A dad and his son on an island…

Exotic islands are, for my little Benjamin and me, a distant dream and prohibitively expensive. Never mind, we’ll bring the islands to our home. I planted a few lemon seeds (found in a stupid lemon from the fridge) in a soil pot in his bedroom and today several lemon trees, their roots kept nicely warm, are eyeing through his window, this strange country covered in snow.

In the evening, from atop his bed, we admire our mini jungle. Often, before leaving me for the land of dreams, my little lad prays that we will both be able to go to an island that looks like the poster hanging on his wall.     

So imagine our joy when I was invited to the Canaries a second time, but this time with him!

7,000 CONVERSIONS!

This time I am invited to share my testimony on several islands. We land on the most distant island (the one nearest to Africa) Fuerteventura (90,000 inhabitants). A famous pastor (and whom I have never seen before) invites me to speak in his huge church (more than 7,000 converts).

He may very well be dressed in a collar and tie; having never heard me, seeing me with my long hair, a bandeau of a ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ type and bare feet - without hesitating, he allows me to speak… (?!)

I think back to the now open toilet door …

Jesus is ‘the one who opens and no one can close; who closes and no one can open’ (Apocalypse 3:7)

THE MOST UNFORGETTABLE THING

It’s not the crowd of 1500 people listening to me, the magnificent sand dunes, the warm-hearted people, the exploration of the highest volcano, the boat trips from one island to another, etc. but precisely the moments with my son which I tetra-loved the most (tetra is more than mega!).

We would pray together before going to sleep:

‘Lord, I commit into your hands that lady who had a bad back, that Dad and I came across in the street, because, for you, even if somebody kicks just anyone, it is as if they are striking the apple of your eye.’ (I was bowled over by the profundity of this little lad.) 

At all hours, beside these magnificent beaches, you can come across us at the table of a café, in the middle of drawing and having a lively discussion.

Benjamin puts his pencil behind his ear like me and say volunteers to anyone who will listen that, when he grows up, he will do the same as his dad.

I am so proud to be able to pass on to him the little wisdom that I have at my disposal; he sincerely believes what I say and I feel really empowered by this. He is afraid that something will happen to me every time I put a foot off the pavement. I am always watching to see if he is having a good time or not.

Sometimes we have mutually apologised to each other for trivialities (it isn’t always only children who are wrong). Often we have roared with laughter. We have been complicit in storing up together treasures of memories which we alone will share on this earth… We have filled our pockets with unknown seeds found in a botanical garden, with the aim of definitively changing our house in Switzerland.

I understand even better why Jesus so often insisted on telling us that God is a Father to us.

RETURN TO THE BATTLEFIELD

At the studio, I am plunged completely into an almost unbearable state of stress (it’s a good job that some friends help me). All week I will whip out my phone in order to confront the major newspapers and I will mount an assault on the wall of the media in order to announce the publication of my new comic book.

Good grief, what a contrast…

But in front of me I can see the little banana tree brought back by my son from the islands and I remember that all of that was actually real.

What Daddy loves

is being with you.