Article August 22, 2016 Issue

I could love him no matter what!

Kelsey Armstrong

Jaquan was the cutest kid I’d ever seen! His smile and big brown eyes made my heart melt. Jaquan was one of the children at a children’s home, where I was visiting as part of a service trip to a foreign country. Jaquan and I had been paired before I left home, and I’d really been looking forward to meeting him.

Before I left for the trip, I bought children’s books, Play Doh, small board games, and other activities to use during our visit. I also talked with my mom and dad about caring for young kids, and they graciously shared some ideas with me. I was completely convinced that I had everything it took to be in charge of a four-year-old for a few days and was so eager to help make a difference in a life.

But when Jaquan and I began reading together the first day, it quickly became clear that he had no interest in listening to me read or even looking at the pictures. Instead, he was disruptive—running around, stealing other kids’ toys, rummaging through my bag, and making a mess of things. While the other kids sat quietly and behaved themselves, I spent the first session and a half sprinting after him and hearing my friends tell me, “Catch your kid, Kels!” since Jaquan was the only one who couldn’t seem to sit still.

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