Wednesday I had a chance to come off of work a little bit early. I went home and Wendell and Winston two brothers were over at the house. It was Audrey's night to cook and so Meg and I volunteered to take them for a walk on the sea wall. We walked quite a distance before the boys were tired and asked us to sit down. We sat and chatted for a while and then convinced them to continue further. We got to a particular stop light that we had pointed out and the boys were ready to turn back. Half way through we sat down because they wanted to take a break to watch the buses go by. I asked Winston what he wanted to be when he grew up and he said: "A solider". I asked Wendell the same question and he said that he didn't know. I tried to convince him to become a firefighter. Then I asked the boys who what they thought Meg should be when she grew up and they said she should be a scientist. I whispered into Winston's ear "Sister Julie" so that he would tell Meg to become a Sister when she grew up. I was just making a joke of course. Then I asked Wendell what I should be when I grew up and he told me: "Mommy". I said "who's mommy?" he said "Wendell Mommy". He may have been fed the answers from Meg but it was such a sweet moment I will never forget it. He proceeded to crawl into my lap and tell me which bus was his. A little while later Winston was getting bored but I knew we needed to give Audrey more time so we walked down to a lady who sells snacks and bought Cheese Stix which are a lot like Cheetos. They were more than excited and it kept them occupied for a long time. Behind us on the sand/silt before the ocean was a group of young kids playing cricket. We moved over to the other side and watched the kids play. Eventually you know the boys ran down to watch closely and play around the area.
I think it is moments like these that are the true moments of my life in Guyana. At our spirituality night this week we reflected on a bible verse from Matthew that states: "Without cost you have received, without cost you are to give". I think children do this better than anyone else in the world. I love the child so the child simply loves me back. If I don't buy him another bag of cheese stix he won't resent me tomorrow and treat me any differently when I greet him in the morning. If I make a comment that was distasteful he won't even think twice about it because after all he doesn't fully understand. I sometimes wish I could love others as the children at the orphanage give pure love to me. I think they are our greatest role models.
Mercy Wings the vocational school I work at had a surprise going away program for me on Thursday afternoon. One of classes sang a song, another read a poem and some of the boys played the drums and danced. I was thankful for the effort that they put in to make me feel so loved while leaving Guyana. Ms. Marietta an Amerindian woman who works as the secretary at Mercy Wings gave me a small woven jewel box from her to always remind me of her my Amerindian friend. (Amerindians are the indigenous people of Guyana)
I have one more week of work left and then two weeks to get things in order here in Guyana before I leave. It seems crazy that in three short weeks I will be leaving my home of two years. I feel all kinds of different emotions but I know this is part of life, this is part of a transition.
Lately I've been thinking about the phrase: "Everybody dies but not everybody lives". I feel that this phrase rings over and over in my head because I feel for those who have not found their passion and followed their dreams. Live as if you'll die tomorrow and dream as if you'll live forever.
I end with a quote that one of my friends recently put up on facebook that really inspired me today and brought a smile to my face.
After A While you learn the subtle difference between holding a hand and chaining a soul, And you learn that love doesn't mean leaning And company doesn't mean security, And you begin to learn that kisses aren't contracts and presents aren't promises, And you begin too accept your defeats with your head up and your eyes open, with the grace of an adult, not the grief of a child, And you learn to build all your roads on today because tomorrows ground is too uncertain for plans.. After A While you learn that sunshine burns if you get to much. So plant your own garden and decorate your own soul, instead of waiting on someone to bring you flowers.. And you learn that you really can endure.. That you really are strong and you really do have worth~
Love and prayers,
Ashley Ann
May we learn to forgive ourselves and others as easily as our Father forgives us when we go to Him with a repentant heart~
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| Mark Lenny and I, Lenny and I share the same birthday |
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| Adrian |
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| Winston and Wendell |
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| A trainee from last year brought me her child for a visit! :) |
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| Sister Rosaline and I at Bosco Graduation |
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| Audrey and I after Bosco Graduation |
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| Audrey, Sarah, Ashley and Dave Dave came to Guyana on the same flight as us, and he would volunteer on the weeks at Bosco |
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| Sister Celine Marie, Ashley, Audrey, Sarah and Sister Noel Cake at our Goodbye Tea |
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| Ashley and Wendell (We didn't purposely match!) |
Such a beautiful post, Ashley! You are so right how kids just love and give without expecting anything and don't grudges. They are innocent and ready for relationship.
ReplyDeleteThose are the most beautiful faces there!