Every Thursday, four of the children who are physically, mentally or could benefit from some upper body strength and posture activities, are taken horseback riding at a horse farm outside of Swakop. This activity is intended to build self confidence for the three who are physically and mentally challenged, as well as help with the posture for one of the children who, at her young age, is showing visible signs of rounding shoulders.
These four children include:
Elizabeth, who is twelve and was born with spina bifida and has no use of her legs. Up until her being taken in by Nan Parker, the principal of Talitha Kumi, simply crawled around for most of her life. Today she has prosthetics and is becoming quite the independent girl.
Stephanus, who is also twelve, was living in another orphan care setting and for most of his life along with his twin brother. They are now under the care of Brenda Johnston, here at the ministry. Both boys, who were labeled as 'unable to be educated' where they had been staying previously, have defied their previous label and are doing remarkably well at Talitha Kumi.
Revival, who is nine years old, was born deaf and with what seems like Fetal Alcohol Syndrome symptoms. She attends weekly speech therapy sessions in Swakop and has been amazing to see progress with her speech.
Chriszelda, who is also nine, was suffering from malnutrition when she and her sisters were taken into the ministry here in Arandis. Although under good care now, she continues to struggle with the effects of her prior lack of nutritional care.
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I was the field trip bus driver again yesterday for the trip to the horse farm. Shortly after we started heading towards the coast, we were overcome by some real, serious dense fog. Now, I've traveled the road to Swakop many times since my first trip here in 2006. And, I've seen the dense fog in the early morning, here in Arandis. So individually, both hold no new surprises. However, when combined it was a very odd feeling. I felt closed in within a setting that I typically new to be wide open. I could easily have believed there was something else on either side of me, other than what I knew to be there, had this been my first trip down this road.
Being fully aware that there was a vast open desert on both sides of me which I could no longer see. I couldn't help but think how sometimes our lives might be the same way. That we sometimes become so overcome by what is happening immediately around us, we lose sight that there is really anything beyond it.
Perhaps we might be having a bad day. Perhaps we feel the weight of the world on our shoulders. Perhaps its an illness or bad news. It's times like this that we need to remember the fog will lift.
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My appreciation for foster parents has grown by leaps and bounds. Being one here, for just two weeks so far, has given me a different perspective on the challenges they face. Yes, I don't think I can any longer say that I 'know' any of these ministry children until I get to live with them and care for them.
There has been laughter, there have been tears. There has been joy and happiness, there has been frustration. One of the younger girls, when being disciplined, says she wants to 'go home'. I wonder, just where home might be for her.
Yes, challenges abound when trying to get into the minds of these children, to better understand what they are feeling. It is not easy to sit down and simply talk with them because they have no idea on how to express themselves.
So they say nothing.
Maybe they're aware, as I am, that it's only been two weeks since we've been caring for them. How can they be expected to act or behave as if we have known them all of their lives.
And in two weeks, we'll be gone.
As we cross the midway point of our stay here, I'm starting to wonder, who will be more affected by our time spent here, us or them.
I should be much more afraid of being mistaken and then finding out that Christianity is true than of being
mistaken in believing it to be true. (Pascal)
We all want to get to heaven but nobody wants to die. (Unknown...still looking)
God hasn't given you the events of your life to hold in your own hands. He is allowing you to watch them
unfold in His. (Shannon Kubiak, "God Called a Girl")
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