The children that live in the village of Diabo are more independent than some people I know living in their 20’s. I am legitimately serious when I say this. The kids help their parents with everyday activities when they’re not at school. They have grown up as babies wrapped up in a cloth on their mothers backs, watching them work all day and learning the ways of everyday life. The kids will be doing things for their families without any complaining. They will be carrying water on their heads, sweeping the floors, getting a chair for us to sit in, helping with laundry, chopping vegetables with a machete, picking up dishes after meals, taking care of their siblings, all of these things without having be told to do so. And when I say children, I mean kids under 10.
One of my favorite memories so far this month spent in Cote d’Ivoire is doing my laundry with a 2 year old. Our laundry is done in buckets with soap packets and the women of the village watched us the first time and I think it was a painful sight for them. We most certainly do not hand wash our laundry the proper way but we try. When I walked outside to do my laundry one day, there were some children outside of our compound. Children often will be hanging out around our place because they are curious to see and interact with us. So, I went out with my laundry bag and I will be honest with you, I don’t think I will ever have more of an enjoyable experience hand washing my clothes. I filled up my bucket with water and a soap packet, and before I could even start putting my clothes in the water a little boy had already taken my headband out and began to wash it. I couldn’t help but sit back and just admire this adorable little 2 year old, teaching me how to do my laundry. He has obviously learned from his mother, but just letting this moment sink in that this child was teaching me, a 22 year old, to do my own laundry was slightly insane. A few other children helped and joined my teammates and I do our laundry without hesitation. We had so much fun, dumping water on one another listening to country music and just simply doing laundry together. Living in that moment just loving on those kids was such a blast.
I sent my mom some photos of my trip, and she asked me after looking at them: “Aren’t the parents with their children? It seems like in all of the photos, they are all on their own.” It wasn’t until my mom asking me this that it really made me realize their level of independence. It is rare to see a child with their parents. They are typically hanging out on the village streets with one another. When we walk the streets to go to and from ministry, we will slowly gather an entire crowd of children holding our hands and chanting songs back and forth with us. The kids will walk us all the way home, and when we arrive back to our compound we wave to them and say bye-bye (that’s about the only English they know).
I can truthfully say that leaving this beautiful village with such genuine people in just a week is going to be hard. It sounds crazy to say that after being here for only 3 weeks but the relationships we have build with the people here has been such a blessing. They have welcomed us in with such joyful hearts and I am so incredibly thankful for all that they have done! The Lord has blessed us with such hospitable ministry hosts, and I hope to be able to show love to others the way they have done to us.
God Bless,
Adriana
