The following was written by IGNITE Class 11 intern, Michael Buduson (Calvary Chapel Webster) on one of our Potter’s Field Kids, Cedrick
Cedrick is, most likely, my favorite kid at the Potter’s Field Kids Club here in Kenya! Every time I see him, he has the biggest smile on his face, and he always calls me over to sit down to talk and play with him. There’s a lot about Cedrick that makes him stand out among the other kids. For one, his English is far superior to even some of the older kids. He understands the language very well and can speak in complete sentences with the proper structure. In fact, the only issue he has is a hard time differentiating between “he” and “she.” The masculine and feminine concept doesn’t really translate well here since, in Swahili, the word ‘yeye’ means both he and she, so to him its the same thing. Also, like many here in Kenya, Cedrick is one of those who likes to respond to questions with his eyebrows. If the answer is to a question is yes, he’ll usually slightly tilt his head back and raise his eyebrows high along with a small grin while, if the answer is no, he’ll usually just raise them without the tilting of the head or smile. I have gotten to where I can with about an eighty percent accuracy what his answer is at times like this!
Cedrick is one of those kids you can just sit with, talking and laughing for hours. What stands out above all that is special about him, it is the joy, love, and hope that he has – it is just amazing. The reason I say this is Cedrick has a condition where he is unable to walk. He doesn’t know why or the cause, he just knows that he has very little feeling in his legs and is unable to move them or support himself standing. Because of this, he is almost always carried everywhere he goes and usually requires a seat where his back is supported so he can sit upright. But even his condition doesn’t stop him from laughing and playing with the other kids. Even without the use of his legs, he’ll crawl around the ground to play hide and seek or to race or just to explore. I’ve given him the nickname ‘Superman’ because of his heart, strength, and determination that he possess. Plus he also loves Superman. We would play hide and seek together, and when it was my turn to look for him, he would always try and sneak up behind me to scare me. Every time we gather in the sanctuary for kids songs, I always carry Cedrick in and he would have me sit right next to him, or he would ask if he could sit on top of my shoulders to see better.
Cedrick has been attending kids club here in Kenya for a few months now. He’s brought by his mom and ever since coming he’s been able to connect with other children and make many new friends and have a great opportunity to learn about God. Cedrick lives with his mom, aunt, and his baby brother. His dad is always working so he only sees him on certain occasions, but he loves to spend time with him. Usually, when he is home, he likes to watch tv or play his racing game on his mom’s phone, but one of his favorite things to do is to cook. He says he loves cooking for his mom and will always make her sausages and chips (french fries). He also loves to listen to music, and when he gets older, he wants to learn how to play the drums and the guitar. When he’s all grown up, he plans on being not just a pilot, but also a doctor, that way he can save people while he’s flying. He has very high hopes for the future. Cedrick is very thankful for everything that God has provided for him, his family, his friends, his ability to cook, and even without the use of his legs he is so thankful for the life he has been given. He fully believes that God will heal his legs and that he will be able to walk and run. I am so thankful for Superman Cedrick and the joy and love he brings every week to Kids Club. Pray for his family and their continual provision, for his legs that he would be healed and have the ability to walk, and for God to continue to bring love and joy into his life.
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