Hope Through Art

This is Jeremiah.

He is one of those kids who you are immediately drawn to.

His bright smile and unforgettable laugh make you overlook the fact that he lives by his own rules and requires constant supervision.

To say that he is amazingly gifted in the arts, would be an understatement. 

He loves music and an art project will hold his attention for quite a while. 

It's like he goes into his own little world, content and happy to be lost there.  Always creating something a little different than the assigned project.

Jeremiah is a refugee from Liberia.

He is one of many refugee children at Resevior Avenue Elementary, in Providence, Rhode Island.

He, like many of the other refugee children have a hard time adjusting to the new culture and it creates quite a challenge for the teachers.

Many of the children do not even know English and some haven't been in school for several years due to the conflict in their home countries.

The children come from many different countries; Burundi, Somalia, Sudan, and Laos.

The Principal has her hands full, going above and beyond the call of duty.

I was amazed by her very apparent love and dedication for these children.

She told a story of how one day, Jeremiah, having been sent to her office for the upteenth time, came in frustrated and angry.

She understood the frustrations of having to adjust to a new culture since she moved to the U.S. from Mexico when she was a child.

She wanted to somehow reach Jeremiah and help relieve some of his frustration.

She remembered that as a child, she loved it when people asked her about her home country.  She would light up and with much animation share about her home.

So she asked Jeremiah to tell her about his country.

But instead of his face lighting up, he began to cry.

You see, his last memories of his home are of seeing his mother killed right in front of him by rebels. 

Now he and his baby sister live with their aunt in a small apartment in Providence.

The Art Clinc gives Jeremiah a place to find healing, friendship and a chance to express his gifts.