Another January Update

Pekin, pekin everywhere!!

    How many pekin (children) climbing on the opatoo, does it take to drive the said opatoo insane? Thankfully, I do not have an answer for that yet!

    Kids are fun, loud, hyper, etc, in general, but add an element of West Africa, into the equation and watch out! Laura’s term of endearment for the kids when they are in a wilder mood then normal is “the darlings”, I settle for “pickles” or something similar!

  But they make you want to love them, most of them:) The life here is communal, everyone watches out, basically, for everyone else’s kids, or the kids just care for themselves. There is not much affection shown to these children in general. So, you want to love them. Of course, there is an exception to every rule, which I am always grateful to see, but it is so rare.

  I would like to share a few pictures of kids I get to interact with here in Baomahun.

 

First up is Tolo! You know how you can always recall the name of the trouble maker, but the child who sits sweetly listening, you cannot recall their name? I have seen Tolo since day one and his was one of the first names I remembered. Guess why! He is a sweet boy, but an instigator!!!!! He is always in the middle of something.    This little guy is Emmanuel! I must say that Emmanuel is the total opposite of Tolo. He has his moments of trouble making, but they are much fewer and far between! I can always pick Emmanuel’s voice out in a crowd of kids yelling “AIMÉE” because his voice is so high and just a little shrill!! He is one of the cutest kids. He has a twin brother, that is nice, but not as cute as Emmanuel is. Yes I am biased!!!

This little girl is Mamu. S He lives down the hill and has the most fun putting me through my Mende greeting paces. Boa! (Hello) Bisa! (Thank you) etc. Whatever makes them happy. She is pretty good at throwing a Frisbee too!!   This is not as common a sight anymore. The novelty of following the white girl everywhere, has ceased somewhat, but also many of the kids are no longer in Baomahun.   Around the first of the year there was a major drop off in the population in town, many of the pekin are gone to other villages So there is just a small sampling of the kids in Baomahun!   If you would please remember to pray for these kids, they are the future of Sierra Leone! While they know the name of Jesus, they are taught about Him in School, they know songs about Him, but they really do not know who He is and why He came to earth. It would be easy to have every child pray a prayer; they would eagerly do it, but to help them understand their need of Salvation personally! That is the challenge. Mark 10:14 …..Suffer the little children to come unto me, And forbid them not: For of such is the kingdom of God.   From the other side of the Atlantic, Aimée