Since one of my first weekends here, perhaps it was my second, I've been going to a rural area called Mandale that we simply refer to as "William's village" about 35 minutes from my home. William Jacob is a Tanzanian and the head of cleaning at HOPAC. More than that, he is one of the most amazing men I have ever met. His spirit is always joyful, genuine, and thankful, despite many personal hardships. (His wife has miscarried twice and he has had two other children die after just after birth. They continue to hope and pray for a healthy child, and his wife is currently seven months pregnant.) William leads the church in his village, and purposefully chose it's semi-isolated location because it was important for him to reach out to that community.
For the most part, I go to William's village very Saturday morning for a few hours. Marie Christianson, an incredible woman and former housemate, has been helping William run a consistent children's ministry for six months. (I've been involved for four months now.) We play games (relay races!) and do crafts (coloring!) with the kids, who range from itty bitty to teenage. It's awesome to just go and love them every week. Today was especially great because we focused on love in our lives and God's love for us. It was an incredible morning.
As it's two days before Valentine's Day, my TZ bestie Erin Steinhoff had made valentines for the children by cutting hearts out of construction paper and gluing them onto a piece of folded construction paper. Inside each one, she wrote: "[name] Nakupenda! <3, Yesu." In English, "[name] I love you! <3 Jesus." With William translating, the children learned and understood that these were Valentine's Day cards and that they were "from God." They knew to keep them as reminders of His love for us. Marie had prepared photocopied papers that each had an angel with heart-shaped wings. The angel also held a heart in which Marie had written "Upendo kutoka kwa Mungu." Translation: Love comes from God. Above the angel, the verse 1 John 4:7 was written in Kiswahili. The children--all ages--love coloring, and they took much pride using their precious crayons to decorate their heart angel papers.
I'm not a parent, so I admit I can't possibly fully understand what it is like to experience those "first time" moments in the growth of your own child. But today sure came close.
I've fallen in love with a 3-year-old boy named Yahaya, but who I refer to as my "little old man." He never wears a shirt, and his shorts are always a little too big for him. Like almost all the other children around, he doesn't have shoes and runs around the sun-scorched ground barefoot. Somehow, his small, Tanzanian body and posture remind me of Walter Matthau, and his face kind of looks like a grandpa's. When I first met him, about four months ago, he wasn't as big (he has since had a growth spurt!) and was sick for several weeks, as indicated by low energy, a runny nose and sad eyes. Most of our little friends here spoke timidly when they first met us. (There were, of course, some high-energy, go-getters in the group right from the start though.) My little old man was one of the quiet ones.
But today, we reached a milestone. When I walked into the one-room church, he came right up with outstretched arms and spoke to me. For the first time. He spoke to me. I bent down and scooped him up, my jaw gaping but my mouth smiling. I have no idea what he said. I instantly played it over and over in my mind. Words. Some kind of words I could not decipher and probably don't know in Kiswahili yet anyway. By way of grunts or quiet, paired words, my little old man had been laughing and chatting with his older brother (a 13-year-old boy named Ridiwani) for the past few weeks, but today he spoke to me--and in a full sentence. He hadn't even so much as uttered one direct word to me before. Just grins and telling eyes to communicate. Until today. I can only imagine what it must be like for parents to hear their child's first words, for what I experienced this morning was an amazing and unforgettable moment. What a day of love.
xoxo,
Laura
For the most part, I go to William's village very Saturday morning for a few hours. Marie Christianson, an incredible woman and former housemate, has been helping William run a consistent children's ministry for six months. (I've been involved for four months now.) We play games (relay races!) and do crafts (coloring!) with the kids, who range from itty bitty to teenage. It's awesome to just go and love them every week. Today was especially great because we focused on love in our lives and God's love for us. It was an incredible morning.
As it's two days before Valentine's Day, my TZ bestie Erin Steinhoff had made valentines for the children by cutting hearts out of construction paper and gluing them onto a piece of folded construction paper. Inside each one, she wrote: "[name] Nakupenda! <3, Yesu." In English, "[name] I love you! <3 Jesus." With William translating, the children learned and understood that these were Valentine's Day cards and that they were "from God." They knew to keep them as reminders of His love for us. Marie had prepared photocopied papers that each had an angel with heart-shaped wings. The angel also held a heart in which Marie had written "Upendo kutoka kwa Mungu." Translation: Love comes from God. Above the angel, the verse 1 John 4:7 was written in Kiswahili. The children--all ages--love coloring, and they took much pride using their precious crayons to decorate their heart angel papers.
I'm not a parent, so I admit I can't possibly fully understand what it is like to experience those "first time" moments in the growth of your own child. But today sure came close.
I've fallen in love with a 3-year-old boy named Yahaya, but who I refer to as my "little old man." He never wears a shirt, and his shorts are always a little too big for him. Like almost all the other children around, he doesn't have shoes and runs around the sun-scorched ground barefoot. Somehow, his small, Tanzanian body and posture remind me of Walter Matthau, and his face kind of looks like a grandpa's. When I first met him, about four months ago, he wasn't as big (he has since had a growth spurt!) and was sick for several weeks, as indicated by low energy, a runny nose and sad eyes. Most of our little friends here spoke timidly when they first met us. (There were, of course, some high-energy, go-getters in the group right from the start though.) My little old man was one of the quiet ones.
But today, we reached a milestone. When I walked into the one-room church, he came right up with outstretched arms and spoke to me. For the first time. He spoke to me. I bent down and scooped him up, my jaw gaping but my mouth smiling. I have no idea what he said. I instantly played it over and over in my mind. Words. Some kind of words I could not decipher and probably don't know in Kiswahili yet anyway. By way of grunts or quiet, paired words, my little old man had been laughing and chatting with his older brother (a 13-year-old boy named Ridiwani) for the past few weeks, but today he spoke to me--and in a full sentence. He hadn't even so much as uttered one direct word to me before. Just grins and telling eyes to communicate. Until today. I can only imagine what it must be like for parents to hear their child's first words, for what I experienced this morning was an amazing and unforgettable moment. What a day of love.
xoxo,
Laura
 |
Yahaya, my little old man. |
Artist: Third Day
Album: Revelations
Song: Give Love
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BjOn5VrrYGc
Album: Revelations
Song: Give Love
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BjOn5VrrYGc
Whisper softly to me
Share with me your heart
And just ignore the world and what it does
I know that you've been hurting, you've been torn apart
And I pull you close and hold you in my arms
If you give love
I'll return the love and you will see
So much more than you gave away
If you give love
Give it to me
Listen very closely as I sing this song
And please believe that I mean every word
When I say I love you
I mean it with all my heart
Let it be the best thing that you've ever heard
If you give love
I'll return the love and you will see
So much more than you gave away
If you give love
Give it to me
Oh, give it to me
Oh, give it to me
Whisper softly to me
Share with me your heart
SUCH a great post!!!!! LOVE LOVE it!!
ReplyDelete