He walked through the gate in a faded pink shirt with a girl listening to music characterized up on it. His knee high pants bore holes on all sides, and his oversized rain boots met his skin just below his pants.The darkness of his soft rounded face beautifully contrasted with the white of his curious eyes. His chapped lips stayed pressed together as he analyzed the scene before him. Soon to follow was another boy with a rounder face and darker skin. Pinned together just above his left shoulder was a thick brown, orange and red blanket that spanned the circumference of his body. Within his left hand he held a stick fitted just for his height with blue on red paint flaking off of all points leading to the metal plated end. He took in his surroundings, just as the other boy, discerning when it was safe to join in. Those surrounding were laughing and playing games. Some on swings, some with hoops, some on bars, some on seesaws, but the two boys stood there in wonder.
A ball was tossed to the boy in pink. It bounced off his rubber boot, and caught him off guard. The ball laid before him as the other child ushered him to throw it back. He bent over, picked up the ball and a beautiful white broke through pierced lips as he tossed the ball back. The curiosity of the boy in the blanket peeked as the other shepherd boy let out a joyful laugh. He walked towards the kids playing, as another little boy handed him a Velcro circle to attach to his hand. A small ball was tossed toward the Velcro in the shepherd boy’s hand. His eyes opened wide as he looked at the unusual ball. As he pulled it from the Velcro his laughter awakened joy that was brewing within the heart of a child soon to be a man.
In Lesotho, many boys begin their shepherd work as young as the age of 4. In a short time the kids will stop attending school as their duties to the herd take priority. Shepherding is a low job within the community, and many look down on them similar to the marginalization of the shepherds of Biblical times. There is a maturity within these young boys that cherishes the simplest moments of childhood fun. They know what it is to father as the Good Shepherd, as they seek the comfort of a father themselves. They know what it is to see danger, as they have lost sheep and cattle to nature’s predators and diseases. They know the depths of responsibility as they herd the wealth of others through mountain peeks. And in this, they are but children, loved and cherished by an adoring Father in heaven who calls us to love and cherish his children as he.
“I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children,
you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
And whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me.”
~ Matthew 18: 3-5
The next day we were re-united with the children for hours of games and laughter. From the schoolyard we could see, upon a plateau of the nearest mountain peek, nearly hidden by the height and width of the cattle before him, the beautiful smile of our dear child, the shepherd boy, as he waved to his new friends.
