“Kabrit di: mwen manje zanmann men se pa bon li bon nan bouch mwen pou sa.”
Translation: “The goat says: I eat bitter almonds but that does not mean that they taste good. Meaning, I’m doing what I can, not what I wish.”
One of the hardest aspects of working with our 18 kids is not being able to do what you wish you could do. I would love to take each kid shopping at a real store. Not at the market with dust and sweat and used clothing. But a place where they could choose brand new clothes from racks and hangers, where they could find their exact size in the color they love. But I can’t… so I search the side street markets for sandals that I think will fit them in whatever colors I can find.
I would love to take the kids to a movie theater. Load them up with sprite and sour patch kids and tubs of popcorn bigger than their little hands can carry. Sit them all down in a row near the back. Watch their eyes beam with amazement once the previews start. But I can’t…so I set up my laptop a couple times a week, have them all cram in the classroom on benches and a blanket laid out on the floor, then watch a couple episodes of The Backyardigans.
I would love to take the kids to an amusement park. I seriously think their brains would shut down from the excitement. I don’t think I could even explain to them the thrill of a roller coaster or water slide. But I can’t…so I plan a trip to a nearby playground with swings, seesaws, and monkey bars.
All of the things I do with the kids, buying them clothes at the market, watching DVDs, taking them to a playground, are immensely appreciated by all of them. I just recently told them of our plans to go to the playground and they were literally jumping up and down with anticipation and excitement. It is only hard for me because I know what possibilities are out there. I know that amusement parks are more fun than playgrounds. I know that watching a movie at a theater far surpasses a laptop viewing. I know that buying clothes at a store involves more selection and better quality than the market. But the kids don’t. They are content with their lives as is which is wonderful. For as much as I wish I could do with and for these kids I try to remind myself of their happiness. What seem like subpar experiences to me mean a great deal to the children. What seem like bitter almonds to me are certainly sweet to them.
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