September 22, 2008
After a restful weekend in a decent hotel, I was ready for my Barranquilla visits. First up is Nevis, a ridiculously pretty
10-year-old girl. The Children International team and I greet her mother, Silvia, outside of her house. She proceeds to give
me a bone-crushing bear hug. The woman is happy to see me. They show me inside, where we encounter the most
pathetic looking kitten I've ever seen. Its mission is to ward off the rats, but there are rats that would tear this poor excuse
for an animal to pieces.
This is soon forgotten, as Nevis bounds into the room squealing. Timidity is nowhere to be found with this bundle of joy.
The kid is thrilled that I've come. Her hug alone makes the entire trip worthwhile. She's still soaking wet from her shower,
but that's okay, because I'm practically melting from the humidity anyway. I take small consolation in seeing Silvia in a
similar state. I meet some of her siblings, take a tour of the place, and subtly suggest that we get to know each other better
in the comfort of the air-conditioned van. My Momma didn't raise no dummy.
Have I told you that Nevis is adorable? Well, she is. And she soaks up my attention like a sponge. The Barbie jewelry I give
her is worn with pride. These $4 WalMart specials are probably the first bling this child has been given. Her brother, Elkin,
accompanies us, sees the gift exchange, and excitedly asks me if I could sponsor him too. Smart kid.
Like the other visits, we head to the mall. If it were up to me, I'd avoid the food court for the rest of my life, but we're here
for the kids, so I soldier on. I couldn't say what we ate. My mind is trying to block out the memory of another plastic
chicken meal.
The arcade makes for some fabulous photo opportunities. The joy on these kids faces as they play video games and jump
on trampolines is priceless. Okay, Elkin didn't appreciate the trampoline so much, but Nevis had a blast. It was the
massage chair where the real fun began. I'm on safe ground stating that this is the first time mother and daughter
experienced this little treat. The video of this is classic (maybe one day I'll figure out how to link it here).
Since we have time remaining, we head for the zoo. It's pretty dang muggy outside, but we enjoy our time anyway. In
between animal exhibits, I realize that I'm extremely lucky to be part of Nevis' life. She is simply precious, and I get another
8 years to watch her grow and develop before she graduates.
After a restful weekend in a decent hotel, I was ready for my Barranquilla visits. First up is Nevis, a ridiculously pretty
10-year-old girl. The Children International team and I greet her mother, Silvia, outside of her house. She proceeds to give
me a bone-crushing bear hug. The woman is happy to see me. They show me inside, where we encounter the most
pathetic looking kitten I've ever seen. Its mission is to ward off the rats, but there are rats that would tear this poor excuse
for an animal to pieces.
This is soon forgotten, as Nevis bounds into the room squealing. Timidity is nowhere to be found with this bundle of joy.
The kid is thrilled that I've come. Her hug alone makes the entire trip worthwhile. She's still soaking wet from her shower,
but that's okay, because I'm practically melting from the humidity anyway. I take small consolation in seeing Silvia in a
similar state. I meet some of her siblings, take a tour of the place, and subtly suggest that we get to know each other better
in the comfort of the air-conditioned van. My Momma didn't raise no dummy.
Have I told you that Nevis is adorable? Well, she is. And she soaks up my attention like a sponge. The Barbie jewelry I give
her is worn with pride. These $4 WalMart specials are probably the first bling this child has been given. Her brother, Elkin,
accompanies us, sees the gift exchange, and excitedly asks me if I could sponsor him too. Smart kid.
Like the other visits, we head to the mall. If it were up to me, I'd avoid the food court for the rest of my life, but we're here
for the kids, so I soldier on. I couldn't say what we ate. My mind is trying to block out the memory of another plastic
chicken meal.
The arcade makes for some fabulous photo opportunities. The joy on these kids faces as they play video games and jump
on trampolines is priceless. Okay, Elkin didn't appreciate the trampoline so much, but Nevis had a blast. It was the
massage chair where the real fun began. I'm on safe ground stating that this is the first time mother and daughter
experienced this little treat. The video of this is classic (maybe one day I'll figure out how to link it here).
Since we have time remaining, we head for the zoo. It's pretty dang muggy outside, but we enjoy our time anyway. In
between animal exhibits, I realize that I'm extremely lucky to be part of Nevis' life. She is simply precious, and I get another
8 years to watch her grow and develop before she graduates.