Good Night, Sleep Tight

 

Every night after the children have brushed their teeth and changed into their pajamas, Eve and I go into one of the dormitories to say good night. With a latex glove and a fistful of creams and ointments, the children suffering from fungus or other various ailments line up for their daily dose of dawa (medicine). Next, the kids line up and kneel on a straw mat to say their prayers. A couple of the kids, Goodluck in particular, tend to be quite verbose in their prayers, asking blessings for each of the children, all of the current and previous staff, and every family member and friend they can remember. While at times it can be a quite tedious as each child repeats a similar list ranging from 20-40 people, it is still so touching to hear their little voices offering up their sincere petitions for every person they know. Once the kids are finished, they turn expectantly to me and I take my turn thanking God for these beautiful children who serve as a constant reminder of the beauty and love that God has for us all.

After prayers, it’s once last bathroom run, though we always have one or two bed-wetters regardless, and then they climb into their bunks and wait for a good night kiss. The kids love this part, and often a couple will kiss me all over the face, or kiss my cheek repeatedly until I finally pull away, or on occasion decide to give me a sloppy raspberry which is inevitably followed by a burst of giggles. One little boy in particular, Eliah, takes this special moment to look into my eyes and earnestly state “Me miss you tonight”. Sometimes it’s “me miss you today” or “me miss you at school”; even when it’s Eve’s turn to tuck in the boys, Eliah will insist that she tells me that he misses me.

When kisses are done, I used to say good night one last time before I headed out, however recently the kids have been asking for a “wimbo” or song. I don’t remember many lullabies (it’s been many years since my parents used to sing me to sleep), so I’ve started singing hymns and any other slow worship songs that I know. It’s really perfect because it gives me an opportunity to sing praises in my own language, since only Swahili songs are sung at church here. Also my audience is oblivious to any missed high notes or parts that may be off key.

The kids are in bed and the lights are off usually by about 8:00pm, and then I’ll admit I usually follow suit not long after.  I don’t think I could ask for a better way to bring the day to a close, than sharing those few precious moments with the kids I’ve grown to love so much.

“Again, I will trust in Him. And again, here I am with the children that God gave me.” - Hebrews 2:13