Changes

One of the great joys of being able to return to the House of Hope and live again with the same group of boys is to see how they have changed in the ten months since we've last seen each other. Of course, in the areas you wouldn't want to see change they remain as impressive as ever: their generous and loving spirit, their sense of brotherhood, their determined work ethic, their commitment to their faith...I could go on and on! But to see how they are growing and developing is very exciting! The first thing I noticed is that they are simply physically bigger. Growing taller in adolescence is natural, and something we take for granted in U.S. and the rest of the developped world. But for the thousands of children living on the streets in Senegal, most do not reach their "potential" height-wise because of malnutrition. So to see these former street kids sprouting up like beanstalks is just another reminder of the work God is doing here through the House of Hope.

It's also exciting to see the boys coming into their own as young men, developing interests and independence. I think particularly of one of the boys named Boris. Boris is 10, the youngest boy in the house, and last summer he seemed a little out of his element with all the older boys. Though he had a 10,000 watt smile, he often kept to himself remaining on the fringes or even retreating to his room while the others did what boys do - wrestle, play games, argue with one another. He wasn't a recluse by any means, but I sensed he was lacking a little bit of confidence to be able to hold his own with the bigger guys. This summer, he is clearly coming into his own. I'm definitely seeing more of him; he's always in the fray and in addition to taking a little ribbing he's learning how to dish it out too. It's fun to see! (In case you were wondering if it was the Soviets and not the French who colonized Senegal...no, his real name isn't Boris. In the interest of the privacy of the boys, I won't be using their real names.)

The boys are also discovering their passions. Edward is a talented artist; last summer he was very excited to show me his notebook full of his pencil drawings. In the past year, his artistry has really taken off - one of his canvas paintings is hanging in the living room, he 's painted dozens of greeting cards to sell, and he painted a huge mural at the Maison II (photo to be posted shortly). I sensed last summer that Oliver had the makings of a natural leader. He takes his studies very seriously, he's always the captain for the neighborhood soccer games, and the other boys look up to him. He told me last week that he has a desire to help improve the fate of his countrymen, to help the poor in Senegal. He wants to study law and work in the legal system, to be a Christian voice in a country where he says the small minority of Protestants are afraid to speak up for their rights. Finally I think of Ivan (to finish with the Soviet Witness Protection program theme) who, like I did at his age, loves basketball. We played a lot last summer, and he insisted that I coach him (I was happy to oblige:) Well, I am completely blown away by the improvements he's made! Last summer, his shooting form more closely resembled that of Shaq than of Ray Allen. But this summer, it's like a different player! He's making his shots much more consistently and instead of wincing when he touches the ball, I can look on and admire his good form.

In both the little and the small things, I am consistently impressed by these boys. They are living testaments to God's transforming power!