Jessica Schneider

United States

What I’ve learned…

1) Being a vegetarian isn’t trendy in Zanzibar

2) I’m more ready to be a mother than I had thought

3) I should really try new foods more

4) Magnet tiles and cars are the most sought after toys

5) Best friends can be of all different ages

I started my job as an intern at the beginning of September and have been dreading the day that I would be writing this blog post, because that meant the end to this inspiring experience was near. Here is a shortened version of my five months working with Save a Child’s Heart.

Within my first week, I soon learned that Taki was the Israeli version of Uno, and that the rules frequently changed based on what the kids wanted. I rarely won Taki but felt super cool when kids invited me to play with them. Limu, Hiram, Issa, and Nuzi were a crew of young boys all around the age of 10 that enjoyed playing this card game together. I instantly grew close with Issa, who was quiet due to the language barriers with the other kids but showed his emotions through his expressive smile and killer dance moves. Soon after creating this friendship, though, I had the privilege to watch Issa leave the house, healthy, and head back to Senegal to reunite with his family. This was my first goodbye, and I had to teach myself that it’s a bittersweet moment and to focus on the happiness of sending a healthy child back to his family.

Soon came the OG crew of kids that arrived at the house during my first few weeks, and I had the privilege to see them return to their homes in November. That was truly incredible. To see kids arrive at the SACH house, small, sick, and underdeveloped and leave so much stronger: physically, socially, and emotionally. I was asked to help the new younger kids from Zanzibar break away from their mothers and learn to be comfortable playing independently with the volunteers and other kids. I soon became close with many of these children, including a 2-year-old boy named Munir. He was unbelievably self-sufficient, adorable, and loved to dance. He was extremely friendly and loved greeting visiting groups as they arrived at the SACH house to learn about our mission. When Munir was leaving, I gave his mom a selfie that I took of us on my phone one day and Munir kissed it and gave me a hug goodbye. I couldn’t have been happier to see him go back with his mother to Zanzibar, a totally different mindset than I had with my first goodbye.

An integral part of the OG crew was Pierre from Senegal. Pierre was around 2-years-old but was very small and had not learned to walk yet when he arrived at the SACH house. I had the privilege to meet Pierre before his surgery and become best friends with him during his recovery process. Seeing Pierre mature physically and mentally the next 2 months was so rewarding. I loved greeting him and his mom every morning and loved how she would bring him directly to me when she needed to tend to her other responsibilities. Pierre became strong enough to walk all on his own while recovering at the SACH house, which was such a beautiful thing to witness. I couldn’t communicate too well verbally with his French-speaking mother but she always seemed so appreciative with her eyes and smile.

I also had the opportunity to meet Meron, a young woman from Ethiopia who was returning to SACH, now training to be a pediatrician herself, after being here at age 15 for her first surgery. Getting to know her was eye-opening. She explained how even for a catheterization, there was a lack of resources for kids to receive this specialized cardiac care in Ethiopia at the moment. I grew up with a cardiologist as a father and never even thought twice about not having access to high quality medical care. Meron was so amazing with all of the kids at the SACH house and became a second mom to many of them.

Hapsa, where do I even begin?! Hapsa is a spunky, hilarious, and energetic 8-year old who had three surgeries while staying at the SACH house. However, you would never realize this after meeting her. She is always willing to beat you in a game of Taki, braid your hair, and dance and sing along to the song, “Comme Ci Comme Ca.” Every Thursday, I always looked forward to her wishing everyone a “Shabbat Shalom,” as they left for the weekend. This was a challenging goodbye for me because I had grown very close with Hapsa both in the house and from visiting her during her recovery process in the hospital. I will always try to embody her bravery, confidence, and appreciation for the little things.

Finally, we received a new group of kids from Zanzibar, and I fell in love pretty quickly. Ali has the widest smile, and loves endless tickles and cuddling. Roina, a sassy girl, is always on a mission to find the best toys to play with and to also get scooped up for the biggest hug. Her mother is absolutely amazing and brought positive energy to the house with her constant smile and delicious tea. Nouman has a contagious laugh and speaks constantly with such confidence and passion. He always invites me to have lunch and dinner with him and try all of the mothers’ dishes. We have a little routine every night when I leave work where we say “see you tomorrow” to each other, I get a kiss on the cheek, and then he proceeds to tell me to “be careful” as I am walking out. The moms that came with this newer Zanzibar group have truly shaped my experience at SACH, as we exchange stories and realize we are all alike in many ways.

I wouldn’t have traded this experience for anything in the world. I learned about so many different cultures and how to better support kids through alternative ways. I witnessed a form of resilience and strength in these young people that I haven’t fully developed myself. Even if there are language and cultural barriers, these children bond over their necessity to be resilient and brave as a community. The children I have the honor of supporting at Save a Child’s Heart embody an open mind, selfless attitude, and compassion for the other children at the home, regardless of the physical and emotional pain they are each personally going through. The SACH community welcomed me with open arms, and I will be forever grateful for this experience.