Sunday, April 8, 2007
I've been learning a lot these days. About the people here, the languages, the history, etc. I've been learning, but nothing much besides. Not nothing at all though. During the past week I've taught some guitar and English, and I've looked after (or played with... or been played by) the orphans. I love the children here. My heart aches every time I stop to realize that they are orphans. Most of them just want someone's attention. They need to be loved. There are only few of us adults here, so some kids often end up fighting for attention. Jasmine, the youngest of all, about three, would run up to you, burry her head between your legs, and when she lifts her face she would pucker up her lips, make a sad face, and say stuff like, "Porté" ("Carry me,") or "Sah-tang issoh?" ("Do you have candy?" in Korean). Peterson, the second youngest, has big round eyes, and he would giggle with a wide smile on his face all the time. He reminds me of Dixon, an orphan in Lenkijape, Kenya, except Peterson is a lot more aggressive because he has to compete with the older children for attention. Oh, how I miss Dixon. When one kid sees me playing with another, he or she will either try to push away the one I'm playing with or jump on top of me from the back. When there are two kids hanging from my shirt, then another comes running in, and then another. It's a chain reaction. Last night Pastor Baek scolded the kids and told them not to burden me so much and to call me Pasté Kim, not SunMin. So today I had a lighter load. Many of the kids didn't badger me for a lift, but sometimes I just can't resist Peterson's giggles. I would grab him and spin him around without him asking. Then more giggles. Of course I would have to pay for it by doing the same to each kid that sees me doing it.
I finally found a place I can go online today! There's an internet cafe right outside the alley we live on. I can only go when there's electricity though. At least I can tell when they have electricity (they do when we do). It's slow like the 90's, but I'm happy because I can use my laptop online. Some places will only let you use their computers (slower computer means more time spent online, which means more money for them, I suppose).
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