A Tale of Topolino and A Little Prince Charming
Picture by: Heather J. Whitford
“Where is Tiffany?” Five-year-old Alen begins to ask our team as we each walk through the door of Topolino Kindergarten in Albania. This became a daily question he would ask anyone and everyone. Alen was my little buddy, but he was not the only one to win my heart in this kindergarten.
Today is the big day. The kids perform their end of year recital for their parents on stage today! Danielle and I had been working on a few of the costumes for the kids a few days prior to this and everything is ready. My horse made out of a box and Danielle’s box cow are complete with neck holes, arm holes, yarn tales, and heads. There is only one last thing to make, a wolf mask. The van is sitting outside waiting for the kids while Jazxhi’s car is being loaded up with the props for the play. I run up to the craft room, quickly fashion a wolf mask from the supplies I find and go down stairs to wait with some of the kids. Camille (Cammy) walks up to me and practices saying my name, “Tippany” is what comes out. I smile and hug her tiny little frame. She soaks up every hug and relishes every time she is picked up.
Best buds and my two biggest fans, Alen and David (Dahvid), are running around the playground like crazy kids until we are ready to go. They lock me inside the seven dwarfs play house thinking they have won this game…and I proceed to quickly and quietly climb out the side window, sneak around to the porch and… “Ahhhh!” I catch both of them by surprise. Their little laughs fill the playground.
These are daily experiences at Topolino, whether I am begged to push them on the swings, climb on the jungle gym in the back, or play some game inside, Alen and David always seem to be dragging me somewhere.
It’s time to go. With a bus full of 3 – 7 year olds, we drive off to town to the auditorium for their presentation. When we arrive, each child is dressed in his/her costume for the recital. Satin and silk dresses in myriads of color decorated with ribbons, tassels, and sequins adorn each little girl as they twirl in circles across the stage.
Just then, a little knight in shining plastic armor wanders over to me, Alen, a little prince charming. He poses for a picture with his sword, breastplate, and helmet, (looking very fierce of course.) Then, without a word, he spins around and runs across the stage chasing David.
Brilliant miniature performers sing songs and act out plays in Albanian, German and English. For the grand finale, each child receives a certificate of graduation and runs off the stage to join his/her parents waiting with open arms and air-born kisses.
A few weeks later…
It is our last day at the kindergarten. Olivia and Camille request that I push each of them on the swing from the front so they can try to kick me and I can tickle them as they swing up to me. This is also when we practice counting to 100 in English…they really don’t get tired of swinging. After this, they ask me to read to them. They each take turns picking books that I read, until they come to one last book that has more than twenty separate stories inside. I read to them for at least 45 minutes straight, until my voice is turning horse (and my face is turning blue)…but they still aren’t tired of me reading!
“Today is my last day in the kindergarten,” I sadly inform them both. “When is your birthday?” Olivia asks me. “November 1st,” I tell her. At this, both Camille and Olivia decide to make me birthday cakes out of blocks because they won’t be with me on my birthday. What do you do with kids this precious?!
Later on, the same day, Alen wants to steal my fan and run off with it, but I won’t let him. He tries everything to get me to give it to him, but nothing is going to make me budge…or so I think. Finally, he says, “I have a surprise for you.” Intrigued by what this could be, I hand the fan over. “What is the surprise?” I ask him. “My house is your house!” Then he proceeds to run off with the fan into playground oblivion.
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We prayed for these little guys each morning before going to the kindergarten and shared Jesus with them when we had the chance. I pray what Alen said is true one day since I am not likely to see him again this side of heaven.
“Lord, I lift these little guys up to You and pray that they saw Your love through us the month that we had with them. Pursue them with Your love each day in new ways and draw them to You so that one day they will each have a relationship with You. Amen.”
