Pulling At My Heart Strings

This is my grandson, Zachary Clint. He smiles most of the time, but also has a very serious manner about himself, especially when he is focused on a task. Just like all our kids and grandchildren, I miss him terribly.

I first saw the little boy in the picture below last year. He was presenting a gift to an Omega team who had been working at the Safina Street Network Center. He didn't say a word, but was determined to do the task which he had been assigned. So many things about him reminded me of our little Zachary Clint. His age (6), size, intensity, and smile. My heart was immediately drawn to him.

Until recently, he had not spoken at all. He is one of 4 children of a blind woman who begs on the streets of Dodoma. They all live in a one-room, mud-brick, structure of which the back wall collapsed during this year's rainy season. Thankfully, through Safina support, Ed and 2 of the older street kids are re-building that wall.
February brought the opening of the Safina pre-school class and guess who is a student? What a difference it has made in this precious one's life. He got a uniform, underwear, new flip-flops, an exercise book, and a good "scrubbing down" a couple of times a week.

He's talking now and even participates in the older boys choir when they practice their choreographed steps and songs. He openly greets Ed and me when we show up at the center and calls us "Babu" and "Bibi" (grandfather & grandmother).

He's no longer "pulling at my heart strings", but is playing a full-blown tune.

And his name is.....

ZACHARIA