A cone of ice cream

Small things with a big impact

Trauma can have a lasting impact and affect every aspect of life: mentally, spiritually, physically and even emotionally.

In the more than a year and a half that I’ve been working in the children’s area of CBN’s humanitarian response, I’ve seen more children and heard more stories related to trauma and neglect than I care to count. From fleeing war and crisis zones – to children who have been abandoned or even abused by their parents – to neglected children whose parents (or more often their single-parent household) are doing their best in very difficult circumstances.

During a recent event at which CBN supported its partner Die Arche Bremerhaven, one girl in particular caught my eye: she was boisterous and cheeky. She had big blue eyes and long, wavy hair. At first glance, she seemed like a typical child, until I spent more time with her. I could see that she craved attention. When we first met, she gave me a big grin. I cringed inwardly because I hadn’t expected her teeth to be rotten. This is avoidable at such a young age. It made me sad that this wasn’t the case with her.

She had come to the facility with an “empty emotional tank”. But thanks to the attention she received, it was full when she left. I received a simple gift from her that meant a lot to me: she colored a drawing of an ice cream cone and handed it to me. I felt honored that someone who had so little gave so much. I decided to frame it and hang it in my office to remind me to appreciate the little things. I want to pray for the children who are neglected and traumatized.

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