Jonas is the little boy that we brought back from the mountains after having been a slave child all of his life. When his mother and father died there was no relative to take care of him. In order to survive, people made him “work for food,” literally. He had to work in their gardens from sunup to sundown in the heat.

We brought him home with us. He had never been that close to “white people,” and had never ridden in a vehicle. After his health exam where they had to draw blood, he really threw a fit, but he hated the small Band-Aid on his arm even more. Later, when he took a shower at our orphanage, he yelled for help because “it was raining inside!” That was his first night of sleep in a bed and his first day of being amazed at “eating three times a day!” He had a tough time learning how to swing and “pump his legs” to make the swing go, and he couldn’t figure out soccer or basketball… He cannot control the ball with his feet.

He loves to work and clean but hates “school lessons” at home. Even though the teachers here are patient, he cannot hold a piece of chalk and draw a circle or any curved object. It is so difficult that he tries to use “two hands!” But he loves his new “brothers and sisters” and loves walking them to school! And oh, did I mention that he can “dance?!” So, we found out that he loves music!

Our teachers say that he will be a tough case to even get in a classroom below first grade, but we will see. All we know is that “love is the greatest healer!” Sherry