Lavender was the third child that came to live at Precious Kids Center. Her father had gone away to work and hadn’t come back. Their family had been displaced during the tribal clashes and they were forced out of their home. Lavender’s mother, Christine, had become a single mother of three and was struggling to get by so we decided to help by taking Lavender to live at Precious Kids Center.
Three years later, her father is now back, they have a new little boy and have moved to a bigger place where the kids have room to play and grow. Many of the children’s parents take them home to celebrate Christmas with their families, but Lavender never came back. So one of my first stops was to visit her and make sure that she was doing well. Many of the kids come back from visits with their parents sick or having lost weight while, but to my surprise found that Lavender is doing great at home. I was expecting the worst as I walked in, but as soon as I got out of the van I could hear her shouting to her mother from the house.
I chatted with her mother and learned that she has been working with Lavender everyday and rubbing an herbal medicine on her joints and stretching her muscles. She also got her a wheelchair to sit in so that she can work on using the muscles to help her gain more strength and be able to sit for longer. It was great to hear Christine talking about the things she had seen our staff do with Lavender that she is replicating at home. Lavender was happy and healthy and giggling at our conversations about her and all of her little quirks (including her resistance to potty training, which explains the lack of pants in the photo). Christine said that for now she would like for Lavender to stay with her at home. So I said goodbye and that I would come back soon for a visit. It’s a bit sad to come into the house and not see Lavender’s great big smile or hear her joyous laugh everyday, but we are glad that she can be back in her family and receive love and acceptance. We are also glad that we could give them that time to get back on their feet and now feel strengthened and empowered to be able to love Lavender for who she is.
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