Cedriono

February 2011

The first day of service at the AIDS Haven (House of Resurrection) presented with the most smiles, laughs, and shrieks of small children I’ve heard in quite some time. The sounds and sights were quite welcome, indeed they were eye-opening. Towards the beginning of the morning, I noticed one small boy sitting alone by a wall looking very glum. Discovering the Hulk toy he harbored within his grasp was the key to producing a smile in this little person. Spinning in circles in my arms even produced a laugh. One of the housemothers witnessed this and exclaimed that she hadn’t seen Cedriono smile in weeks and proceeded to thank me with a warm smile.

I learned a simple lesson during my first two days at the Haven. Children need love. Simple as that, the desire for care and attention supersedes other needs at times. The children at the Haven have limited special attention simply due to the fact that there aren’t enough staff members to pay attention to each child for extended periods of time (beyond their immediate needs). The South African culture values the expression of love and joy in a way that extends beyond the American celebration of these values. If love and joy are present in their lives, the hardships that are inevitable seem to be lessened by the cushion of a hug or happy conversation.