"Yeah, me too."
One main reason why I started this blog was so that one day I could look back and read through my favorite moments in Haiti, like a journal that I can share with everyone. And yesterday was a big one; one I'll want to remember.
Biolan is 15 and a student in my second grade class. He lives with his aunt and several cousins near the school, and it is well known that Biolan suffers from a pretty terrible home life. He often comes to school tired, hungry, and angry. He lacks love in his home, and usually is only fed through our school and Brian and Cody on the weekends. Biolan has never been diagnosed with anything, mostly because diagnosis rarely happen here, but he displays signs of Aspergers. He doesn't like to be touched, gets very angry very quickly, and he's absolutely brilliant, but will only show it on his terms. Whether he could have the diagnosis or not, his mannerisms are the same.
Biolan taught me the importance of tough love last fall. He made me cry, made me want to slam my head against my desk, and made me very aware of my need for patience. We fought through the months leading up to Christmas; he didn't want to respect me as an authority, or participate in class, or follow any established rules. I knew he was justified in his anger, in his resistance, and his hesitation. But despite knowing this, it was hard. I'm not good at giving tough love, and it felt like a daily battle walking through that with him.
After Christmas Biolan and I turned a new page. I put a new behavior chart to use, specifically for Biolan, and he seems to love it. Something clicked for us and there is a mutual respect and trust in our relationship that I had been praying for all last fall. God broke my heart for Biolan, and I have so much love for this little one. Everyday this year, whether we have a good day or I carry him to the office kicking and screaming, everyday I tell him I love him, often met to angry responses and rolled eyes.
Yesterday, when my kids left our class I said, "Mwen renmen ou, Biolan", as I always do, and he smiled and said "yeah, me too." Maybe the three sweetest words I've ever heard.
Biolan is 15 and a student in my second grade class. He lives with his aunt and several cousins near the school, and it is well known that Biolan suffers from a pretty terrible home life. He often comes to school tired, hungry, and angry. He lacks love in his home, and usually is only fed through our school and Brian and Cody on the weekends. Biolan has never been diagnosed with anything, mostly because diagnosis rarely happen here, but he displays signs of Aspergers. He doesn't like to be touched, gets very angry very quickly, and he's absolutely brilliant, but will only show it on his terms. Whether he could have the diagnosis or not, his mannerisms are the same.
Biolan taught me the importance of tough love last fall. He made me cry, made me want to slam my head against my desk, and made me very aware of my need for patience. We fought through the months leading up to Christmas; he didn't want to respect me as an authority, or participate in class, or follow any established rules. I knew he was justified in his anger, in his resistance, and his hesitation. But despite knowing this, it was hard. I'm not good at giving tough love, and it felt like a daily battle walking through that with him.
After Christmas Biolan and I turned a new page. I put a new behavior chart to use, specifically for Biolan, and he seems to love it. Something clicked for us and there is a mutual respect and trust in our relationship that I had been praying for all last fall. God broke my heart for Biolan, and I have so much love for this little one. Everyday this year, whether we have a good day or I carry him to the office kicking and screaming, everyday I tell him I love him, often met to angry responses and rolled eyes.
Yesterday, when my kids left our class I said, "Mwen renmen ou, Biolan", as I always do, and he smiled and said "yeah, me too." Maybe the three sweetest words I've ever heard.
