A child’s mind never fails to amaze me.  They have the most authentic, spontaneous, innocent and worry-free mind.

I’d proven it so many times with different children I talked with. My recent personal experience with a child who amused me was when I met a two-year-old Baby Girl. I met her during the community-based Child Friendly Space (CFS) of World Vision.

CFS isa pyscho-social intervention for children in emergencies. It is a five-day activity, an-hour every day, for children to release their fears and to share their dreams and survivor stories from the devastation they experienced.

The baby girl who I met, just like so many other children, was so bubbly. Her facial expressions were so animated. Listening and talking with her bring amusement. 

While she was with her friends, at her age, shared their dreams and experiences during and after Typhoon Sendong (International name: Washi), I overheard her saying, “Tagaan man mi ug balay ni Lord,” (Lord will give us a house). 

I was so stunned with what and how she said it. She said it full of guts and faith. She doesn't have any doubt on the way she said it.

Out of my amusement and curiosity with what I heard,  I went closer to their group and talked with them. It was then that I found out that baby girl's family is one of the many displaced families. Their house was swept away by the heavy flooding brought by Typhoon Sendong. 

When asked where their house was, she said, “Nahimong suba among balay,” (Our house became part of the river). I asked her where their house is located, and Baby Girl stood up and raised her right hand pointing it to where the river is located.

I followed the direction of her hand, and saw the devastation. It is like a ghost village with big rocks, logs, an old acacia tree and debris. There was, not even a house still standing. 

Baby Girl used to live in Tibasak, Macasandig, a place in Cagayan de Oro City, in the southern part of the Philippines, where most people used to live. It was once a huge community but unfortunately those people living there are now displaced, living in the evacuation centres. A lot of people are dead and others are still missing.

I asked the baby girl where she temporarily lives. She held my hand and accompanied me to their house.  She welcomed me to the covered court with the entire family.  She lives in a very small makeshift house. The walls are made from used sacks and used blankets. I assume those were from donated relief goods given to her family. “This is our home,” she says. 

When asked where she wants to live Baby Girl says, “Gusto ko sa bukid among balay,” (I want our house to be at the top of the  mountain).

I was teary-eyed listening to her. At young as she is, the baby girl knows what she wants and knows where she and her family can live safely.

She knew what happened to her and her family.  But she doesn't have any worries as she has a strong faith and believes that in time they can be sleeping in a safer place with no flooding to wake her up.