Somehow a brave child can usually be found in a crowd of curious onlookers and Patience was one of them. The four year old girl simply walked up and grabbed hold of my fingers and stood with me as I looked up and down the strip of road. Luganda not being the common language in Soronko – that place we were tricked into stopping “on the way” to Nakapiritpirit – I was grateful for the more commonly spoken English. Although the little girl knew nothing of that language, she was content to listen and nod.
I thought of Maya, an adorable little one whose parents are helping her learn more about the love of God and the world around her by sponsoring a dolly and a dress. I plucked her adorable photo from the bag along with her dolly and proffered the gifts to Patience. A nearby adult explained the connection between the white girl in the photo and the dolly so that Patience could understand, yet she still had a rather confused look on her face. How can such a small and sheltered life comprehend anything beyond her own small village?
Patience protected that dolly from the many curious hands that would explore her dress and hair. For the next three hours I watched as she sheltered her new baby from the dirty hands of those boys. Soon, parents were asking what else was in the bag and saying “what about this one” as though I could possibly give a gift to every person in the vicinity. They’re not usually angry when no more gifts emerge. But you can’t really blame them for asking.
