First off I just want to say— I am 12 days away from coming back to the states and ending this beautiful part of my life. Tears come to my eyes just thinking about it. The tears are coming mostly because I won’t have to have anymore rice for a long time. HAHA— Just kidding.
I want to dedicate this blog to my new friend Sassy, just one of the incredible kids I have become close with this month. She is a precious 13 year old girl that I live with here in El Salvador.
When she moved into the girls home she couldn’t read or write. She has a very dark past but you wouldn’t know it by who she is today. The move into the girls home has been life changing for her. She does have a few learning disabilities but she has been given the opportunity to to go to a school that will help her learn at her own pace. Now she can both read and write. She will leave little notes in my tent all the time and I treasure them so much knowing the hard work she has put in to be able to do that.
This year I have learned a lot about what it means to live unapologetically.
Unapologetic: not willing to apologize, not feeling or showing regret or shame.
I want to live without regret or shame for who I am. I want to be the crazy/wild Emily that God created me to be and not feel sorry about it! If I don’t become Emily Madden no one else can either. I am realizing what it really means when I hear “There is only one Emily Aynn Madden”.
I have been working on learning that for the past 10 months and it wasn’t until this month that I really got what that is. Sassy is the best example of what it means to live unapologetically and without shame. SHE IS WIIILLLLDDD. God only created one Sassy and she knows that. She acts freely in who she is every single day.
I am inspired by her. Do something crazy. Do something that most people would frown on. Do something unordinary. Seek out the unexpected.
We have been living with Sassy for 15ish days now and I have not once seen Sassy sad. She is always full of joy, giggles, and wonder. I love the way she looks at her life and the world.
Now, I won’t say that Sassy hasn’t gotten on my nerves this month because she has. She is like the annoying, crazy, fun, sister I never had.
(Sassy and I after church last Sunday having a tongue war. Yes, I am a child.)
Here is a list of a few of the funny crazy things Sassy has done over the past few weeks.
- She uses other people’s feet as a telephone
- She will ask you for chocolate all day everyday when she knows you don’t have any. She doesn’t just ask you in a normal way either. She will sing the lion king opening song and put your name in it. It goes a little something like this “AHHH SAVAANIIAAA EMILY TIENES CHOCOLATEEEEE?!?!” It’s the goofiest thing and most unexpected thing ever! She came up with it all on her own too.
- She will chew up food and feed it to her Pug Gracie like a mommy birdie. Ew, I know.
- She will chase you down and attack you with hugs. She won’t let go for at least a solid minute.
- She calls my teammate Shannon “ChinaWok”…. I don’t know.
- She licked Katie’s popcorn bag after Katie had already licked it. Yes, Katie licks her popcorn bags.
- She ate a goldfish snack off of a dirty mop.
- She refers to us as her hijos (daughters).
- She is always checking our foreheads to see if we are sick.
- She steals our bracelets.
- She will look in the window of our room and bathroom and try to talk to us.
- She will ask you where you are when you are in the same room as her.
- She will block your way and ask for a password. The password is always “Dios te ama” which means God loves you.
- She likes to wear our shoes around the house.
- She likes to look at you while you are sleeping. On our first morning some of us woke up at 4 am to her staring at us through a window.
There are probably more but these are a few of the best ones that capture her essence.
Oh Sassy. I will always remember you.
Because it is month 11 and I am about to head home I have started to go through all my stuff and give away what I really don’t need. Last weekend I had so much fun giving my clothes out to all the girls. They would try it on and give us a fashion show.
Well, here is stinkin’ cute Sassy looking sassy in my red dress.
I gave her my dress. She gave me billions of fun memories, inspiration, a full heart and a head full of lice.
XOXO,
Madden
