What a great but trying day! We trekked back to Korah. It's always been hard, but for me, today was exceptionally hard. Yesterday, a small boy sat right by my side during the inauguration and feeding. He refuses to leave. Today at Korah, he saw me from the distance and rant to me. He held my leg and my arm and my hand. After a while, I asked him where he lived. He pointed to the other side of the dump, then to where we were, and then beyond us. Confused, I asked our guide where his family lived. When the guide asked the child he began to whimper. He said his parents were dead. He was from The North (same village as Mez) and when his parents died, his brother told him about Korah, a place they could live and find food. Together, they traveled over 500KM. Once at Korah, his brother disappeared. At 10 years old this child was scared and broken. I picked him up and he melted into me. He held me as tightly as possible. When I hugged him, he smothered me with kisses and hugged tighter and tighter. He asked the guide if I could be his mamma. He told our guide that I loved him (because I was holding and kissing and hugging him like his 1st mamma). This boy, 8-10 years of age, has NO home. He is living with another boy under a piece of plastic. He really does eat from the dump. He doesn't have money for school. BUT the good news, he meets the criteria for our feeding and education programs.
We spent ALL of our time together. At the end, when it was time to leave my little guy held on for dear life. His heart was breaking. That was one of those moments that poverty becomes personal... Pray for my friend Hiyellum
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Lori...oh, my heart. Aching. I am so happy that Hiyellum had a few sweet days with you feeling loved and that he can continue to feel that through the feeding program after you're gone. It is SO hard to leave Ethiopia, isn't it? I will be praying for Hiyellum tonight and for God's favor and blessing on the feeding program. I am so glad it is there for children like him. Can't wait to connect with you once you're home. Give Yemamu a hug for me. :)
ReplyDeleteI have a Hiyellum in my past. Her name was Lilliana & she lived at a very poor orphanage in Mexico. I still pray for her. I have no idea what became of her or where she is today, but my heart knows Hiyellum because of Lilliana. Thank you for being obedient to His call to go there and love him!
ReplyDeleteThank you for your prayers. We believe we found a foster home in Addis for Hiyellum. Now, we are praying the social worker is able to find him again.
ReplyDelete