abigail

[abigail]

in hebrew the meaning of the name is: father rejoiced or father's joy. gives joy.

in spanish there is a word for when you share a name with another person:

tocayo - when you share the same first name

colombroño - when you share the same last name

homónimo - when you share the same first and last name

i have yet to find anyone here in peru that share my last name but i have found 3 tocayos.

1. when i was activating my id card in the library last semester the man working at the front desk informed me that his daughter is also named abigail.

2 & 3. two little girls at deporte y vida (the organization where i volunteer in villa el salvador)

the first little abigail is 6 years old. a few weeks ago i was helping her with her homework, but she was a bit distracted because she was also in charge of taking care of her 1 year-old brother. i could tell that she was really into her homework but she kept on having to get up to go and find her brother, or to comfort him when he fell down. after most of the kids had finished their homework the teachers put a movie on. abigail just wanted to watch the movie, so i told her that i would watch her little brother. she kept on looking over and checking up on him. it was very sweet. i found out from norma, one of the teachers, that abigail probably wouldn't be going to school that day because she had to watch her little brother. we asked abigail and she confirmed, her mother had gone to work and she was to take care of her brother. can you imagine that? a six year old in charge of her brother for the whole day? it broke my heart knowing that this little abigail doesn't have a chance to be a kid, she has to be a mother.

and this is the other abigail:

i think we've formed a special bond because we share a name. whenever i arrive she always runs over to me and gives me a big hug. she wants me to pick her up and play with her, and i'm happy to do it. we play hand games where she is singing the song and i'm just trying to follow along. she is very sweet and loving, but she also gets into trouble. she is often hitting other kids and getting into fights. the other kids tease her a lot and she will come running to me to find shelter and protection. as she hides behind me the other kids whine and say "but she hit me! she pushed me!" i try to calm them down and they eventually give up and run off again. then i turn to abigail and tell her not to hit the other kids. and she looks at me with these eyes that pierce my heart. i can see pain and hurt. i don't know what her story is, but i can sense that it is not a happy one.

and it makes me think of a song by maeve, and i pray that i may be able to whisper peace into this little girl's life.

"whisper peace"

i want to rock you in my arms,

let you cry, let you cry.

i want to take on your pain

get it out from inside.

i want to hold you in my arms

and put God's hand around your heart.

whisper peace.

whisper peace.

it didn't take too long

for you to get inside my mind.

the mystery of the world

seen through your eyes drew me in.

i wanted to know every thought inside your head.

why were you spinning?

i want to rock you in my arms,

let you cry, let you cry.

i want to take on your pain

get it out from inside.

i want to hold you in my arms

and put God's hand around your heart.

whisper peace.

whisper peace.