Housewarming Gift

Not every child who lives in a Cape Town slum is troubled. Certainly there are plenty who come from stable homes and are a delight to work with. Awonke, a second-grader in Red Hill, is one of my favorites.

Last Tuesday Awonke came up to me and said, “Close your eyes and hold out your hands.” That, of course, is a loaded statement, especially coming from a child. But I complied. When I opened my eyes, what I found was the flower “arrangement” you see pictured here.

It really is the little things that make life so special. That flower, resting in a dirty discarded milk bottle, is one of the most thoughtful gifts I’ve ever received. And what Awonke didn’t know was that I was moving into a new flat the day she gave it to me. I couldn’t have asked for a better housewarming gift.