Take Another Little Piece of My Heart

I know I probably shouldn't have favorites, but there will always be those kids who have a very special place in my heart. Maybe its their personality, maybe its the look in their eyes. Maybe its just God saying that they need me to be their fan.
There is one family here in particular who have that special place. Two of the boys are brothers and the other two are their nephews but they are raised as one family unit. The older two are seven(Momade) and nine(Dinis) and the younger two are twins and they are four(Pedro and Pedrito). That could be part of the reason they are so special to me.

The older two are kind of free spirits and you could say they are troublemakers without stretching the truth at all. They like to play and are a little rough around the edges. They are simply adorable with a confidence around the other kids but a shyness around adults.

Yesterday was the day for them to come get fitted for uniforms and only one of them came. I guess the other doesn't want to go to school and it was kind of brushed off. I saw him at the center and I told him that he needed to come get fitted for his uniform. I waited and hoped that he would come. Maybe a little encouragement from a friend would help convince him. (This morning I learned that I had told Momade to come and he is the one who actually came yesterday, Oh well. I think it was the sincerity of my plea that God honored.)
Today the house mother showed up with Dinis to get fitted for his uniform. I couldn't hide my happiness that he had come. He folded his arms and looked a little uncomfortable as he waited, maybe thinking that this wasn't a good idea, he would lose some freedom if he went to school. But he now has a uniform in the works and Atemani is a very good tailor, so he will be stylish in that uniform.
After the fitting he walked out to where the mother was waiting with two of the pastors, Alberto and Fred. Alberto looked at Dinis and asked why he didn't want to go to school, who knows, he might be president someday. Atemani, the tailor, continued by saying that going to school and getting an education would open up a lot of opportunities for him. And then Fred said that it seems like a big thing but that God is bigger and can do anything. He seemed to be really listening to these men and had a sheepish smile, probably wondering why they cared for him but really soaking up the attention at the same time.

I do hope he will continue to listen to these men. My heart was overwhelmed with the goodness of God in allowing me to be here to encourage the kids, and to see others investing in their lives as well. God loves all His children and its our job to be encouragers to each other. I know that I wouldn't be where I am today without the investment of many others into my life.