Please forgive me for the late posting of this blog. I forgot that it was in my notepad, and also because of the limited and unreliable internet, I was unable to post it previously. But without any further ado, Christino.
Speechless, broken, and sadness. These were the feelings that I felt as I began to clean the crusted, dried up blood from Christino’s face, chin, and chest. Feelings of how could this happen and why hasn’t anyone done anything to help this child? Questions of why God and how could you let this happen kept reoccurring in my mind.
If you were to see Christino from a distance, you would think he was a normal and healthy child. Sadly that reality isn’t true. Christino is a twelve year old boy who has a muscular deficiency that has caused his hands to curl, his legs to weaken, and his voice to be unheard. To hear him speak usually involves a heavy breath as he struggles to muster out a few words at a time. Apparently this poor child’s uncle made a pact with the devil which is a possible cause for his disease. Christino’s brother also had the same disease, and at the age of twelve, and three years later died from the disease. Now Christino isn’t far behind his brother’s footsteps. Early in the morning on the 28th, Christino’s legs buckled from under him causing him to fall and gash his chin wide open. This wouldn’t be so bad other than the fact that his father is probably in his late 60’s and is battling the after affects of a stroke that he had over three months ago. Then on the other hand, his mother was and is usually working in the mountains to gather provisions to help feed her family. When I heard the news of this, I immediately thought what the heck? Is there seriously no one there to watch over this child, or to pick him up and give him the care that he needs? So instead of our initial plans of going to play with Christino and pray for him, we find a child without a shirt and barefoot and off by himself, hidden and covered in his own blood amongst the banana trees. I found it even more interesting that even his own father didn’t know where he was. WOW!
As I started to clean his wounds, I began to think about the injustice for Christino and how such a beautiful child could suffer like that. Trying to hold back the tears, I did all that I could. I took his swollen little chin in my hand, and I wiped away the blood. Brokenness began to swarm me and I no choice but to leave and sit outside in silence as my emotions overwhelmed me. I cried, and cried some more. It seemed like an unending cycle. Then I noticed my teammates Sarah J.C. prayer walk around the house, and not long after, we began praying for the healing of this child. Crying and in agreement, we asked God to heal Christino and to break any chains of bondage or slavery that had this child locked up from a normal life. Not long after, we went off to make a new house visit. Upon returning to bandage him up, I found this child yet again off and by himself standing like a deer in head lights. I took him back to his house where we applied ointment and band aids that our contact Miguel brought with him on his way to pick us up.
I guess the purpose of this blog is to share Christino’s story. In our daily lives, we pretty much have it made. We don’t deal with these things back in the states, and we may never experience anything of this, but the reality is harsh. There are people outside of our own little world who are broken and desperately waiting to feel the healing touch of someone who actually cares. People are constantly crying and waiting for someone to reach out to them, asking does anyone truly care? Then reality sets in. Sometimes we are the only ones who can do something about it. I ask that you would join me an my team as we begin to speak healing over this child by petition and intercession, asking God to break the bondage that this child is enslaved to. As sons and daughters of the Almighty King, we have power and authority over these things. And with Christ in us, we have the ability to change the outcome of this child’s future. So as the Spirit lays Christino on your heart, please pray that God will free this child, and that God would take his healing and change an entire village enslaved by the lies of the enemy that only seek to kill, steal, and destroy. What an amazing opportunity it would be for the healing of this child to change and impact the lives of so many and forever to the advancement of God’s Kingdom. In saying that, all we have to do is remember that the battle is already won, and that we need to walk in God’s triumph as we share of the freedom we have already found in Christ.
That was my blog about Christino, and I am happy to say that before we left, Christino probably smiled more the last few days we were with him than he did in the last few months. Before I said my final goodbye, I asked him if he believed that God could heal him and he said yes. I told him good, and to wake up every morning praying and asking God to heal him, and to continue to walk in that belief. Once again, thank you for your support and your following, and I will try to write another blog as soon as possible. I love you all so much, and thank you for sending me to the nations. Blessings and in Him, Andrew
