I’m sitting here with few words, but a deep, deep pain inside my heart.

Meet Princess. I met her today.

When I, and a couple of good friends arrived at her home to see two other young girls, we had no idea we would be meeting Princess too.

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As soon as I saw her sitting alone in the dirt, exactly as in the photos above, I bent down to talk to her. Her sad little face didn’t change, didn’t flicker, didn’t acknowledge a big mzungu face suddenly inches from hers. I tried to talk to her… nothing. I smiled at her…. nothing. I put my arms out to her… I got the smallest movement so I swept her up and held her.

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I turned around and asked my friends, ‘what is going on here?’

Princess is five years old. I would have guessed two years old. She is deaf and mute. As soon as her mother realized her condition, she ran away and abandoned Princess with the grandmother. Every day that the grandmother goes to work in the fields, she locks Princess in the house. Alone. Every day. No interaction with anyone, no thought of school, no value.

I looked into Princess’ eyes and I saw nothing.

A five year old girl with no spark, no smile, no expression or sign of emotion, no interaction.

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I’ve never felt such pain to imagine what isolation and rejection this young child has faced during her 5 years on earth.

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I had five minutes with her and I came away feeling broken. What kind of world do we live in that our children in the west have everything, in abundance. More than they could possibly want or need (if I offend, I’m sorry but let’s face reality).

And yet, we have children like Princess who are forgotten, ignored, locked away and alone. I’m not trying to do the ‘white saviour’ or ‘west knows best’ thing. Love is love, and compassion is compassion. I’m asking you and I’m challenging anyone reading this, with no apology, to come alongside this precious young girl and make her feel like a Princess, not just by name, but as the daughter of the King she is. Buy her a dress. Send her some toys, or a colouring book. Help me to find a school for her who will help her to learn to interact with other children, learn to play. Help her feel loved and cherished.

Can you pray for her?

Can you pray that the sad, sad face in this photo will become a face which radiates joy?

Can you remember her this Christmas season – in the midst of gifts and spending and quite frankly hideous abundance?

Please get in touch if you can help this Princess.

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