'Island Boy' feet

     I'm not one who is comfortable walking barefoot through the grass. I'm sure it has something to do with stepping on a bee when I was a teen. It used to be I was OK with lawns I knew, like my own back yard. I knew where the clover lies and I could be sure there would be no broken glass or shards of metal to step on. Today, I am just more comfortable with something on my feet. As a protective Mother, I know I did not encourage this free footloose style in my own child.
     When Mason returned home in August from his summer as a Lifeguard/Summer Camp employee, he was concerned. It happened after a few weeks of working with his shoes firmly on his feet that calluses on the bottom were wearing off. Over the summer he had exposed his feet to every surface from sand to grass to gravel to pavement. He had built up a good thick surface on the bottom of his feet. Mason would never have built up thick skin on his feet if he had stayed at home.
     The surface around the camp of BMH has much of that tough thick blade grass you often find in Florida. It's tough stuff. It can take the heat of the summer and long days without rain. This grass survives and holds tight to the dirt in torrential down pours and tremendous storms. This is not your manicured lawns of the northeast suburbs. The grass holds a mix of several types of weeds with sharp barbs on the seeds they produce.

Kickin' it 'Island Style' on Excursion Day 

     On our trip back to BMH in October, we had met Khan. (see previous post) As a typical youth, he too has this carefree shoe-less lifestyle. One afternoon I saw him walking through the grass without shoes. All I could imagine was the weeds and bugs and shards of who knows what he could be exposing his feet to as he walked around the grounds.
     "Khan, You should have shoes on.", I commented.
     "It's OK," Khan says, "I have 'Island Boy' Feet"
     This became a running theme for the rest of the week.
     Khan was now - "Island Boy". Everything he would do was now done - 'Island Boy style'. We joked that Tori, the new long term volunteer, was learning to be 'Island Girl'.

Tori, Khan, me and David

    
     There is something to be said for the building up of a thick skin to protect ourselves from the barbs of life. If we are easily hurt or injured by the rough surfaces of abrasive situations there are places we will object to tread into. Mission work is going to call us to have 'Island Boy' feet. Open and willing to go where we are called and do the tasks we are called to do. Our faith will need to be thick. If we use our time to concern ourselves with the 'what if's' or reason out all of the dangers, we don't allow room for God to be our protection or to know He is there to cover us with his grace and love.
     My prayer is, God, keep my feet tough and my heart tender.