kind of words that I was hearing the past couple days. It was life changing.

   I had been wondering on how I was going to leave with a smooth transition. I need to make sure that everyone in the babies room has been empowered and ready to serve with a level of excellence that is needed in that room. I know that I can do that. Now that I have spent that time with Marilyn, I'm motivated to do that.

   I just came back to Tororo yesterday. Sadly, the journey was not as smooth as I would have hoped. The journey was long, especially since I was sitting on a metal pole for 5 hours in a taxi...good times! Then, to make matters worse, my camera was stolen. I was so upset! After I cried for a few minutes, I calmed down and prayed. I prayed that whoever stole my camera would use the money to take care of their family, their children. Let me just tell you, I NEVER would have done that in the past. I don't know what's come over me...like this weird sense of maturity or something. Haha!

"Thank you Jesus for allowing me to have time to be filled up! Thank for giving me the ears to hear all the advise that Marilyn had for me. I loved my time with her. I pray that I will do well training these women in the babies room! I love you! Amen."