Who's Home?

The 8 yr-old neighbor giving a sled ride.  Kids on water

duty will often drag water buckets placed inside

an old water bucket like where Smile On is riding.

We have mentioned the story of our neighbor across the street before. She has 4 boys. Our recollection is that they are about 10, 8, 5, and 1 year old. I asked the older boys how old they are, wondering if they had a birthday recently. But as is very common here they do not know how old they are, because birthdays are rarely celebrated. Our neighbor's husband has gone to Libya for work, so she is raising these children, occasionally with some other family around, but a lot on her own.

What has shocked me is that she will leave the older two boys at home while she goes away for a couple of nights with the younger two boys to a naming day or wedding in her village. Once while I was out playing soccer with the boys I asked the 10 year old. So who is cooking dinner? He replied nonchalantly, "I am." Now realize he is cooking dinner with fire wood over an open flame and all the responsibilities that go with that.

I do have to break here and mention that as we were outside playing with the neighbors we saw these boys trying to carry two 6 gallon water buckets from down the street. They each had an arm bracing against each others shoulders while trying to pull up, so they don't fall into each other because the water weighs more than they do. I was so proud of my husband who broke all cultural expectations and went over to help the boys carry the water to their house. He carried two at a time; one in each hand and the boys were talking about how strong he is :) True, but I am so grateful for his serving heart and today he was an example of humility and Jesus' love for six boys who were watching (and the four other male neighbors they had to pass). These boys are not seeing this kind of example from the males in their lives.

So back to these boys running the house. They will also run the family firewood business while their mother is gone. Daily sweeping of the 'yard', washing their clothing, washing the dishes, they are expected to do it all at 10 and 8. Of course the mom was excited to go to the party in her village - a little break from the everyday. I think the children too get excited. They are in control of the key to the padlock for the gate. Their mother will not be calling to them across the whole neighborhood in her signature call for each child to give them a task. And maybe most exciting, they each got 20 cents to buy something. Yet the whole thing still amazes me. Aren't I suppose to call authorities and let them know these children are alone?

-- La Maestra