"TEACHER TOLD ME TO GO HOME"

I notice from the window a young boy sitting outside, all alone. I walk over to him and ask what is wrong. As usual he looks at me but doesn’t answer and I wonder again if he speaks English? A woman walks by and tells him to go to class so I offer to walk him back to his class. He won’t hold my hand and walks steps away from me as if he’s scared to trust me too much. As we walk I talk asking him his name, age and what he was doing outside? Finally I crouch down beside him and try to take his hand in mine but he holds it firmly down and steps back. I wait a few minutes and then he looks at me and says, “My teacher told me to go home”. I can see a tear in his eye and I feel tears forming in my own eyes but pray to God to help me control my tears in front of this young boy. I walk over to him and give him a hug and reassuringly say “This is your home, with all of your brothers and sisters” He nods and I feel anger rising in me thinking who do these women think they are telling this young orphaned boy to “Go home” when this is the only home he knows. We sit outside talking about his favorite animal, balloons and wonder what it would be like to fly like the crane we see sitting on the roof. I tell him how he is such a good older brother to all of the babies here and he smiles, proud of himself. After a few moments I ask him if he would like to go back to class but he shakes his head so I agree to sit outside for a bit longer until he feels ready to go back. Shortly after, his teacher comes up to us, grabs his arm and tells him to go to bed! Apparently he had poked another child with a stick so his punishment was to sit in bed all morning. As she took him to bed I walked away, feeling sick to my stomach.

This particular five year old has been living at the home for a few years and this is the only home he knows. Yes he is sometimes rough with the kids but he also has a gentle side when he is asked to carry a baby to bed. I believe that the only reason he fights with the other kids is because he wants attention and that is the only way he knows how to get it. If they would just take the time to sit down with them and show them they care, that they love him then he wouldn’t feel the need to hit another child to get the teacher to look at him.

His favourite animal is an elephant and he wishes he could fly