This morning, he came to me with big tears in his eyes and
said in Swahili, “Mama Mary, I want to go home.”
I knelt down and gave him a big hug and told him to just
wait some time and that for now, In Step could be his home.
Today was Happy Birthday Day at In Step. It is always loads of fun for the kids. Cake.
Ice cream. Juice. Bubbles.
Philip, one of our other boys and Gilbert’s classmate, was
with us when I was hugging Gilbert. I asked Philip to explain to Gilbert what
happens on Happy Birthday Day. Philip
was so happy to fill Gilbert in; his face was animated, his arms flailing, his
eyes wide with excitement. The more
excited Philip got, the more excited Gilbert got.
All the kids gathered in the veranda. I called all the April
birthday kids up to the front. We sang
Happy Birthday and then we handed out the cake and ice cream. I caught a glimpse of Gilbert at the table and he had the
biggest smile on his face. Cake and ice cream.
I think today was his first time ever having ice cream. I could see as
he took a bite/slurp of the ice cream, his face scrunch up from the cold of it.
After cake and ice cream and the juice, we went outside for
bubbles. Baba Sean, Mama Carla, Madam
Beth Ann and I went out and blew bubbles as the kids chased them around to
pop.
Gilbert was having a hay-day. He had the biggest smile on
his face as he chased around with the other kids, trying to be the first to pop
a bubble. After bubbles were done, some
of his classmates were showing me their somersaults, cartwheels and jumps. I
would clap and cheer and say, “Good job so-and-so.”
Gilbert shouted in Swahili, “Mama Mary; look at me!” So I looked and he did a cartwheel. I cheered
and clapped for him. Again, “Mama Mary,
look at me!” More cheering and clapping.
I asked him, “Gilbert,
are you happy now?”
His answer, “Yes, Mama Mary; I am VERY happy.”
And off he ran to play.
Nothing a little cake, ice cream and bubbles can’t help.
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