Had a wonderful afternoon yesterday with doing some qi
gong, then going to the club to swim and reading and being outside. I decided from the small club I
would walk home along the water, about an hour's walk, but didn’t get too far. As I was passing a small boy
with a stick in his hand, I thought to myself, “looks like this little
twerp wants to hit something and it could be me”, I thought I better
take the less threatening approach and said, “Hello, how are you?” He looked at me with a
mischevious smile and then looked at his mom and to my surprise I heard
the mom say, “Is that Rebecca?”
I was shocked thinking who could this be? She was covered so I did not see her face.
Turned out it was a lady who comes to visit the school to
check on ministry work and has visited me there on several
occasions. Good thing I
refrained from scolding the boy with the stick. Still with a big smile on his
face he asked his mom if I could go home with them. She translated the invitation
and with me having more free time these days I said
yes.
We went to the grandma’s house and sat and watched a
popular Turkish soap opera that seems to have engulfed the young and old
to watch religiously, while we chatted and watched the kids which by now
there are 4 young granddaughters running around in addition to the 3
kids of my friend. My
friend has two boys, 4 and 7, and a young girl about 1 year and 4
months. The 4 year old with
the stick is the wild one of the bunch yet he comes to cuddle with his
mom and clings to her as she walks. He throws things, hits, and does not play gently at
all. The 7 years old is
calmer but still a 7 year old.
He had is head shaved recently because he cut off some hair of
his little sister. My
friend says she has to hide the knives because he would throw them. The dad is not interested in
child rearing and she says he leaves the house. It is the grandmother only that
shows control over this
wild one. She is not afraid
to use the camel stick and I observed this on the way out when things
were getting a bit loud for me.
The poor grandma has suffered a heart attack this year and has to
be in the midst of this chaos.
The domestic help, a young Filipino, is also in this sea of
turmoil with no relief in sight.
After the climax of hits, yells, screams and wailing, I
said it was time for me to go.
I could tell my friend felt bad saying I should stay for a meal
but it was getting late and the kids were horrid, she insisted on
getting me a fresh juice and a chicken stuffed sandwich in pizza dough
to take home to eat. Both
were delicious. Despite the
madness with the kids, I can recall episodes in my own childhood that
must have drove my parents crazy too, I will visit with my friend
again. She is kind and
sweet and it is nice to form bonds with some locals to feel a part of
the community.
