Wednesday 20 November 2013

Some children you never forget

I've been thinking about some very special children recently.

In Romania:

Bobby the Roma child who was in the street one night when a woman I know asked him if he'd eaten and when he said he and his sisters and brothers had no food at home she gave him some money. As she went about her shopping she was aware that he was carefully choosing bread, fruit and milk to feed his family. She came outside to find Bobby waiting there and she asked why he hadn't gone home yet - he held out his hand to her. "I had to give you your change."

The three Romanian children who had seen their youngest sibling killed in an institution from which they were adopted. The family who adopted them decided to have them baptised and after the service they spoke for the first time about what had happened to their brother and disclosed that it had been a member of staff who had been responsible. When they were all in a cab going home to their adoptive family the oldest child told the social worker that they had had a lovely time and to thank the kind people for taking care of them. They thought they were being sent back for speaking up about the murder.

Gaby who was adopted at 18 months and her adopted parents thought she had no memories of the orphanage until they took her to visit the children's centre. As soon as she saw the white tiled floor she began screaming and fitting as she thought it was the orphanage and she was being taken back there. Her parents never took here there again.

In Sierra Leone: 

The boy who witnessed his entire family being macheted to death by rebels who left him for dead in a pool of his own blood. He was rescued barely alive and now has gouges in his back where they hacked at his body too. He is a humble, quiet young man who bears no malice towards those who left him orphaned and who is making a future for himself without any family at all.

Visiting a refugee camp where children came up to tell us they had been soldiers. They were now going to school and being fed and were no longer given drugs or abused in order to get them to take orders from young men no older than them. A child aged no more than ten who could assemble an automatic weapon in the time it takes to boil a kettle.

In the UK:

The boy who came to school in dirty and smelly clothes and unfed most days. Teachers would bring clothes for him and his siblings to wear and soap for them to wash with at school as well as bringing in food for them to eat - this was before breakfast clubs in schools were in existence.

The three children who we were asked to consider for adoption. Twins under a year old and a sister aged 2 and a half who had learning difficulties. I still lose sleep worrying about whether they were split up in order to find a suitable family for all of them.

All of these children are real. They have all left an impression on me and I still think about them. Not every day, but sometimes the feelings I had when I met them come flooding back. I have met a lot of children whose lives have been difficult. Children who have seen more pain and violence than anyone should ever see. Some make it through and grow to become adults who don't let the pain of their early lives define them. Some don't make it.

When I think about them I hope that they are living happy lives and that they are loved.  

16 comments:

  1. There is still tremendous poverty in the world. It is so sad. All we can do is highlight it with posts like this and give when we can to helps these poor children.

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    1. Thanks for reading Melissa - it is sad that so many children live in such wretched circumstances.

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  2. Coming from Africa I have seen 'these' stories far too many times. Well done you for highlighting the people who are really in need especially as we enter this time of excess and over the top materialism.

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    1. Thanks Ruth - it is the time of year when we are asked to do something for others less fortunate and I guess it just made me think about these children who had touched my life.

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  3. What sad stories. I know here in the United States where I live we take for granted so much, when there are children all over the World that don't get a meal on some days, our children are picky and say "I don't like that"... We are filthy rich compared to most, being picky about our new smart phones and the latest gadget we will buy. I'm guilty as well.
    Thank you for the reminder,
    Have a great weekend,
    Tammy

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    1. Thanks Tammy,
      Yes it's easy to take for granted what we have and to lose perspective at times. I don't advocate living in sackcloth and ashes, I guess it's just remembering that there are those who are in a bad situation through no fault of their own, both at home and overseas.

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  4. It is very sad some of the things people suffer, and the amount of children who do not get a childhood.

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    1. Hi Pink,
      It is terrible what some children live through. I cannot imagine how they must feel.

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  5. All heartbreaking stuff indeed, and a reminder as to how much we take for granted... :(

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    1. Thanks for reading and taking time to comment.
      The amazing thing is that the children I've talked about rarely feel sorry for themselves or the situation they are in. They are amazingly resilient and brave.

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  6. It's such a sad situation that there are children who live like that :(

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    1. Hi Aly,
      I've only talked about a handful of the children I've been privileged to meet. So many live in poverty, hardship or fear. It is appalling.

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  7. Thank you for sharing this... sometimes, even though it is hard and painful to remember these things, and heartbreaking to read them, we need to do it to remind ourselves of how important it is to do all we can to make the world a better place for everyone.

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    1. Thank you Amanda.
      I agree it is difficult to open our eyes and see what is happening to children (and adults) the world over. It reminds me why I am so passionate about being an influence for good wherever possible.

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  8. I popped by from Britmums Best Post and was drawn completely into your powerful post. It is so true, I come across stories like this as a disability campaigner, and each one never leaves you. We have so much to learn and so much yet to achieve.

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    1. Thank you for reading and commenting. It's so difficult to not get upset about how some children have to live. Knowing about it is the first stage of doing something about it though.

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