Bob bought me the giraffe – also lovingly referred to as Jirafa- when we went on our first mission trip together to El Salvador in 2003. I wanted this giraffe the second I saw it. I had to have this giraffe. Bob and I had only been married a few months. It was our first foreign mission trip. Bless him, Bob knew exactly how much I wanted to use Spanish for His Glory, so he went with me. There is a big difference between going on a mission trip because you want to and going with someone because they want you to go. Bob’s heart is big like that- he wanted to understand and support what is important to me. Let’s just say he likes some of my ideas more than others. We were literally on a mountain top that afternoon in El Salvador as we explored the country. We rode in an old blue and white school bus (actually made in Georgia) through the narrow streets of small towns and over open roads next to deep green fields overgrown with a little of everything. Bob and I stumbled off the bus and onto cobblestone steps of a small square. Bob wisely looked around to orient himself to his surroundings and looked happy to be in the mountains where temperatures were cooler. My eyes swiftly took it all in as well, but I’m not going to lie. I was looking for a bathroom. This was a scene from a movie- part romance, part adventure, and now … part comedy. A bit like Romancing the Stone. This movie made Latin American travel look exotic and romantic- the blond writer in love with her ruggedly handsome man who tried his best to protect her. In retrospect, Bob valiantly tried to protect me (and himself) from buying one more thing all in the name of decorating a classroom. Bob, it’s called realia. I need authentic items to show my students. I need to buy these things in the countries I visit. Jo, I think you can get most of this stuff at a market in the United States. He was right you know. When we visited family the following May, we came across many of the same items at a tourist stop in the heart of LA’s oldest district on Olvera Street. Yes- the items were cheaper than in El Salvador. The giraffe was different. Most cities in Central America do offer markets of authentic hand carved items from different types of indigenous wood. This is how I found Jirafa, standing amidst piles of original woodwork. The ears of this animal stuck out behind other random works of art and immediately enchanted me as I realized it was actually as tall as I was. I recognized this sculpture of wood as a promise of future memories-- for a baby’s room or my classroom or a conversational piece in the den. Bob recognized it as yet another one of my brilliant ideas that might require his help. There was great discussion over this possible purchase. A lot of Bob saying no and me saying please. We needed a consensus before the next day when the bus would take our crew back to San Salvador. To Bob’s credit, he actually thought Jirafa was pretty cool. When he discovered that it was not one solid piece of wood and was designed to come apart like a puzzle, he began to negotiate the price. When he was convinced that he had not paid too much for it, he handed over the cash. Jirafa actually grinned at me. I’m certain of it. Luckily, the giraffe was taken a part piece by piece- ears and all. When our hosts saw our purchase, they rolled their eyes with laughter as they helped me carefully wrapped up the nine different pieces of carved wood. We loaded him into a suitcase for the trip home. I was excited. This giraffe was unique, and its creator had obviously taken great care to design, carve, and create it. I was obsessed. Would it endure the trip? Would it become splintered and broken? Scratched and scuffed? Much like my teaching career, it survived despite the odds. No worse for wear, the giraffe took a place of honor in our home for years until he went to my classroom. The kids now love Jirafa. It’s quite amazing how he transforms my classroom and always surprises people who have never seen anything quite like it before. That is a testament to the beautiful and unique country of El Salvador. Never has a ten-day trip so changed my perception of the world. Now, Jirafa is a reminder to be grateful for unexpected experiences that teach or preach to my soul. So my friends, the moral of this story is: Look for the giraffe in a crowd of junk. See the possibilities where others only see rubbish. Pack that critter up, bring it home, and show it off.
2 Comments
Maricela Rivera-Garrison
8/23/2020 09:06:20 am
What an amazing story JoAnna. That giraffe stood out to me the first time I saw it. It’s truly an amazing piece of art.
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JOANNE POWERS
8/23/2020 09:21:11 am
It made me think that Bob is n amazing husband! You didn’t tell how Bob got robbed on he top of the mountain on that trip. He gained a giraffe and lost his wedding ring!
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JoAnna Arnold
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