Since I have been home from school and Cambodia, I have taken a nanny job that will take me through the end of December. I had a lot of speculation from others that I am a college graduate working as a "glorified babysitter" for families I didn't know previously. However, this has been one of the most amazing experiences of my life, and I have to share what I have learned from these little ones in the last 2 months. I have a chance to work with kids and gain first hand knowledge about development without having to meet the standards set before me by the state of California. Isn't that a recent education graduate's dream?!
I have been meaning to write this post for the last few weeks as things happen, because I'm gradually beginning to realize that these 2 kids are changing my heart and life for the better. The things they say and genuine curiosity about the things around them strike me daily.
Just the other day as we were driving home from school, Grady was sad because he hadn't eaten all of his lunch which would result in him not getting a star. (For reference: 3 stars gets a prize, 3 X's gets you a minute of time in your room to think about your actions). While her older brother was whining about not being able to earn a star because he had chosen to talk with his friends instead of eating, Brooklyn leans forward and says to me "Janel, can he have my star? I earn one every day from eating all my lunch. It would make him a lot happier, and I don't really need a prize today." ......WHAT?! A 5 year old girl just suggested that I give her brother the first star towards a prize because she doesn't really need one, and it would make him happy. When was the last time I saw an adult act that way? I don't know, maybe never. What is it about this world that takes that kind of generosity and love out of our hearts?
Then the very next day we were driving through the gate to the house, and Grady asked if we could stop at the gate on our way through. After denying him a few times saying things like "We really don't have time," "We have other things to do," "I'm sure he has things that he's working on, and we don't need to interrupt him" he finally spoke up and exclaimed "We need to stop so we can smile, wave, and say hello! It's important." Seeing that he felt so strongly about it, I pulled into the guest lane and rolled down the windows. Both kids looked into the guard box, and did exactly what Grady had said he wanted to. The guard looked at me confused, seeing that we had a resident sticker in our car. All I could do was raise my eyebrows and say "It was all their idea." He had a huge smile on his face and was waving enthusiastically as he sent us on our way through the gate. I had argued back and forth about the reasons we couldn't stop to do this, but in the end it really made someone's day. What is it about this world that takes that kind of generosity and love out of our hearts?
I wish I could take some responsibility for the amazing things these kids do. But in all honesty, it's their genuine hearts that make them so caring and in tune to others' feelings. I never expected to be so caught off guard by 5 and 6 year old kids.
Now all of that being said, I've seen love like this before: In the eyes of children I met in Cambodia. I suppose I shouldn't have been surprised there either; the Khmer adults give of themselves with no expectation of anything in return. It makes perfect sense that their children would act the same. But as I interact with the children I nanny, I can't help but think of those perfect little ones in Asia. The kids that would come onto the campus of Hope Bible Institute to wrestle and play, but would always include other kids who came after them. The kids that are roaming the streets to a point that made me wonder where their parents were that would play games using their shoes and some rocks...the look on their faces making it evident that they were having a blast. The ones in faraway villages that used markers for the first time when we took them out to draw with them. These kids have so much love, and would give the shirt off their back to anyone in need. And that means a lot more when you're talking about someone living in Cambodia...because that shirt might be the only one they own.
I don't know what the point of all this rambling is, but I do know that I see the love and joy of Jesus in little children. With each passing day I understand more and more what the passage in the Bible about having "childlike faith" and "having love like a child" means. Because children have no inhibitions.
As a 21 year old woman, I go to bed praying that the Lord would give me a heart and mind like these precious little ones. I will never be able to forget the gentleness and kindness I have seen from these kiddos.
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