Beautiful people abound in my life, and another one of them is Tomi Oredein. I met her during my first year at UVA. She quickly became one of my best friends, and we were pretty much inseparable all 4 years, together in Black Voices, Impact, Tree House, and everywhere else. One of my earliest memories is playing basketball with her at Slaughter Gym.
Tomi is an intelligent, curious woman whose inquisitive nature has led to both scholarly pursuits (you better work on your doctorate!) and an open-mindedness that will give her the perfect blend of scholar and minister that this new generation in the church needs. This combination also gives her a beauty that emenates understanding, patience, and compassion. There have been many days where we've had great, enlightening conversations as we picked each other's brains and weren't afraid to talk through disagreements. It's easy to disagree with someone, but she knows how to disagree agreeably and ask questions to gain understanding. She is a sponge for knowledge, and that allows to be open to people who are different than her.
She also has one of the biggest hearts. She is always trying to do things for people, lovingly assessing (because of her inquisitive, observant nature) and meeting needs. She's also incredibly humble, ever pointing all her accomplishments and greatness back to God. This is because she has a pure, child-like connectedness that fits perfectly with her curiosity to give her a seeker's heart. When the Bible says that unless you become like a child, you can't enter the Kingdom of Heaven, I think Tomi is one of those people who has embodied that - kind, inquisitive, open, loving.
Tomi, I love you. Thanks for being beautiful you.
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