Sarita has one of the saddest stories possible. She is 10 and lives with her grandmother in the Rio because her mom decided that she didn’t want her. Sarita’s spirit is very kind and gentle. She is very smart, loves to read and write, and is a huge help to her aunts with their little kids. Recently Sarita’s grandmother, who she was living with, took up a job in a children’s home not far away. Because Sarita’s grades started to fall when she went with her grandmother to the children’s home her grandmother has no longer permitted her to stay there during the week. Sarita is staying with a very young aunt in the Rio. I know Sarita is lonely. The one person who seemed to care for her, her grandmother, has left her as well. You can see the loneliness on her face and it makes you sad.
Recently I have felt burdened for Sarita. I have started to try to spend quality time with Sarita each week. One day not long ago Sarita told me that she liked to read. I asked her if anyone ever read out loud to her and she said no. She went on to explain that sometimes she asks her uncle if she can read to him, but after a little bit it bothers him and he tells her to stop. She loves to read out loud. With this in mind, and a backpocket full of teacher tricks, I have started meeting weekly with Sarita and her younger sister to read and do literacy activities. While the main goal is quality time, not literacy, for these girls, literacy is certainly a byproduct that will help them for years to come. I am a firm believer that one of the main ways out of the poverty cycle is education. While Sarita seems to be on grade level, her younger sister, Monse is not doing great in school.
We have started meeting weekly to read together, play spelling games, and do writing activities. So far the girls have loved it and I have too! It is meeting a need in me to teach that I just can’t shake! The Lord has also opened up opportunities during out time together, to talk about Him, His plan for their lives, and how much each girl means to our Savior. These are by far the sweetest moments J
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Monse spelling her name and other words with Scrabble letters.
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| Sarita reading one of the books I brought for her. She loves to read and is good at it. |
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| Sarita and 2 friends working on a puzzle together. |
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| The finished puzzle! After they finished putting it together we played I Spy with the scene. A great way to wake up the brain before school. |
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