Voices of the Children
Most children Katrina's age are consumed with television shows, computer games and playing with friends. My daughter made her own choice to spend her summer caring for others. She spends everyday helping her handicapped grandmother. She feeds her grandmother, and then provides occupational therapy by helping her grandmother work with clay. She applies Grandmother's lipstick. Katrina records music to play for her Grandmother. She spends time praying with her Grandmother, and spends more time each night praying "for all the people in the world that God loves". Katrina crawls in bed with her grandmother to tell stories. Yesterday's story was about how God makes rain. (He gathers his cotton balls, sprays them with black ink, then turns the hose on to create rain). Katrina also makes cards for church members, and for 6 years has been considered "the church baby" because of the joy she brings to the members. When Katrina is not helping her grandmother, she is caring for animals large and small.
She will not allow us to kill a fly because they are a part of her life and her family (she names them). She saves a cookie to deliver to a statue in town. She picks flowers for the people that work in the grocery store. Although she in merely 6 years old, since birth this child has displayed uncountable actions of compassion and love for others. When she was 1 year old - she attended my own mother's funeral. As I spoke during the service, my voice cracked with emotion. Little Katrina waddled up to me and wrapped her arms around my neck to comfort me....the entire church cried with love and happiness at this expose of understanding coming from such a young child. Once, when Katrina barely old enough to speak a few words, my wife and I had a disagreement. Katrina sat down between us, grabbed each of our hands and put them on her lap, and simply said "family". What an impact that made on us! I don't understand why you have an age limit..why must they wait until they are 11 to understand and practice compassion? I would appreciate your consideration of this special child.