It’s not like I’m excited for it, but when it happens I’m glad to be there.
I struggle to get out of bed each morning. I’m tired; I didn’t sleep well; I’m still not feeling 100%. I don’t really have anything to look forward to each day so why hurry to wake up? I finally get up and grab some clothes to throw on before I go downstairs to get breakfast before we leave. I eat a slice of bread with some jam then its time to pile into our tuk tuk for the 20 minute ride to the village. On the way I half listen to my teams conversations and half space out, wishing I were back in bed or anywhere but here. We arrive in the village and kids are chasing our tuk tuk and jumping in with us when they get close enough. As we pull to a stop we are immediately surrounded with little smiling faces, arms reaching, begging to be held. It still hasn’t hit me yet; am I still sleeping or am I in a state of unfeeling?
I have one monkey hanging on my back while another holds my hand as we walk to the classroom. It’s been cold out for the Khmer people so baths were out of the question until yesterday. My team gathers the soap, buckets and towels and heads to the water spigot with the kids in tow. The little munchkin on my back hops down and gets in line. Our first task of the day: giving the kids a bath. Helping them with this task that seems so little starts to draw me in. I’m beginning to participate and be present in the moment. Once most of the kids are clean a few of us head back to the classroom to keep the clean ones entertained while we wait. The munchkin that’s been clinging to me since we arrived finds me again and sits in my lap where he holds my hands or wraps my arms around him in a hug. Another little boy who captured my attention the first day comes running in and throws himself down next to me and grabs my arm in a bear hug before settling down to rest his head and arms on my knee. My heart melts. Such a simple act, yet to me it means so much. While we sit listening to the Bible story a third boy comes up behind me and wraps his arms around my neck. Three little boys snuggling and cuddling with me. Three little boys who need and want love. This is why I’m here, to show love to these little boys whose names I can’t even pronounce; to bring a smile to their faces. And suddenly my tiredness from minutes ago doesn’t matter. I forget that I want to be in bed or wherever. I forget about the ants crawling around and on me or the very real possibility that each kid might give me lice or worse. I am happy and content sitting on the floor listening to a story and cuddling with these kids. In this moment I don’t want to be anywhere but here.
