Attachment!

ATTACHMENT!!  These days when you see this word you think of something that comes along with your email, a picture or a document of some kind. Whatever it is, it’s special and hangs on to your email permanently– it’s connected. In reference to a street child, attachment has another meaning.  

While at the Hope for the Child conference in Nairobi this week, Dan and I spent three days talking about attachment. NOT the email kind of attachment but rather the human attachment that is vital to the development of a child. 

Patrice Penny is a lady who lives in Nairobi and teaches at a local University. Patrice is a social worker and has a master’s degree in child development and she was a fantastic teacher.

Patrice talked about attachments in the life of a child.  She related it to a river that is flowing freely. Imagine the tranquil waters flowing lazily and freely down the stream; this is how the life of a child should be. Sometimes there are obstacles that get into the stream and divert the water, at times to the point of stopping the flow and causing the water to back up. We talked about the many effects this can have on the development of a child. This is always the case of a street child, somewhere in their young life there is a blockage and very often a complete stop of the free flow of water. These blockages can be emotional, physical, spiritual, social etc.

Another session was a focus on Child Counseling. We went into working groups and dealt with counseling issues of vulnerable children. In every case we discussed the issues came back to a broken attachment somewhere in the life of the child. 

The third presenter and workshop was called Life Skills. Life Skills deals mostly with helping a vulnerable child to deal with the stresses of their life. We have to recognize what these children have been through and minister to that specifically…. for example, it’s very easy to sweep sexual issues under the rug especially dealing with a young child but the FACT is these children have been exposed to so many things, we have to address them and teach the children the difference between appropriate and inappropriate behavior. 

Once again ATTACHMENT! These kids are seeking attachment, if they are unable to get it from home and family they will certainly find it on the street from older street boys who will care for them, protect them and very often use them in an abusive sexual way. A young child mistakes these actions for love and care.  

ATTACHMENT! It’s a basic human need, vital to all of us. Didn’t God send His only son to walk this earth in order that we could be reconnected and attached to Himself physically, emotionally and spiritually?

At Capstone Ministries, God has called us to the ministry of reconciliation and now I’ll also add reattachment! 

Dan and I returned from Nairobi on Friday afternoon after a long 6-7 hour drive. We were tired but truly inspired and excited to share our experiences with the our staff.

Blessings to all,

Patty

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