Musings of Africa Pt. 5: Challenged Love
I had predetermined to never make a post or statement about these kids' or these people's work ethic. It felt far too stereotypical even if it were true. What struck me much more was their sense of ownership- their almost intuitive nurturing way of being. When we would move like a caravan from Okoa to the community center for dance practice, the older kids almost always would find a younger kid to keep track of. If they noticed one person cleaning up, they would just help themselves to collecting colored pencils from the bunch and putting them away for you. After service Sunday, they stacked their chairs and someone came by to sweep. When a little one had dropped her lunch in our meeting space, I noticed a few other littles had scooped her spilled beans off the floor while a slightly older child swept the rice up. During the final day of art projects, my friend Jordyn and I had all the kids in the community center and were charged with wrangling them so the staff could get poured into in a service just for them. I manned the supply table and collected finished products for about 50 kids. At one point I think one of the older boys could sense that I was a little overwhelmed and stood sentinel there with me. He fielded requests for paper, collected supplies, and helped maintain order on the table.
They challenged my love walk. They beckoned me to develop stronger muscles and more perceptive eyes. I'll carry their example with me forever. #MusingsOfAfrica