About a week ago, I met Niat and Ma, two little old ladies who lived together in a small cement building. Ma wore a purple shirt and limped about the yard, giving us orders in her language even though none of us could speak it. Niat sat on the stoop in a worn white t-shirt and green skirt. At over 90 years old, she can no longer see, and she depends on Ma to care for her.
Ma posing outside her home in all of her sassy glory.
They each have a single room they call home, rooms which hadn’t been cleaned in months. The rooms themselves were covered in dust and bugs and feces; geckos and roaches scattered as we moved their belongings.
My heart broke.
And then it swelled with love and compassion for these two women who desperately needed someone’s help to do something so simple.
We swept. We shook. We wiped. We cleaned.
An after photo of Ma’s room once we put everything back inside.
And then we sat in a circle. I held Niat’s hand and sang songs to her about a Good Father. I prayed for her and told her how loved she was. Sure, she couldn’t understand what I was saying, but maybe, just maybe, she could feel it.
Sweet moments with Niat after we finished cleaning.
Until the Whole World Hears,
Mia
PS – Shout out to Megan Bueche for the awesome photos of the day!!!
