This past week we have been going into a very impoverished community to a shipping crate that will someday be a small soup kitchen building.
During this time I met a young boy named Blessing! I’m going to share a little about him!
Blessing was much shyer than the rest of the children. He and I had such a special bond I still am unsure of how to explain, but hope to try my best.
Blessing sat in my lap that first day and I helped him eat his butter and jam sandwich. He loved to simply be held. He was unsure of how to eat the bread without my breaking it into tiny pieces.
As Blessing was in my lap he kept lifting his wrist to me. It was then I noticed the enormous bleeding scab on his wrist. Then I pushed up his sleeve only to find more enormous bleeding scabs. I didn’t even need to look to know they were also on his tummy and legs because I could see the way he tried to scratch himself.
My heart completely shattered for him. I wanted so badly in that moment to be able to fix him. I wanted so badly to yell at his mom for not seeking help. I wanted so badly to honestly just take him him home with me.
But then I remembered the saying “When missions hurt.” I remembered that as missionaries we can’t go in thinking we can fix everything. We are simply broken vessels God uses to love.
So in that moment on the very first day I simply prayed for Blessing. I prayed that God provide a way to take care of his precious child. I prayed Blessings sores to be healed and he could be a normal little boy. In those moments I had no idea what was to come. I knew I would eventually have to leave him and not return. I knew there was a possibility of not knowing if my prayer was fulfilled. But I truly believed God would protect his child. He wouldn’t leave my prayers unanswered.
Each day since then I would hold Blessing or tickle his tummy during the moments we were together. He would always show me his sores as if asking me to fix them, and I always simply prayed over his young body.
Today was different. Our last day of ministry.
I again held Blessing as he ate his noodles, but this time as I watched him eat I could not keep my eyes off the sore on his wrist. Each time he scooped for more noodles the scab would rip slightly. I felt sick. I knew I couldn’t fix everything for him, but I also knew I could not leave without trying to get him help.
I sought the coordinator of the soup kitchen and asked her if it was at all possible to get Blessing help. I showed her his sores and she agreed we could take him to the clinic. Upon asking his mom for permission we were off.
His mom sat in the front seat, and Blessing sat in my lap in the back on our way to the clinic. Upon leaving the community area into the wealthier areas of town Blessing’s eyes became ginormous. It was as if it was his first time leaving the community. He held tightly to my fingers.
Upon arriving at the clinic Blessing opened the door and hopped out excited to see the new area. He was quickly examined at the pharmacy and his prescriptions for the sores were quickly drawn up. During this time I was able to sit with Blessing and his mother, Julia.
Initially my heart was slightly angry with her for not seeking treatment sooner, but God quickly softened my heart while we spoke. She loves her son so much. We sat on the lobby couch together. I was in awe of the tender way she tickled his tummy while on my lap and of the way she was so overjoyed to see her son smiling even with a pale white girl (racism is very rampant here right now).
My heart softened even further when we returned to the slums and Blessing and Julia went inside their tiny home immediately. Just five minutes later Blessing came running outside with a sleeveless shirt on showing me his ointment on all his sores. Julia stood by her home smiling from a distance.
Thank you God for your faithfulness to my first prayer over Blessing. Thank you God for Julia, a loving mother to take care of Blessing. Thank you God for the relationship I forever get to remember with one of your precious children.
Side note: The soup kitchen still needs funding to be built and is currently just a shipping crate in the middle of this community. Amanda and I hope to raise $4,000 to help finish this project and provide a safe place for these children to get a daily meal. If you have ideas to help us fundraise, feel called to financially support, or would be willing to commit to praying with us please contact me 🙂
