The most important part of our trip is not planting in the garden, painting a home
or digging the foundation for a new home, but the relationships that we make. Last
year I had a shadow that constantly looked to me for a little attention whether it
was playing with a ball or just wanting to be held. I know that the other boys teased
him for wanting my attention as the teasing of children is understandable in any
language, but he persisted in wanting my attention and I was more than pleased to
be with him.
This year my shadow was a few inches taller and a year older. The first day I saw
him I waved not knowing what his response would be. Would he run over and pick
up were we left off a year ago or would he even remember me. He saw me wave,
but being a young boy at that age where playing and being with your friends is the
most important thing in the world, he turned away and continued playing with his
friends. The next day I felt a little tug on my arm and my shadow was there with
a group of friends. He gave me a wave as he and his friends ran off to play and I
smiled and waved back.
Our last day at the Carepoint, we get to sit down and share lunch with the kids. As I
got done with my lunch, my shadow appeared and sat next to me. I smiled and said
“sawubona”, and he replied ngiyaphila. I asked if he had any lunch by pointing at
my plate and saying “eat, eat”. He laughed and said, yes. We shared a few precious
moments until a group of boys came by and my shadow stood up and ran off to play
with his friends. My shadow was growing up to be a boy with friends and not a care
in the world at least not when he is at Mhkombokati.
Later that day I got to have my photo taken with my friend as we said our goodbyes.I can only hope and pray that our few precious moments meant as much to him as it
did to me and that he knows that there is someone thinking and praying for him half
a world away.
Eric J.
