‘Luis’ by Tori

Here’s something completely different, and sweet, sent to me by Molly Care from Voyagers. It is an essay submitted by her grand daughter Tori (pictured above) in Florida, for a Wyzant College Scholarship. Please go that link and vote for Tori’s essay – here it is! Thanks.


“I was visiting and volunteering at the Mother Teresa Orphanage in Lusaka, Zambia during my annual break in the summertime when Luis, a six-year-old boy, clutched onto my legs, resting his chin. He began to wobble, gripping on to the sides of my jeans as tightly as he could. I realized that he was unable to walk. Because of his condition, Luis was already identified as a child with no hope, chance for advancement, and a normal life.

I returned to that orphanage six months later to have Luis gripping to my hips once again. He was so excited to show me that he could walk, even if this was extremely difficult for him. The experiences of watching a young boy walk for the first time will forever change how I look at challenges in life. He has not had the opportunities to learn any more words, no one had the time or patience to teach him to read or write, and his life was so different and more difficult than to mine.


In life I have learned that the opportunities that I have been given, education I have had taken for granted and my experiences in life to look forward to will never be in reach for Luis; however, he was still grinning with a smile. Even living in a place eight thousand eight hundred and fifty-six miles away, Luis has still changed the way I look at challenges. The most important lesson I have learned is if a parentless young boy unable to walk with no opportunities, resources, or hope can take his first steps, than I can do anything I set my mind to.” 
 
 
 
 
 
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