aaaand - awake!

if any of you are still around, interested and want to keep following this adventure of mine - I'm happy to be back.
after a year of trying to raise enough $$$ to go back to Kopeyia and continue with what made me, by far, feel the most alive and purposeful in the last decade or so, I have finally come close to taking another step. in about a month I will be on the plane to Accra again. and my body trembles with excitement.
Two days ago (minutes after The Sandbook Studio - THANK YOU SO MUCH< ERIC!!!!) told me they would sponsor my next trip, the phone rang.
"It's me. Kofi." i heard the the sweet, familiar voice say. Shyly.
My heart started beating like I had been on a treadmill for about a week. On an incline.
"i wanted to ask you... when are you coming back".
I started crying and I haven't stopped since.
Kofi doesn't own a phone. His mother or sister don't speak English. Kofi, a 10 year old is the head of the family.
Kofi found a phone (someone staying at the Dadbe Center, an american had one), found out what y phone number was, including the area code, and called me.
He called me because I promised him I'd be back by May of 2010, so called to find out why am I not keeping my promise.
I wanted to explain how difficult it was to come up with the $$$ to go, how my grants fell through, including the one form Juilliard that I was SO sure sure i would get,
but he didn't need all the words. He wanted an answer.
"I will be there in July!" I said fighting the tears in my thought form being heard.
Kofi never cries. I have to be stronger.
"which day?"
"5th", I said.
"July 5th" he repeated.
Kofi, dear, i can't wait to see you. Do you need anything form here?"
the line is breaking, there's silence.
"I miss you" he says.
I've had family, friends, lovers say that to me. It's a common thing to say.
But now, it felt like I was hearing and understanding the words fro the first time.
"I miss you too, Kofi. I miss you so much. And I will see you very very soon."

_________
TBC