My little friend Langtham
Posted by Stevie
21 November, 2011
Meeting Langtham was a very special moment in my life. He is one year old and lives in Lusaka, Zambia. Langtham has cerebral palsy ... as do I. From vastly different parts of the world, we shared a few minutes together. More than that, we share the way our bodies work. Here's a video about the day I met Langtham:
After I came home to Australia, I wrote this poem, holding dear my encounter with him:
Dear Langtham
my little friend
the meeting of our lives
that moment in time
my heart has framed
Too young to remember me
you will always be
remembered
Diversity
in our ethnicity, territory, opportunities
the world between us
a commonality we share –
not an unfortunate affliction
nor some spiritual retribution
No, our bodies dance to a different beat
our tongues, to a different tune
Your song, is beautiful
Your eyes are as rich
as the soil from which
life springs and takes root
May your life be poetry
speaking the deeper truth
May your heart be warmed
by your mother’s love
as your skin is warmed
by the sun
May you treasure, nurture
the space between mother and son
May friends who are true
walk beside you
If you should be ignored
insulted, excluded, avoided
because you stagger and fall
may you be one of grace
not hate
taking root
in the truth
that their spirits stagger and fall
May your spirit stand courageous, tall
strong, perceptive, aware
the mountains declare
each soul to be precious
______________________________
Stevie Wills is a Young Leader for Create2change, an initiative of CBM Australia. Stevie travelled with CBM to South Africa and Zambia in March this year, so that, on her return, she could advocate for people with disabilities living in poverty. Stevie also joined us at Voices for Justice 2011 and her performance of this poem was one of the highlights of the event.