My Sweetheart

 I'm sitting under the gazebo, taking a moment to catch my breath after being chased by several kids on their trikes as they are racing around the pool, hopefully burning off some of that energy that never seems to fade. Along comes a little boy waving and calling “Mon cheri, mon cheri!” (my sweetheart) I realized he was talking to me & began to laugh; his face broke into this huge smile “Ok, ok, babay mon cheri” and away he went on his trike. He doesn't ride his trike though, instead he stands just in front of the seat, grasps the handlebars and proceeds to waddle his way around the pool. The staff and other interns have encouraged him to pedal & shown him how, but he continues to waddle along on his trike anyways. I brought this up at our Wednesday meeting and I was told that the year before he had had a very high fever for a long time and when he’d come out of it he was a lot slower than he had been and seemed to walk around in a daze for the rest of the year. Seeing him now you would never guess, he talks all the time & is always joking around, though there are moments when you see that he is slower than the rest of his class. Shelley reminded us all to be praying for him and Thursday I got to see that prayer answered!!!

 It was recess and since they hadn't had trikes earlier in the day, if they sat very still and quiet for a certain amount of time they got to go get a trike. This took awhile; but eventually they were all on trikes and there in the middle of all the chaos was my sweetheart waddling along. I felt like I needed to push him to pedal so I walked over and began talking to him in my broken Creole. Placing his little tan work boots on the pedals requesting him to “Pedale por mwen, pedale”  (pedal for me, pedal) looking from where his feet had been placed to me and back he leaned forward and with some effort he began to pedal! “Bravo!!!” My smile felt like it reached from one ear to the other, he began to beam “Shita la” (sit there) he said pointing the little steps on the back of the trike “Non, pour mwen vou pedale”  (Not for me for you, pedal) the little steps are tiny and where the kids enjoy riding on the back I'm a little bigger and wasn't sure I could fit “Non, shita la” (No, sit there) his puppy eyes and frizzy hair that had come out of his pony tail were hard to resist “D’accord mwen shita la, but, vou pedale, d’accord” (Ok, I sit there but you pedal, ok?"  he nodded his head and we were off! 

I could hold myself on the little steps for a couple rides around the pool, but with the other kids racing around and playing tag, because it's fun to see Miss Hope freak out, and almost getting my long legs "sliced off" I tried to slip off so I could watch him pedal. But my sweetheart noticed after a couple turns of his pedals seemed a lot easier than before, I looked back seeing me standing there giggling he folded his arms and wouldn't talk or pedal unless I continued riding on the back of his trike. 

I know God answers every single prayer; yes, sometimes it's not the answer we are wanting and it's easier to complain and think He hasn't answered yet, but God always gives me one of three answers: Yes, No or It's not time yet. Here in Haiti God's hand is evident in everything from there being just enough food for all the kids, to amazing team coming and transforming the upstairs which would have taken us awhile on our own. He knows just what we need and when we are listening and searching for His will He does amazing things. 

It was such a blessing to witness this prayer answered as I'm the newbie and am learning more and more the developmental progress Marantha is making in each and every child's life that walks through the gate. They are doing such an amazing job and I feel so blessed to be a part of this and help them develop a dance program.