Little Children

Tonight my roommate, Alice, was babysitting for her older sister. Her one-year-old nephew, 3-year-old nephew, and 5-year-old niece were over in our apartment, playing with building blocks and plastic animals, happily chatting away. It was so nice. Though I only spent a brief amount of time talking to them, the 3-year-old still gave me a big hug goodbye. He wrapped his little arms around my neck and squeezed.

It was the sweetest thing. My heart was so full of love and appreciation for this little kid. His sweet, tender hug melted my heart and made me smile.

Little Children are so very precious.

Last year, I spent a large amount of my time volunteering for a program called Friday’s Kids Respite in Orem. The program is designed specifically to help parents in the community with children who have special needs. Every Friday and Saturday, these noble people who are raising the purest of spirits are given the opportunity and chance to take a break, go on a date, or just relax for a couple of hours. They drop off their child and volunteers are assigned to each child to take care of them, play with them, watch them, get to know them. It is a fantastic way to serve and I highly recommend it. It’s a challenge and I learned quickly, I had to be on my toes. One of the little buddies I was put in charge of, loved to fling his fragile body off of the jungle gym and other high places. He was autistic and didn’t respond to anything I said or did. That’s okay though. I was constantly catching him and got plenty of exercise. He was a handful but wonderful. My favorite little boy I’ve met while volunteering, however, is Gavin. Sweet Gavin. He has down-syndrome and the biggest heart I’ve ever had the pleasure of getting to know. He’d take me by the hand and every time I made a fun suggestion of something to do, he’d give me a big thumbs up and a grin and say “good jjjob!!” There was a little girl that goes to the center often. I can’t remember exactly what ails her but she basically can only communicate with her eyes and facial expression and can’t get out of her wheel chair. Her hands are always fidgeting. Gavin made sure to always include her somehow, whether we were reading a book, rolling a ball, going for a walk—every time, he made sure his dear friend was smiling.

          We should all be more like Gavin. So ready to love and care for the ones who need our love. The other children never gave this sweet girl much attention. Gavin did though.  She always had a turn if Gavin had anything to say about it (and he always did).

          Susan was another sweet spirit dear to my heart. She has to have a tube feeding her constantly and can’t breathe on her own. She’ll never walk. . . she’ll never talk. . .When she is distressed or in trouble, she’ll scream for hours. When she’s happy, she’ll smile though she rarely responds to much of anything. But she loves music. She was actually my first child I was assigned to—first time volunteering at the center. I took two of my friends with me. She also has the most severe case and because of her oxygen tank and feeding tube—it really takes two people to attend to her needs. So my wonderful and dear friend, Natasha, and myself were her friends for the night. At first she was very fussy and Natasha and I were running out of ways to entertain her. We read in her folder that she liked music. So that’s what we ended up doing for the remainder of the night (two to three hours)—we sang to Susan. We sang every hymn and primary song I’ve ever been taught. The spirit was amazing, Susan was quiet, attentive. She’d cock her head up at me while I pushed her in her stroller and smile. Another sweet and tender moment. Heavenly Father loves the little children. I’m grateful for their example to me and for them giving me a glimpse of what it means to have the true love of Christ.

Matthew 18: 4

Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.