Me and My Shadow

{photo by Josh Huang}

My Shadow

 Robert Louis Stevenson

I have a little shadow that goes in and out with me,
And what can be the use of him is more than I can see.
He is very, very like me from the heels up to the head;
And I see him jump before me, when I jump into my bed...

This was taken during the children's retreat last month.  The little girl is actually one of my Sunday school girls who just happened to go to the school from where the boys and girls came for the retreat.  She is only nine years old though and the age restriction was set at 10 - 12.  When it became evident that there was not going to be an overflow of children eagerly ready to jump on the boat, the principal said that Clarinha could go with her mother's permission, of course.

Clarinha is a little shadow to me at church.  I think she learned to read as I would have her follow the words of songs with her finger in my hymnbook and by memorizing verses.  I've known her for about three years now.  Last year she made a decision to accept Jesus into her heart and life. 

When all seems rough and I wonder about my usefulness in this far off place, I go to church and Clarinha comes to sit beside me and ask for my hymnbook!  And then all is well again in the world.