My second angel was at the birthing clinic for HIV women. There, the women learn to make beads/necklaces/bracelets & purses/bags for income to support each other and their families.
My second angel was a little boy named Abdi. He has a beautiful smile and shiny, happy eyes. His grandma was one of the first women I noticed--so tall and stately in her finest purple & gold embossed dress.
She introduced me to her grandson stating simply "This one is deaf." He came up to my shoulder, but was bent over with a curved spine that gave him a limp. Though I could not always understand his sign language, we communicated just fine. We played clapping games, took pictures of people and each other, and practiced yoga from our chairs, following the women and children from the sidelines. At the end of the day, he picked out a beautiful beaded bracelet for me that his grandma made.
Like the little girl in the Acholi slums, Abdi's joy and spirit captured my heart. Naturally then I worry about these children's future. What will become of Abdi when his grandma passes? How long will my little spitfire's eyes gleam with spunk and spirit? I don't know the answers to these questions and when I get too far ahead of myself, I try to return to the present, to the now. In this moment, they are alright & happy.
We are bringing them, their families, and communities both immediate and longer term assistance--food & medicine for today & buildings/clean water systems/shelter/schools for tomorrow--with the goal that these projects will ensure a better chance for a healthy & happy future.
My sincerest thanks to all the people that supported these project and my angels!
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