Belinda, one of my students at Glorious, has a hard time during the day. She's always quiet, does her work and then just sits at her desk.
Last week she wet herself at her desk and the other kids were pulling her up and out of her desk, trying to force her out of the row, all while she's crying out loud.
Lene, another volunteer took her out and changed her outfit. Afterwards she didn't want to do any work so she sat, embarrassed, with us at "teachers desk”.
Today, I was standing outside of the bathrooms and noticed Belinda hanging on the door doing the “pee pee dance”. I continued doing what I was doing, looked back again and saw she was now going to pee. I saw the boy’s bathroom open so I went over and tried to take her to the boys bathroom. She wouldn't let go of the door so I tried taking her hand from the doorknob and when I did it opened really quickly and I saw two girls holding the door closed on purpose. I told them to go play, and Belinda ran in to use the bathroom.
Later I sat next to her on the ground while all the other kids were playing. I was talking to another student next to me when two boys started fighting with each other, standing over Belinda. One of the boys knocked the other over and he fell right on top of her. She had absolutely no reaction, not even a whimper- just trampled and smothered. I grabbed her right away and pulled her onto my lap and asked her if she was alright. She had no reply, so I held her close and with my softest, most caring voice said, “B-e-l-i-n-d-a”, and she smiled shyly and I hugged her again. She sat on my lap playing little games of counting our fingers in English and caring for one another.
This reminded me of my mother and how well she taught me to care. I swear it was her nurturing voice that came out of me when I spoke, humming out of my past to help in my present. It made me feel so grateful to have the mother I do and that I still receive that care today. Many of these kids I share my days with have lost that or never had it in the first place.
Moments like these are what keeps me going here in Arusha Tanzania ... Even though it feels like I've been moved to another planet at times, when I care and share love with another person, we both feel right at home.
MUCH LOVE!
Talia
Let the circle be unbroken...
ReplyDeletepeople helping people when their people aren't there to help them and passing it along.