Sinah is a girl that lives in Boung Trakun. She is 15 years old and has never have been to school and she also never went outside of the lake area where she lives.
The first time I met her she was very shy and was unable to talk. She was suffering of epilepsy and she had so many scars in the face and on her hands, because she always fell down. Her family is very poor and used to say that she was not beautiful, because of this they thought she should stay inside of the lake and work on planting morning glory, in order to help the family earn money.
I decided to help her once she wanted to go to school. I had to ask her mother for permission to let her go to school; even though her mother was not so happy she gave me the permission. Sinah started to attend school, but she could not follow the teacher. I was very encouraged to see her trying again and again. Recently she decided for herself to do the first grade again. Now she feels more confident about herself as she can understand more, and she can follow the teacher.
Sinah also never brushed her teeth and always when she ate her mouth was bleeding, because she has many problems with her teeth. The first time the Bong Paoun Project took her to the dentist, she was very scared when the doctor showed her how to use a toothbrush.
Now after almost one year Sinah is a different girl! She still has some difficulties, but now she can talk, sing and learn the bible every week with the other kids from her community. The wonderful thing is that since she started this new phase of her life, she never had an epilepsy attack! Because of this her neighbor, who has the same problem, joined us to study the bible, because she said that she wants to be like Sinah!
Now Sinah can write and she can talk with different people. It also encouraged me a lot, being her Bong.
Maira de Lima, March 2011
REACHING OUT TO STREET CHILDREN - SPEAKING UP FOR THOSE WHO HAVE NO VOICE - PREACHING AND MOBILIZING FOR MISSION