On our compound, there are 5 houses where 30 children live. They were once orphans and are now being taken care of by the house moms; widows and young single women. For two weeks, my ministry was going into one of the houses in the morning and teaching the children. During those few short weeks, these children have stolen a piece of my heart. Here they are:
Meskerem, 7. Man, this little girl has the biggest heart and loves me so well. She is intelligent and catches on quickly. Every time I see her, she runs up to me, kisses my cheek and tells me she loves me. Every Friday during movie night, she snuggles up to me and we share my sleeping bag.
Aroosa, 6. Meskerem’s little brother. Every morning, when Grace and I made our way to the house, he would meet us halfway and carry all the supplies for us. Just like his sister, he has a heart that loves like Jesus, he is polite and stands up for people. Thankful for the little guy and his bright smile.
Bidasa, 6 (Right). This boy is full of so much joy. From learning, to singing songs, to saying his name, he always has a huge smile on his face. His laugh is contagious and his hugs brighten up your day.
Dereche, 3 (Left). The cutest little thing you’ve ever seen. One of the best moments from teaching was when we went around the circle and said “My name is…”. I hadn’t heard Dereche say anything in English and expected him to stay silent, when all the sudden he yelled “My name is Dereche!”. He’s like a grown man in a kid’s body and if you want to see the cutest thing ever, send the kids to go on a race and watch his little legs try to keep up. His facial expressions can light up a room and he is sure to bring some joy.
Ziritu, 6. (Right/Blue Dress) A big helper in the classroom. She was always the first to answer a question, sound out a word or write out a sentence. Always willing to lead and listen.
Samacho, 6. (Green prince crown) Mr. troublemaker for sure. He might not always pay attention, but I have seen growth just in our short time teaching. One day we talked about ‘Loving our neighbor’; a topic we thought needed to be heard. The rest of that day he continued to say “love your neighbor”. He has a desire to grow.
Bikiltu, 6. The biggest smile you’ll ever see. All the teeth showing. She is sweet and sassy. She stands up for herself and won’t let anyone get away with their actions.
Although I only got to teach 7, the best part of my day is spent down in the children villages; either coloring, dancing/spinning around, arm wrestling, teaching, or just hanging out. These kids are such lights and I know they are going to change the world one day.
