“I appreciate you because you help heal us” When a child in a foreign country tells you this, it is not something you easily forget.
Here in Mexico, I work at a small kids project in the jungle. Often I bring a big 1st aid kit with me and see to the kids wounds, burns, abysses, dog bits …and yes bugs and fungus….but they look at me bight eyed and happy for the attention. I tell them how brave they are and give them some colorful pipe-cleaners to play with while I fix and clean them up. In South Africa toddlers would literally run after my car, and when I would stop they would be quick to show me and the other COLORS volunteers any of their cuts, ringworm or infections. Soon there would be a line-up of kids outside the car. So much of what we do just feels like common sense (…but alas sometimes common sense is not so common.) Today is World Health Day…I know I know…its another one of “those days” marked on the calendar that we are supposed to have some awareness or take action. But when I hear this, I think of all the children I’ve worked with all over the world who just need some basic TLC...