Monday, August 10, 2009

Bateau Rigolo - City Mall

Mar Elias camp
Sunday - August 9 - 2009

Facilitator: Lina Sponsor: Hanin

As the kids were finishing up at the indoor playground, while putting their shoes back on, I went next door to the food court to scope out a place for all 25 of us to sit together. Unfortunately, typical of most Sundays, the food court was packed and all the seats were taken. I did notice though that there were some high counters in the middle of the food court – places for people to eat while standing up. So, my idea was to simply gather the kids there and actually have them sit on the counter-tops while they enjoy their ice cream. I determined that the only other option was the floor.

These standing counter-tops were quite high, and in order to get the kids up onto them, we really had to hoist them up quite a ways. And they lined up one right after another too, all so very ready to be air-lifted up onto the enormous thrown, just waiting to be up high, in a special place, with an opportunity to dangle their feet over the edges while enjoying their ice cream cones.

Once heaved up, there seemed to be an instantaneous glow to each child’s face – as if they magically were made royalty as soon as their bottom touched the hardwood – becoming the most spectacular Prince or Princess in all of the Land, but most certainly in all of the Beirut City Mall food court.

Each time I bolstered a child up onto this high pedestal, I noticed that I felt… something.

This feeling, I’m not sure I can explain, but even with as much energy that it took to lift each one up onto this tall counter-top, for some reason …

… I wished the counter-top could’ve been even a little bit higher.