Sunday, February 3, 2008

I want to hold your hand

I have three of the cutest nieces in the whole wide world. I love them so much and miss them terribly. Life with them is never boring. One story in particular sticks out in my memory. While taking the two five year olds to the dog park one day, there was a some hurt feelings. I would hold the dog leash with one hand their hands with the other. Each was holding one of my fingers. That did not last long, so eventually they took turns holding my hand. One soon became angry at the other because I held her hand longer. I could not help but laugh even though to them it was so important, it was a sign of my love.

Throughout my time here, there have been multiple times where I have had similiar situations in the villages with the children here. You literally have one child per finger and they are all fighting for the chance to be held. In one of the villages, Kondoa, one girl in particular is the fiercest fighter for my attention. Every time I come, she makes a run for me. This precious little five year old girl. She has the huge smile and seems so desperate for attention and love, sometimes even to the point of being rude to other children (which I address). This past visit, I had the opportunity to go to her home. Since she knew we were coming, she was able to leave early from school to go home. When we arrived, we noticed that she had changed and put on her best outfit. She would not let go the whole time I was there in her home. As I talked with her great aunt, in their tiny little mud house, I began to understand some of her behaviour. Her father left, I am not sure about her mother. Her grandmother died and now this little five year old girl is being taken care of by her 80 year old great aunt. Fatina, the little girl, is definitely loved by her great aunt but you can sense the loneliness and fear in her. Nothing in me wanted to leave. I just wanted to stay and live there and help take care of this precious little girl. However, I am so thankful for the amazing teachers at our school who love her, guide her, shepherd her, and so much more. Her future will be different.

No comments: