Today he chose his English name: James.
When I started teaching at a school in Cambodia I made the awful mistake in assuming that I was used to crazy kids by now. A big family, children from my church, babysitting, kids from overseas….nope
I teach a class in the morning from 7:30 to 10:30 with my friend Sam. Actually she’s less of my friend and more like a person on which I mentally depend to keep me awake throughout the rest of the school day. Our morning class is 9 of the sweetest children I’ve ever met. They love to sing, dance, draw, read stories, cuddle, do our hair, take picture, and giggle all the time! Today, one of the little boys in that class chose the name “David” for himself and a little girl chose “Emma” for herself. Hearing those names reminds me so much of my own little brother and sister David and Emma….very thankful for the physical reminders of the many blessings that God has given to me. Teaching them about Jesus and about English is such a wonderful time! My morning class is such a source of pure, childlike joy for me every day.
Then there’s our second class. From the first moment it was hard love. Jesus says He loves them…I have restless kids. Jesus says they are worthy of my love…I am a human jungle gym. Jesus says to have patience and grace…I am mentally and physically drained. At the end of every day if not within the first hour of this class I am usually collapsed on the floor. The energy level of this class is insane! He tells me to look at them with fresh eyes every day– it is now month 2 of this ministry and I absolutely love it. This class’ energy is now focused on being friends with me and Sam and giving us as much love as they possibly can. They just want to sit with is, to hug us, to draw on my hands and feet, to put flowers in my hair and then dread it, to take naps on our legs until our bodies are numb with pins and needles. Grateful for the hard love.
This little guy– our relationship began as he was the most exhausting, devilish, mischievous, difficult child to manage to now having stolen my heart with his ability to care about others, to just want someone to pay attention to him, to not have to fee like he has to act up in order to receive any kind of love or attention. He’s just so happy to sit on top of me and smile and talk in the best English he can muster. We have staring contests and ugly face contests. He’s completely himself. im so grateful for the gift of another little brother in a foreign country. When the time comes for me to move on to the next country, he will never stop being my little brother in Christ’s big heavenly family.
