Changes for Rachael

I have learned a lot of things in this trip and ever since I came back, almost my whole personality and perspective of the world and my surroundings changed. Before I went to LFCH, I always liked to isolate myself from people outside school and the majority group inside school. Basically, I just lived in my head with a computer or an iPod touch in a world where nothing bad ever happens to me. (If you are my English teachers and my tutor, this is how I get ideas my crossover stories. By just living in my own head almost 24/7 in and out of school). It wasn’t till I got to LFCH then did I think differently about things and I got the self-esteem I needed for almost my entire childhood.

Rachael sharing with the kids a story of how God has shown her love

First was responsibility, every morning I’d see kids who are like ‘round ‘bout 7 years old sweeping the grounds of the orphanage and I am not just talking about corridors and rooms etc., I mean everything in the orphanage, the boys and girls room, the main orphanage room, even the path that leads to the orphan’s chapel/study room, at dinner. (I’d say, quite impressive for a 7 year old hmm?), even Royal (or Roy I would call him in my mind) at one point helped wash the dishes I thought to myself, who am I to get the helper to do all these responsibilities instead of me? Once I get back home, I shall sort out my bed and help the helper when she needs it.

Then came something that would change nearly all of who I am, something I should have had ever since year 1. My self-esteem and security, when we had lunch at church, I came across some girls who looked as if they were part of an in crowd, and they were chatting to Linden (or Lindy as more often known). As usual, I knew they wouldn’t want to hang out with someone like me, so it was quite a big shock when they came over and asked my name, when I told them my name they
introduced themselves, I can’t remember all of their names but I do remember another Rachel and
the leader called Stella (which means star in Latin. Quote neat for the name of a popular girl I would say). After chatting for a while, Stella asked me one question that changed everything to me, the question was….. ‘Want to be friends?’ I was shocked at that question because so far in my life, it was out of character for an in crowd to want to be friends with someone like me, during lunch, I only took a few nibbles of my curry then left the rest. I had a really dumb, shocked expression on my face
with my mouth hung open, my mind racing with lots of questions about why they would want to include me into their group.

After lunch, the first thing I did was to find Stella and her friends, I am glad to say that I accepted her offer to be her friend and the more I got to know them, the more I felt my self-esteem rising and nothing else mattered to me except not to let anyone crush down my new confidence again.