I watched him take half of his food that he was given and then carefully wrap the remaining half in a plastic bag and then stuff it inconspicuously in his pocket. When asked what he was doing with the other half, thinking he might be saving it for later, he sheepishly answered that he was taking it home for his sibblings. You know they’ve never had fried chicken and french fries before.
I’ve had the opportunity to observe the youth here a bit more lately. We’re preparing to start up the new school year for these kids in January. The new school building is nearly completed and ready for use. This school will be housing the basico kids or middle school age kids as you might know them…7th—9th graders. And then we have 30 kids who qualify and are eager to further their “carera” or high school education. Here, the kids have to decide what they want to be when they grow up before entering this phase. How tough would that be? Then they go to a school that will educate them in this field they choose. It can take between 2-3 years, depending on what career they choose. It’s amazing to listen to these kids talk. They want to go to school and do a good job so they can get a job someday to make enough money to help take care of their family. That’s actually what they say…not what someone tells them to say. I never heard any of these kids say they want a good job so they can be successful in life, or so they can make lots of money. Some of these kids are the first from their family not only to go past the 6th grade, but also to go to school for a career.
When these kids are told that someone who had a bit extra is giving them the sponsorship so they can go to school, they overflow with gratitude. Their families are so gracious and tell you over and over how thankful they are. We always tell them the money is from God. And they know that.
As we went in and out of several homes on Sunday, asking their parents permission to enter these kids into the program, I was overwhelmed by the contrast between what I’ve always known and what I saw. To enter a place these people call home and see all the faces…the little ones peeking around the corners or through the one window in the house. Or the older ones, looking so old and worn. All the many faces of siblings in-between. They’re all smiling. They’re proud. They’re expecting us. The grandma slips Q3 (36¢) in to a small hand as she quickly slips away into the street followed by half-a-dozen cousins. After we’re seated on the few seats they may have or borrowed from the neighbors, conversations begin, and the child slips back proudly with a 3 liter of coke followed by the half-a-dozen cousins. We are served. We know the money to show us hospitality is a sacrifice. Yet we don’t argue. How can you do anything other than ALL you can to show these beautiful people you love them and want to do all you can to help change their lives? We don’t want them to be rich. We just want them to have the opportunity to get out of the poverty that permeats their very village. We will see great things come from these kids. We know it. God has paved the way for this village to change and it starts with these kids. It’s their desire not only to go to school but to come back to their own people and serve them with their jobs and encourage their siblings to do the same. We see hope in their faces. We see strength and determination. It’s much more difficult for them in every way possible to succeed here. The odds are highly against their success. But it IS in God’s plan for them to succeed. And we are thrilled to have the privilege to be a part of their success, their changing their future, their hearts seeing eternal hope and embracing it.
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