Black

It is time for Comfort and Christian to leave. As we go, Comfort forms tears in her eyes. She hugs her new friends and packs her bag away neatly. I watch her stuff all her belongings away. She saves a deflated balloon for her 3 year old girl at home. She's ecstatic when I give her a brand new one.

I walk her up the main path and off the ship. I put Christian on the tricycle and carry him to the gate, his mother at our side. The sun beats down on us. Christian's eyes are lazy as usual. Mercy Ships gave him sight last year through the removal of his cataracts. This year, they fixed a fistula in his nose. He is healing quickly. Though he is deaf and dumb, you can tell he is ecstatic to walk out in the open, to not wear a hospital gown, and to be a little boy.

I give Comfort a ball of yarn, some more needles, some candy and a belt of Leena's that I thought was really her style. She loved everything.

'Thank you, Gorpue,' she said, breathlessly.

'You are welcome,' I respond. 'Thank you!'

'Thank you,' she said. 'You have come down to my level.'

I stop pedalling and think for a moment. 'What are you saying, Comfort?'

'Thank you for coming down to my level. You have to come down to my level because I am black.'