This month has changed me.
In the beginning I assumed I would get attached naturally but I had no idea it would be to this extent. These boys have literally ripped whats left of my heart out and taken it out to the streets with them. Daily I saturate them in prayer and beg God to wrap his invincible arms around and protect these little babies.
One of the boys in particular has a special place in my beat up heart. Here we are.
His name is Paulo. He says he thinks he’s 13 but in Mozambican culture it is not a big deal if you don’t know your age.. especially for street boys. He wore this same shirt all 25 days I was graced with his presence. All the boys have. He showed up day one and there was something different about this little gem. He was super cuddly and was always tired. By day 3 he was laying in my lap begging me to rub his little head. He immediately stole all our hearts. He reminded us of the swazi babies who needed our love and touch. I soon found out by observation that he has random seizures ranging from 10-25 seconds each time. They seemed to happen most when his emotions changed quickly. He would always get a couple during mealtime because he was so excited to eat.
Paulo doesn’t know when he has them. He has been told he has them but he has no memory of the few seconds he peaces out. It broke my little heart to see him go through that and not have a warm place to return to at night. The other boys on the street were SO sweet to him.. it brought me to tears one night. Paulo and one of the other guys named Nedved were sitting across the table from me chatting and Paulo randomly threw his arms up and started shaking. Nedved immediately stopped the conversation, casually grabbed his fork and moved his plate back until he came back. As soon as it was over Nedved put his fork back in his hand and continued the convesation, just as nothing had happened. It is crazy to see the love of the Lord in these little guys. The spirit is doing a huge work in these boys and I am so pumped to be serving this Savior.
We don’t know what exactly causes Paulos seizures. He ended up on the streets a couple years now. Paulos mother lives about 17 hours north of where he’s lived on the streets in Maputo. She no longer had money for treatment for his seizures so she put him on a bus to his “grandmothers house” and somewhere in that he found his way to the streets. I’m telling you the thrill of the streets is addicting. Paulo is too freaking fragile to be on the streets. My prayer began early on that he would find his way back home. That his addiction to the streets would be quinched.
Midway through the month Paulo came to our contact Ian and told him he wanted to go home!!!! He moved in with us for a week or so to start the reintigration process. Best week of my life for real. He blows my mind. One evening I was chillin on the living room and he came in with the guitar singing at the top of his lungs. It doesn’t even matter that he has NO IDEA how to play.. it was the most beautiful thing. I was secretly plotting how to convince the house that I took him home but really stuck him in my backpack.
The night before he left we all came together and prayed over him. It was the most raw and emotional prayer I have ever prayed. Since his mom lived so far away out in the middle of nowhere, there was no way of getting in contact with her to tell her he was coming home. Our prayer had a lot to do with the condition of her heart and hoped she would treat the situation like the prodigal son. All I wanted was for him to return to his home and reclaim his childhood.
Praise the Lord she did. The next day Paulo and Louis– one of the heartbeats of Masana Ministries– started their trek up north. After 3 days and a lot of roadblocks, they made it! His mother welcomed him home with open arms and so much love. I am so glad my little baby is back in an innocent and safe environment… as upset I am that he isn’t my backpack.
The morning he went home he got a new outfit and he looked so handsome!! A few days later I found his shirt he left here… it smelled like it hadn’t been washed in years but it smelled so beautiful. It naturally made me cry.
I don’t even know how to keep going on the race. Every single month I have left a chunk of my heart. This month Paulo has taken about 6 months of it. There is going to have to be a miraculous heart transplant so I can keep on keeping on. Maybe I will just guard my heart in future months? Doubt it.
