Each day seems to bring a new
face to our front yards and new challenges as our cultures collide. Sunday we invited the children of our host
family over; the same family we lived with for 5 months. The younger girl is the same age as
Whitman. At one point in the afternoon
she came to me asking to go ‘pee.’ I
helped her to the bathroom and told her to sit as I pointed to the toilet. Apparently I was not clear enough, for just
as I feared, she immediately squatted on the floor and peed. Thankfully she was in the bathroom, but our
bathroom is more like a shower with a toilet in it. I helped her get dressed then proceed to
disinfect the bathroom floor.
A highlight from the weekend though,
occurred when two neighbor girls stopped by to ask for a Band-Aid for a small cut. Apparently we are known as the house with Band-Aids!
A challenge recently has been to
love the kids as we are called to. There
is a group of kids that wander the neighborhood looking for plastic, glass, and
cans to turn in for money. Apparently
they can get a nickel for 1 kilogram
of plastic. I have told these kids to
always stop by as I will set aside our plastic, glass, and cans for them. This is the closest I can get to recycling
here and it helps these kids out. These
kids have also taken to peering in our windows.
The other day they proceeded to ask for the apples on our counter. It stirs up different sentiments in me when I
am asked to give versus deciding to give on my own, especially in a manner my culture would see as rather impolite. I am called to welcome these kids, not hinder
them, and give to those who are in need.
So I am learning to love them are they are truly loved and look past
cultural, social, and economic differences.
