my compassionate little girl

As I lay my daughter down to bed, I am (yet again) amazed by her beautiful compassion. I gaze at her and thank God…..

Last Sunday morning I found out that a homeless friend had been physically assaulted. He ended up in the hospital with a brain bleed and a black eye. He was in Intensive Care. So I planned to visit him.

Muriwai is my curious little listener. As I communicated this to Beth, her antennas went up and the questions started;
“Daddy, what happened?”
“How did he get hurt?”
“Who did it?”
“Can I see him?”
and “Where are his ouchies?”

Trying to explain to a 5 year old girl the nature of the battery, the severity of the injuries and what happened to the attacker is not an easy thing, especially when she is doting her big hazel eyes at me. Yet, her compassion flowed, and with beautiful persistence she would not let me leave without some answers. I sat down and tried to give her a PG rated version of the story, telling her that he was hit, he fell and bumped his eye and that the one who did it was in jail. I had also told her about how I needed to visit Archie who was also in the hospital with an ouchie heart (congestive heart failure).

After attempting to tell her these 2 men’s stories without giving her nightmares; she wants to come with me! Of course she can’t. I didn’t really know how bad Rey was, so we prayed together for them.

I go to the hospital, tell Rey about Muriwai’s concern for him, which causes him to smile. Another couple of homeless friends were there, we had a great time of fellowship and they ask me to pray for and with Rey and another friend (Booker) struggling on life support. We stood, holding hands in the ICU, praying for the lives and souls of these two sick brothers.

I return home to Muriwai still full of concern and compassion; asking questions and seeking answers. Rey was doing fine and I was able to give her the good news. She smiles, yet wants to see his black eye. She prays for him again as she goes to bed that night and I gaze upon my little picture of love and compassion.

The new week starts, Rey and Archie occupy her mind. She wants to see them. One day, when the kids and I went out to play ball, Muriwai actually begs me to see them. Being close to the hospital, we decide to wander in, but once we enter through the doors we immediately leave because she felt a little intimidated.

She continues to pray for them. She is overjoyed when I give her the good news they have both been released from the hospitals they resided in.

Out of the blue, Muriwai brings Beth and I a picture. An amazing picture she drew. It has a man with a black eye lying in bed and man to the side behind bars. Then she produced another; a man with heart. She explains both the pictures to us and we smile at our wonderfully compassionate little doll. She proceeds to conquer her shyness by wandering the halls, showing her works of art to both friends and adults explaining what happened. The story has changed, as she added a kick and some other things, but her compassion and love lingers beautifully.

Over a week later, she once again wants to pray for these 2 men as she goes to bed. She wants to visit them and give them her pictures. She wants our whole family to visit. And with her innocent loving compassion, she keeps on praying

All I can say is that these two men are wonderfully blessed to a have a little 5 year old girl drawing pictures of them and sending childlike prayers to the heavenly Father who cherishes the prayers of children. 

UPDATE: all this happened and was originally written in April.

Muriwai's compassion for these two men did not waver. She never ceased to ask about their health and their whereabouts. She wanted to give them her pictures. We continually prayed for them under her instruction!

Archie and Rey would both regularly come to see me at Cornerstone. I told them of Muriwai's compassion and concern. I told them of the pictures she drew and gave them a copy each. At first, they were very confused, wondering why they would occupy a little 5 year old girl's mind. When it clicked, they both gave sheepish smiles and it brought tears to their eyes.

Muriwai finally got to meet Rey and Archie! Two men rejected by society. Both are homeless! Both struggle with alcohol! Rey is a 40 year old who wants to be noticed, is quite aggressive and has spent many years in prison and in gangs. He constantly thinks everyone hates him, is looking for love and is a highly emotional guy. Archie is in his mid-fifties. He just blends into the background. He is quiet and very passive. He constantly thinks no-one ever notices him, but is looking for love from a few close friends.

We were walking down Wilson Avenue to get a Slushy and there they were; standing in their respective groups. When I told her they were around, she got so excited and wanted to meet them. I picked her up and introduced her to "the man with the ouchie heart" and "the man with the black eye". She sunk her face into my shoulder, was ever-so shy and peeked a smiling glance in their directions. These grown men thanked her, gently squeezed her shoulder, with their eyes being slightly watery!

.... and our compassionate little girl left a lasting impression on a man who thinks the world hates him
.... and our compassionate little girl left a lasting impression on a man who thinks no-one ever sees him
.... and our compassionate little girl made two unlovable men realize and know they are lovable!
.... and our compassionate little girl showed them the love of Jesus!