Bryan de Jesus (who was Joseph in our Nativity scene last Christmas) is ten years old. He is a mid
dle child of a large family and was born with spina bifida. This condition results in an inability to control bowel or bladder function. He has leg and foot deformities as well and walks with a limp but it barely slows him down.
Bryan started hanging around the clinic five years ago. We discovered that he was not allowed to enroll in kindergarten because he still wore diapers. Our social worker and after-school program director, Cristina, went to the principal to explain his medical condition. If we provided pull-up diapers and if Bryan was able to take care of himself at school then he would be allowed to enroll. He did well for awhile. Then we noticed him hanging out at the clinic on school days. There were lots of excuses: holidays, test days, teachers’ meetings, etc. The truth was that his hygiene was a problem. The family couldn’t afford the diapers. He was teased and fought back. He failed first grade several times. Now he is back in school and has learned to read.
Bryan has a personality that endears him to everyone: clinic staff, volunteers and every visitor. He is adept at making friends with new arrivals and getting a spare dollar from the guests when they depart. He’s always got some kind of scheme going: selling popsicles, dream-catchers, raffle chances. Other children have family members who accompany them to the clinic. Bryan is alone. When we have special occasions like Christmas or Mothers’ Day Bryan always asks if his mother can come. He absolutely beams with joy when she is with us.
This year Sister Carol has become his “Mama”. One morning he came up to her with tears in his eyes and a few pesos in his hand. “Can I buy a diaper?” he asked. That was it. Now Carol puts his name on the Jacuzzi list – like the mothers do. Carol gets him new socks and helps him with his shoes – like the mothers do. When he needs a mid-morning snack, he comes to Carol and they walk down to the corner store. His absolute favorite is shrimp cocktail with crackers, even at 10 a.m.! And after lunch as he heads off to school fresh and clean, Bryan comes to Carol who kisses him good-bye – like the mothers do. Carol has been away for the past two weeks. The rest of us have tried to fill her shoes but we’ve all seen the disappointment in his eyes when he realizes that she isn’t there. But today when we asked, “Who will be here this Thursday?” his face lit up with a huge smile and he said, “Mi mama!”