remote village n Jo's insecurities of late

Sometime ago I wrote a post on Teaching my children about Giving where my children contributed towards buying rice for the poor, from their own pocket money. They gave willingly, and this trip again, both my children donated money towards the rice fund, on their own will.

Well we visited a similar village this weekend. Another lovely trip. My older Nel, mingled well, and was really helpful during the entire trip. Jo was helpful in terms of cooking, she helped us prepare meals for  the poor. However, strangely, she's become very over protective of me when the kids come around me.

This started last week when we visited an orphanage and some 48 kids below the age of 6 came running up to me saying "pao pao" (carry me), clinging on to me, refusing to let go. Jo who was standing next to me at first, walked off to a corner. She sulked for several hours after, cried and said she felt left out. I had to spend a lot of time then explaining to her why those kids were so needy, and reassured her that I loved her more than anything. She was ok after that.

However, during the visit to this village, as I was teaching the village children art, I caught her sulking and feeling insecure again. I don't understand, as she's never been like this before. I hope this is a temporary phase that will not last.

Little children help carry siblings in a sarong.

Sunrise over the village

Local villager selling her crop

Village kids out to play early in the morn..

very very hungry children who dug deep to get even scraps to eat..

 A Special child..living happily in this village

this baby didn't even try to get rid of the fly..but many of these children have skin infection