Signs of Abuse--a Hug??

As many of you know, I've had 8 weeks of Saturday classes. The last one is today! I can't wait to be free on Saturdays again! Of the four classes, two were really boring and two were really interesting. One of the interesting classes is the one that finishes up today, Health Issues. Last week we spent over half the day talking about how teachers are "mandated reporters." All that means is that if we have any justifiable reason to believe that a child in our classroom is being abused or neglected, we must report it. When you think about it, that's a pretty huge responsibility. Especially when you consider, as one of the mom's in the class shared with me, such a report makes the life of a non-guilty parent a living hell. Because of this, it's important to know the signs of abuse. So my professor covered that. There were the common signs you'd expect--frequent bruises and fear of any physical contact. But, also on the list, there was a least one sign I didn't expect to see--too much physical contact. That caused some questions in the class and not just from me . . . if a child is quick to hug me he might be abused? Wow. Talk about a new way of thinking.

Also this week, I started my field work for my education class. On Monday and Tuesday, I headed over to Queens to help out in an after-school program from 3-6. The after-school kids play outside for the first hour so all I have to do is sit outside and watch them play and talk to them if they want to talk to me. Well, on Monday afternoon as I was talking to some of the older kids, a little first-grader who had not yet approached or talked to me walked over to me and gave me a hug. The first thing that flashed through my mind was class on Saturday. But I was in a Christian school and I thought, no, she must just be a very affectionate child. When we headed inside that day the teacher asked me to help her with her homework so I worked with her for the next hour till her dad came and picked her up. Tuesday, as I sat outside during their playtime she came over and sat next to me and started telling me about her family and her mommy, daddy and brother. I mentioned that I had met her father yesterday when he picked her up, then I asked her if her mommy ever picked her up from school. Her answer broke my heart. "No, because when I'm with mommy she hits me and pulls my hair. And last time I was with her she put a belt around my neck. Now daddy and mommy are fighting over me. The last time she picked me up was Halloween." Wow. Her eyes had filled with tears though she was careful to let none fall. Would you pray for this little girl? For this family?

Keep on singing,