Learning to Speak Without Words
The last few months I have been studying language. Mostly Spanish and in a one-on-one tutoring basis a couple of times a week. Sandra and I went over grammar, pronunciation, and even managed to touch on future and past tenses in addition to present (there are at least twelve tenses in Spanish). It was incredibly humbling to be brought back to the very basics in every sense. Colors. Numbers. Opposites. To more or less be on the same level as the children in the baby house at Casa Shalom. Even playing bananagrams was surprisingly difficult. My teacher was so patient while challenging me at the same time. We laughed constantly. We learned from and about each other. Every day we had long discussions on the history, economy, and sociology of Guatemala. It was fascinating, and I was blessed to have her as my teacher.
There is another language I have also had the privilege of beginning to understand. It’s specific to one little girl in the baby house. “B” is roughly twenty-months-old and fiercely independent. She came to Casa Shalom with her siblings a very different child than she is now. When I met her she was just beginning to really allow people to touch and hold her. She refused to even attempt to walk, but she could crawl and scoot around at impressive speeds. Even getting down from your lap to where she wanted to go she had a method of simply flopping and rolling that reminded me of a baby starfish.
One of the highlights and thrills of my time here has been being able to witness B finally learn to walk on her own, only in the last couple of weeks.
When it comes to communicating, B has her own language. She doesn’t use words yet, but she understands you for the most part. Her responses are grunts, growls, blowing raspberries and gasps that go along with her very expressive facial expressions. Even though she doesn’t speak at all yet, we’ve had to decipher what she needs in the moment without words. When she’s not feeling well it can be her throwing herself back and forth to tell you that she wants to be rocked. Sometimes she’ll hand you a rubber ball with ridges and then plop down on your lap so you can scratch her back with it. If she needs help getting out of her highchair she does this little wave with her wrist.
B is an independent, resourceful, observant, sweet, little girl that loves to dance. Just in the few months I was privileged to be with her, I saw her personality and behavior shift. She’s happy. She’s walking. She’s communicating, even if it’s in her own way. Knowing her story and where she was at when she got here makes this little girls progress and accomplishments mean the world. There is so much love, time, and prayer that has been poured out on her to bring her to this place. She is an overcomer. A fighter. And by the grace of God she will continue to grow in strength and character the rest of her life.
Every single one of the thirteen little ones I was blessed to help with inspire me and have taught me something. Even in just the need for the Father’s love and the futility of a stubborn heart when it comes down to accepting it.
Please continue to pray for all the children and staff at Casa Shalom. There are amazing things happening in the lives of these kids.
