Jordan Volunteers

Meet Mahmoud:

Mahmoud is one of the orphans I worked with today on a service trip. He was by far my favorite.

I met him on this slide, and as soon as I saw him I knew it was meant to be. He was charming: 

Me: shoo ismak? (what's your name?) 

Mahmoud: maba'arif! (I don't know.) 

Me: mabta'rif ismak?! (you don't know your name?)

Mahmoud: la! (no.)

He also had a faux-hawk. And I am a sucker for faux-hawks. Especially when they are on cute, Arab orphan boys.

Oh, and did I mention that he occasionally lies to me and tells me that he will go down the scary slide with me only to push me down it? Precious, I know. I think this was the moment in which I really knew we had something special:

He is also not the biggest fan of holding hands. But I think I can learn to deal with that:

Another testament of our lasting friendship occurred when he refused to take a picture with me because he "doesn't like girls."

Unfortunately, I will probably never see Mahmoud again. Nevertheless, the wave and smile he gave me at the end of the day as he boarded the bus was totally worth it.

"To laugh often and much; to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children... to find the best in others; to leave the world a little better; whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition; to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is the meaning of success." - Ralph Waldo Emerson