3 days in : Mother of Peace

There's a massive strike going on at the moment so school's been closed and I suppose it has happened at an opportune moment because we've been given the chance to REALLY spend time with the kids who range from babies - 18 years old.
I've been trying to learn zulu as well as everybody's names and failing miserably :) (no big surprise to those of you who know my skill with second langauges) :)
And I've been feeling really guilty about it too! They know my name , but I have to keep asking them for theirs and people feel important when you remember their names you know? So I've been getting them to introduce themselves on video so if I can drill it into my head at night!
In the late afternoons the kids play games they invented.. or soccer.. or they dance. Oh the ZULUDANCE they do is so much fun! I'm determined to learn it because its amazing and because I think it'll make them happy to see the volunteers more immersed in their culture you know? and I've taught them how to play 5 stones and that hand smacking game (bringing a little Singapore to them)... I can't remember what that game is called, but boy can those kids hit hard! My hand is seriously bruised, but they're happy so I'm happy :)
You know when I play with some of the kids and see them smile, its hard for me to believe that anything bad could've happened to them. Kids are amazing that way you know? They have the strength to bounce back... I admire them so much. There's this girl here who has the smile of an angel. Like seriously, its a beautiful smile, radiant is the right word for it. Anyway the fact that she's here already tells me that she's been hurt.. and she's 11. That's pretty old considering the statistics in this part of the world.. but still.. 11. You'll never see that anything is wrong when she's looking at you, but when you observe her when she's alone.. she has this heartbreakingly sad look on her face.. and you know she remembers everything that's happened to her and you know the things that happened can never be taken back. So what can I do? How can my being here be effective to their lives? I don't want to come here, hang around and leave without doing anything tangible you know? I'd like to think you can love people till they heal, but that's Joy logic and we all know how relevant that can be.. :) But that's the best I can offer right now... hopefully I'll get a better understanding of things and wow you with my ingenuity in the next entry :)
Anyhow, I look around at these kids sometimes and am baffled by how different my little sister's life is compared to theirs. Ally's 8. She hasn't been forced to fend for herself, she hasn't been violated, betrayed, deprived... she is still oblivious to the horrors these kids had to live with daily and I'm so thankful for that. But there is something wrong with this situation because love, security and comfort shouldn't be a privilege for any child. It should be a right.
Children are the future.
I know its a chiche that has stopped meaning anything...but really.. they are the people who are going to live in this world when we die. They will be in the world leading it or supporting it in one way or another. It is our job now to protect them.. to teach them.. and to love them.
I believe that everything happens for a reason and that God is behind it all. Most of the time, we don't understand why some times happen, but its not our place to understand. If we did, we'd be God!
I'm so thankful that he has given me this opportunity to love other people. I pray that the gifts he's given me will be useful because I feel a little like I'm walking blind. I have no fixed goal and it's so frustrating... but I also don't want to jump into anything without the proper information so for now, I'm listening and observing.
Enjoy the pictures! I hope they give you an idea of what I'm up to.
I hope you forgive me for the lack of structure in this entry... I'm typing things out exactly as they come into my head and my brain works in an "organised clutter" as with all other aspects of me.

Add reaction

Name *:
E-mail *:	(will not be visible)
Content *:
Anti spam *:	Type the code on the left in the box below