Baths, Bedtime and Songs

As many of you may know, the family has committed to another year in the country of Haiti. We live at an orphanage that received its first batch of children about 2 weeks ago. The transition experience has been character building and life lesson teaching (and I'm not just talking about the children). Within only a couple weeks I have what seems like suitcases of stories to tell.

Let me introduce you to Gladimy.

He's 5 years old and in the 1st grade. He loves movies with action in them, like, The Incredibles or Kung Fu Panda. He likes eating, well, anything. He knows how to do cart wheels and other things that others wish they could pull-off.

Gladimy is one of the more rambunctious children here and when it's time for bed he's not one to leap into his pjs.

This changed 4 days ago.

We were getting ready for bed; bathing, pjs, teeth brushing, kisses and, last, laying in bed, when he asked me to pray with him. "Wi", I responded and started talking to God in English.

He rolled to his belly and closed his eyes.

The next night, a similar thing happened, this time he asked me to sing to him. So, I sang the song my mother sang to me as I rubbed his back.

We did the same the next night and the next.

It's become beautiful routine; praying and singing.

He doesn't fuss to go to bed now. In fact, he takes my hand around bedtime and asks, "Is it time for bed."