This month my team worked in the Sector 2 Elementary school in Los Guido. Each day, or days when they actually had school, we would walk to school and spend the morning volunteering in classrooms. Each day it was a different classroom so we had a ton of variety this month.
The first day we actually started ministry, we were in two classrooms that morning. An English class and an art class. In both classes there was this little boy named Kevin who just seemed to cling to my side. In the first class he drew me a picture, and I left with a huge bear hug.
I get to the second class which was art, and to my pleasant surprise he was in that class as well. We had to divide into 5 groups with 1 of my teammates in each separate group. Kevin ran to my side and clung to my hip to ensure he was on my team, no questions asked. During the entire game, he was the sweetest thing ever, hugging me, laughing with me, holding my hand, drawing my tattoo on his arm, and sitting in my lap.
I couldn’t communicate verbally very well with him, but I could communicate love to him through a hug, a smile, and a laugh.
I asked him if he goes to the Finca, where lunch is provided each day for community children, and he said he did.
That day, when it was time for the feeding center to open and the kids begin flocking in, I see this boy at the top of the hill walking hand in hand with 2 other younger boys. As they come closer, I realize it’s Kevin, the boy from class. We make eye contact, and he comes running into my arms. I sweep him up into a huge hug, and he introduces me to his 2 little brothers.
Each day after that initial interaction, I found myself, keeping an eye on the hallways at school for this little boy. Whenever the feeding center opened from 11-1pm I’d always keep an eye on the gate at the top of the hill in quiet anticipation for these 3 little boys to come walking in. I was always so excited to see them running to give me a bear hug.
I don’t know what it was about Kevin, but God gave me a huge heart for him. I don’t know a ton of his story, but you could see in his eyes that life has had a toll on him.
He took care of his little brothers as though he was their father. He protected them. He got their meals for them. And he definitely loved them. He was their father figure… at age 7.
He’ll always have a place in my heart.
Just one of those God moments for me this month. The little boy from the slums who loved on ME. I think he left more of an impact on me than I on him.
With love,
Jasmine
