My Treasured Pikins

My Treasured Pikins

I would like to introduce you to my new friendships emerging as I collate their life stories. These are my pikins:

Musa

 

Musa (Moosa) is eight years old.  As a little girl she spent her days playing in the bush. One day a stick fell from a tree catching her eye. There is no medical care available so over time the swelling and inflammation increased forming a tumour behind her eye.

She has no friends. She is an outcast. The severity of the bullying she suffered is evident. When she arrived her eyes were downcast and she was deeply withdrawn. That was until she came on board the ship in the care of Mercy Ships.

 I discovered her life dream is to go to school after her eye is healed so I’m teaching her how to write her name in rainbow colours. Since practicing her writing her smile is emerging slowly in her shyness.  I am stunned by her capacity to learn. After holding the crayon with her to write her name she started writing the letters herself immediately.  She had never had crayons or pencils neither been to school before. Needless to say I’m so proud of her. She has been sent home until the cat scan is fixed.

Mariama

Mariama is four years old with a severe ‘bow legs’ condition. She was abandoned when she was a baby. Fortunately, her grandmother took the challenge to raise her. Times have no doubt been tough for them both.

Her grandmother is a big mama with a bright, extroverted persona injecting laughter and fun in all her conversations. She is a Muslim. Despite this she sent Mariama to a Christian school. In their incredible bond they each embrace a different religion. Mariama has a passion for dancing and sometimes singing to gospel songs. Her African moves and grooves are exceptional especially when she shakes her bootie!

The other day she ran length of the ward, threw herself at my legs, tightly wrapping herself around me and told me she loved me. These moments are so precious.

Namina

Namina is five years old. She had been on the brink of death when she was brought to a doctor who had grown up the ship. She has Noma. This is a condition where the flesh is destroyed by bacteria. There is a 90% mortality rate. Against all the odds Namina survived despite her cheek being eaten away. Over the past two years the wound has healed leaving a hole the size of a fifty pence piece. Life has been very difficult for her. She has no friends and struggled to cope with daily torments. She was so withdrawn she had deeply recoiled into herself. On the first few weeks on the ship there was no eye contact, reactions to any stimuli, expressions to her surroundings or interactions with others. It has been a slow process to initiate communication with her. She is now my friend although she’s annoyed she’s not allowed to go to my cabin where I live. This little girl is a fighter.

Her mother, Wara, has led an extraordinary life. She has walked through many storms. When Namina went into surgery on the ship I went to sit with Wara who was desperately downcast. Her inner turmoil was evident in her eyes. I wondered if this was one struggle beyond her capacity to cope. A few days later, when she was sure Namina was recovering well, she revealed she had reached a point of no return and thought the best option would be for her to end her life. Her determination to live was restored by a few supporting friendships on the ship.