This past week we have been busier than usual. Last week we had two home visits per day. One of our home visits was with a 9 year old boy named Bahailu. Both of his parents have died and he is now living with his grandmother who can’t work and two aunts and two cousins in a two room mud house. He was such a sweet smiley boy J while at our home visit his social worker informed us of the many needs the family had; so Brant and I put to work the money everyone gave us to take on our trip. We bought Bahailu new shoes, pants and a jacket and we also went shopping with the grandmother and bought her enough food to feed the family for close to a full month. I don’t think I have enjoyed spending money more in my life! And the amazing thing is all of this was purchased for less than $50!
Another home visits that really touched our hearts was to a 6 month old baby who lives with his mother and grandmother. Natsanet (Victory) has had a very difficult life so far. His grandmother came to BCI afraid for her grandson’s life because of his mother’s instability. Upon visiting with the mother BCI staff felt a strong urge to pray over her. While they were praying an evil spirit manifested itself. After a lot of fasting and praying for this woman the spirit left her and she accepted Jesus J However, at our home visit the social worker also told us these two women have no income because they do not work and that they are both HIV positive. Praise God Natsanet is HIV free; in order for him to remain HIV free he can’t breast feed. This poses a very difficult situation for his mother because milk is expensive and Natsanet has no sponsors. This boy is such a joy and represents the victory of Jesus of our enemy; Brant and I have decided to sponsor this baby; and our combined funds will make him fully sponsored. God is so wonderful!
I would also like to tell you about one of my heros. Yabsera Yonas just turned 10. Her father passed away, so now it is just Yabsera and her mother. Yabsera’s mother is very sick and is HIV positive. She is the student I enjoyed the most during our time at the school. She is always smiling and loves to hug, which I am also a fan of. She also speaks decent English compared to her classmates. We went and visited Yabsera at home and when we arrived she greeted us with a huge smile. She took us to her one room house she shares with her mom and invited us to have coffee. Her mom was not feeling well so she stayed in bed for most of the visit, however she did have coffee with us. Yabsera goes to school does the housework and washes dishes and clothes to bring in a tiny income. She cooks when her mom is unable to and does her best to make her mom comfortable. She didn’t have any pants that were long or fit, so we took her and bought her a new pair of jeans and another missionary purchased her new shoes. We also asked her mother if there were any needs she had and she said she needed money to pay back the money her neighbor loaned her for her medicine, Sonia (another missionary) paid for that. The mom also said she needed cooking oil, rice, teff (a light grain) and milk. We bought her enough milk to have 1 liter a milk a day for 30 days and enough food to last a month. It sounds like an expensive gift but the total amount of the food was only 600 birr (about 37 USD). I am amazed at how many things I take for granted, but one thing I know I will not forget is the look on these beautiful ladies’ faces when we told them we could provide for their immediate needs. I am so thankful that God was able to use insignificant me to ease the burden of this mother and her daughter.
Please pray this week that sponsors will be found for all the BCI children and teenagers like Yabsera and Bahailu. Pray for the many parents her are sick with HIV and pray for the elderly grandparents who willingly take in their orphaned grandchildren. Also thank God for the many many blessings he has given you. If you don’t think you are blessed, remember these stories.
No comments:
Post a Comment