Lisa Meets Sophie

Just a quick update--

My mom is here and it's GREAT.

I just had to create a post describing probably one of the top three funniest things that has happened to me while in Zambia and, of course, it involves my mother.

I have written several times about a tiny little chubster named Sophie. She is three years old. She is mostly always naked. And she positively always has a little mischief up her sleeve, her face being the dead give away.

So, on the way to church Sunday morning my mom met Sophie for the first time.

We passed her house and all the children came running, so we stopped for a short visit.

Sophie's mother was sick. As we stood by her, I couldn't help but look back to the dirt road at my mom, who was kneeling down beside little Sophie.

This bundle of a trouble maker was one of the children I was the most excited for my mom to meet and I just stood and watched them interact.

Kneeling in the dirt beside her, my mom let Sophie leaf through the pages of her Bible.

While this seemed like a sweet moment, Sophie was never interested in the Bible at all.

She fanned through all of the pages until they fell open at a certain spot.

Sophie had found what she was looking for--my mom's offering for the basket at church.

As soon as she saw the 10,000 Kwacha note, she snatched it and held it above her head.

Lisa was a tad bit surprised by this three-year old's recognition of the money and the instinct to grab it. She said "Well! You know what that is, don't ya?"

At this point, my attention moved from the humor of this scene to praying over Sophie's mother.

With the conclusion of the prayer I looked back to my mom, now standing alone.

I asked her if she got her money back to which she replied, "I didn't have the heart to take it back from her".

Well, that is not true of me. I know this little rascal and I've seen some of her best tricks.

So I looked for her.

I scanned my eyes just a little further down the road and there she was.

Sophie, the mischief maker of all time, had toddled her way down to the corner snack shack.

And there she stood at about 2 feet tall, with an arm full of Jungle Snax and fist full of change.

Within seconds, she took the money and marched right down to buy barbecue corn curls.

I said "SOPHIE!" and walked right over to her and put my hand out.

With that classic half-smile and twinkle in her eyes, she handed me the change.

Swindled by a cute face and chubby cheeks.

My mom was here for less than 24 hours and was robbed by a 3 year old.