At nine years old, he is back to crawling on his hands and knees like a toddler. It’s either that or he is forced to hop around on one leg to get from place to place. Sinoya Maliko had an accident earlier this year, which caused him to burn his leg at the knee joint, and now it will not bend or extend enough for him to use it.

On June 3, 2011, Sinoya was standing near a fire, warming himself, when he lost his balance and fell into the fire. The inside of his left leg was burned, and as it went untreated, the scar tissue tightened his leg to a ninety-degree angle. He still goes to school, despite the difficulty he most likely faces in getting himself to and from the schoolhouse. He does well in the third grade and he works very hard. Sinoya has his priorities straight even if it causes him pain and struggles, as he realizes how important his future is, despite his current condition.

It’s a good thing he does have his eyes on the future, because his leg is about to change. Soon his leg will be straight and after a while he will regain his range of motion. Before long he will be running around with the rest of his friends, playing. I just hope he stays a safe distance away from fires!