Gift of Presence

Before we even arrived at our house after picking Claire up from the airport today, we stopped in Frydlant at our bank so she could open an account.

I don't know if this is true anywhere else, but it's one of the first things you need to do when you arrive here in Czech so you can pay rent and other bills. It's the way you take care of those kinds of things.

In a crazy twist of coincidence (if there is such a thing!), the woman who was available to walk her through the process had been our banker when we lived in Havirov, over 16 years ago! She immediately recognized Dave (I guess he would have stood out back in the day being an American there!) and treated them as friends throughout the whole procedure of filling out forms and such.

But the even sweeter thing to me about this time was watching Dave interact with Claire.

He was helpful at answering her questions and explaining things that she didn't know (though she understands all the words...she's absolutely fluent in Czech...she doesn't know the banking system).

But he was also great about not taking over the process, but letting her engage and do it as an adult young woman.

I sat across from them in the little waiting area, and so enjoyed watching them! And then, happened to check Facebook and saw this post by my dear friend Michelle (whose ministry is with fathers and daughters). How timely to see this at the very moment it was happening here at the bank!

Dave was indeed giving his presence to his daughter. And it was beautiful to watch!

Way to go Dave, giving your daughter the gift of presence!