Ten-year-old Desirè (pronounced Da-zee-ray) arrived at our doorstep not long after his arrival from a Tanzanian refugee camp.* I don’t think I had ever encountered anyone quite like him. At times, we all experienced great frustration trying to break into his world.
I still remember a conversation during his first year at Granny’s House: “Well, Sweetheart... we really want you to know just how happy we are that...” End of conversation! He lowered his head, turned and walked away mid-sentence. Every now and then, his emotions came hurtling out, and woe to the one who had to endure his angry tirades! He seemed to love slinging that dreaded “N” word around when he taunted neighborhood boys. The parents of his peers were hesitant to have their kids hang out with him…
It seemed that no one was able to span the wall behind which he stored his emotions; emotions he had amassed during his first ten years in Africa where he, his parents, and seven siblings lived with constant hunger, fear, and danger while roaming from nation to nation, camp to camp, seeking safety from genocide, war, and famine. Although difficult for the entire staff, we believed that the Lord brought Desirè to us so that he might experience real “childhood” for the first time in his life. A childhood filled with God’s love, kindness and peace. Quite often, however, we felt like feeble tutors.
Fast forward two years: After eight days at KAA (Kids Across America) Kamp with Granny’s House last summer, Desirè’s countenance is bright and he smiles and talks constantly. It’s not unusual to see him turning flips across our front yard. It’s as if Someone had peeled off the old Desirè – the one who, before, would not hesitate to hurl invective insults at you if you crossed him. Now, he peppers us with questions about God, the Bible, and what Heaven is like. He’s new inside out.
Recently, he told a staff member that people who know God, have joy. “So, I have a lot of joy!” he beamed. We can all see that and are getting to know the new Ira Desirè – the tall lanky kid whose cabin mates at KAA nicknamed him “Avatar;” the kid who personally invited us to his recent baptism where we got to hear him tell of his newfound relationship with the Lord. Yes, we believe in miracles… –Granny Pam
*African children first enrolled at Granny’s House in 2007 and, to date, fifty-percent of our enrolled children are from African and middle- eastern countries: Rwanda, Burundi, The Congo, Tanzania, Liberia, Sudan, Somalia, Saudi Arabia, etc.
