When we speak of children, we are always surprised, always. It reminds me of Patricia. Her father was an undertaker and it was horrible in the house. Everything was covered with shrouds. The tablecloth was a shroud, the napkins were pieces of shrouds. The mother had left the family; there were six other children beside Patricia. At she would actually attach herself to her father with safety pins so that the police wouldn’t take away her and her brothers and sisters.
When the police would come, she and her brothers and sisters would hide, with my help, between the roof and the ceiling of the kindergarten. Sometimes, they would spend several nights there to escape the police. The children remain very much attached to their parents, probably because they realize how much the parents are doing for them.
Often we are puzzled: «Why do the children stay, why don’t they go?» They know that their fathers and mothers have gone through so much for them. The parents are much more than a protection for the children. It’s hearts wrapped around hearts. It’s quite extraordinary!
I remember the children who, one very cold February evening, were out selling their marbles. It was their mother’s birthday. For several days there was no more bread in the house, nothing to eat. They came to see me, but I had nothing except some stale bread which I gave them. So, they sold their marbles and bought some bread for their mother. That’s kids for you! There is nothing small or petty with those kids.
I can still see Nono standing in the mud. It was terrible. There were big puddles everywhere. A well-dressed lady came and brought him a bar of chocolate. Nono went to his little sister to share the chocolate with her. That’s the kids for you! I was like that when I was a kid. I was looking, searching, inventing, stealing, anything so that we would not be too hungry at home. It’s the same with these children. They are champions, the champions of love. It’s a shame we don’t recognize this.
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