On November 4, 2023, our community of San Ysidro welcomed Little Amal with dances and open arms. The Kumeyaay people welcome her to their land with a blessing ceremony, and feed her before she heads back on her journey. The people of San Ysidro shook hands, and gave words of encouragement to little Amal, as she continued her journey across San Diego, before heading to the border and into Mexico. Little Amal is a 10 year old refugee girl from Syria, who’s wondering the world in search of her parents. “Amal” is Arabic for “Hope,” a feeling she brings to every place she has visited so far. The puppet was built by the Handstring Puppet Company, based in Cape Town, South Africa, and is brought to life by a group of three people at a time.