DRAGONFLIES & SPLASHES

It’s a bit difficult to communicate what I’ve experienced in my slum over the past couple weeks. Overall, it’s been a wonderful transition in many ways. Some moments are certainly more meaningful than others.

I sat at the soccer field (dirt, mud, garbage space by the sewage ditch) near my room as the sun set somewhere behind the smog as I chatted with some guys. A few little boys wearing nothing but tattered little dirty shorts played leap frog and then began chasing dragonflies. One boy kept chasing a dragonfly that hovered five feet out of reach for minutes on end. It took him in hopeful circles of glee, right through the garbage and the older kids’ soccer game. He shrieked with delight. His eyes were so curious and innocent and his mouth was a permanent smile. Although he seemed dirt poor, he seemed filthy rich with happiness, at least in the moment.

And here I am, trying to figure out how to bring hope to the poor. Maybe I should ask that kid chasing the dragonfly what his secret is. Maybe it’s because he’s a kid. Maybe he’s got a gift of joy and curiosity that I’ve lost. Maybe I should wear less clothes that make me sweaty and uncomfortable. Maybe I should chase more dragonflies.

We’re still new in the community and not everyone has seen us yet, so our window and door tend to attract curious eyes. Sometimes when short little kids stand on their tip-toes to peak in our window, we hear little voices of inquiry and high pitched giggles. But all we can see are a line of noses and eyes. It can be hard to know which one is talking to us.

A few of us were sitting in our room the other day when a ten year-old girl walked by our door. Her head and eyes were turned toward us even though her body kept on walking past as planned. Apparently, we caught her attention enough that she walked right into the small well outside our door (it’s cut strait into the cement floor, with no ledges, but is not deep at all). We heard a splash so we all rushed out to see that she had not been hurt, merely soaked up to her waist. She wasn’t hurt, just embarrassed.

Yes, some moments are more meaningful than others.