Long finding his legs

Long has been hugely happy these last few days. Firstly, I picked up a bucket of building blocks for the little guy. He has been industriously creating ever since - and very excited about it all.

Secondly, Long has hijacked Srourn's walkie. Yesterday Srourn was stretched out on the outside concrete seat in the late afternoon, as he does. Next thing, Long snaffled the walkie and was away - and with the biggest grin you have ever seen. He's been zipping around much of today too. It is like someone has given a kid wings - he is that excited about being out of mum's arms.

Long this evening. I can put my thumb and finger around his right shin and literally not touch his skin.

Long has a horrible disease that works a bit like HIV, in as much as it attacks his system. We've got him on extra high-nutrition drinks and good big meals as we seek to build up his reserves. I was so moved yesterday too when I got him some ointment - and watched his mum pray over him as she massaged the cream into his sores. The love of a mum is an inspiration in every culture.

While Long is finding his legs, Rin is finding her voice. Rin, remember, is the lady who came to us about 12 weeks ago, curled into a catatonic ball. Upon my return, I find a Rin who sits in the wheelchair, head high and now feeding herself like a front end loader. She still will not talk or respond to anyone when she is spoken to, but she will randomly break out into song. She's got the blues and the neighbourhood know it. The content is apparently a funeral-dirge type lament about her children that she misses so.

My belief is that, for two years, Rin has shut off from this world and formed a world within her imagination. I think that she has made some suspect friends in that world too. Now, as her body becomes stronger, we have the work of bringing her back into our world. She is a work of grace in progress.