Dear friends
At Kids of Africa we enjoy working with long-term volunteers. Here’s a very brief reflection from Malou after one of her first days at work. It put a smile on my face when I read it. You may enjoy it, too.
Moving Mountains
It was a Monday evening and 8-year old Judith was tired after a long day at school. As she sat on the couch she rubbed her eyes and yawned. She knew she had to do her homework for the next day, so she got down on the carpet and opened her notebook. “What homework do you have?” I asked. “English homework,” and slowly pointed out the different words on the page. “I have to organize the words in alphabetical order,” and she looked up at me. I smiled and nodded. Then Judith picked up her pencil and slowly but steadily began arranging the words in alphabetical order. “Is this correct?” she asked unsurely as her eyes glazed over the page. “Yes, it is,” I replied.
As I sat on the couch looking at Judith working on her homework, it reminded me of my own schooling and how I longed for support and acknowledgement. When Judith had completed the whole page, she looked up at me and said: “Finished” and I replied, “Well done”. The smile she returned lit up the room.
This story about Judith is why we do what we do. Education is the way forward. Appreciation and empathy can move mountains. We are forever thankful to all our sponsors. Judith’s smile would not have been possible without you.
From Malou (a Danish volunteer)
