Meet Nario. He’s got a a lively spirit that speaks through the language barrier and a level of charisma you don’t find very often in a tiny 13 year-old Mozambican orphan. His joy is contagious; he draws people in. It doesn’t take long to see that he has influence here.
Our first night here, Nario stood out to me immediately, grabbing my hand and showing me how to jump into the huge circle of children when it was my turn to dance in the middle. Something in his eyes told me he’d been loved well. Something in his smile told me he was happy here; that this place and these people were his home.
When our host found out my teammate Kait was a nurse, she became the resident brain for any and all health issues. Mostly by my own interest, I fell into the role of her assistant. One day last week, Peter asked us to come outside; a child was very sick. It only took one glance at Nario laying in a blanket with tears slowly collecting at the corners of his eyes for me to realize something had to be wrong. This kid wouldn’t be one to fake it. We took his temperature: 104.7 degrees.
After some water and Advil, his fever fell slightly but was still well above 101. Our host suspected malaria, which is rattling but not all that out of the ordinary here. We took him straight to the hospital to get tested, only to find out that the lab was closed for the afternoon. We were back the next morning. After hours of waiting, Nario was finally able to see a doctor. We were told he would be tested for malaria and HIV. The doctor casually made it seem like the HIV test was precautionary, just to exclude it. Maybe you can imagine my surprise when Nario tested positive not only for malaria, but almost immediately for HIV. Maybe your heart would break like mine did when you saw the silent tears rolling down this sweet 13-year old boy’s face as he realized that the whispers of “HIV” and “positivo” he overheard were pertaining to him. Maybe you can visualize holding this child’s hand as he got news that will not only color, but shorten the rest of his life.
I left the hospital broken for Nario, broken for this nation where so many children have the same fate. I’m sad that HIV and AIDS are rampant here, that adequate treatment and prevention are hard to find. I’m hurt because I’ve seen firsthand the joyful spirit and natural leadership that will be affected by this disease. I don’t want him to have to deal with this; I don’t want his life to be harder than it already has to be. I want to take his pain, and I want to rid his body of the virus that I can only think of as a ticking time bomb on his immune system and his strength.
I came on the World Race wanting to see raw pain and suffering; knowing I would. I came on the World Race desiring to be Jesus to sick children; knowing I’d see Jesus in them too. I’ve prayed “break me for what breaks you,” more times than I can remember, hoping with everything inside of me that He will. I guess I just never thought about how you respond when He does. How to show love and strength in someone’s pain when your own heart is crumbling with theirs. How to react when you don’t understand, when it’s too heavy for a simple explanation.
I’m not sure how to respond, but I do know a few things. I know that Jesus is making all things new. I know that He loves us, that He’s here in Mozambique, and that these children have Him in their hearts. I don’t know exactly what Jesus wants from me here, but I know that Nario’s little arms can keep up with almost all my push-ups when he joins in our morning workouts. I know that he’s feeling stronger now; that he loves nothing more than to tell me “esta bien” with his big signature smile. He may not understand everything I say to him, but the way he surprises me with sneaky words and phrases tells me he knows a lot more English than he lets on. I know that he’s smart and joyful, strong and funny. Most of all, I know that Jesus loves his son Nario more than I can comprehend. I guess when you stand firm in what you know, the things you don’t understand yet don’t matter as much. When you remember what Jesus promises, you can perceive what he’s showing you day by day.
I couldn’t be more thankful for month 3, and for all that I’m learning from it. We are staying in Mafambisse, Mozambique with about 15 orphans, our ministry host Peter, and his wife Vizerna. My team and I have been busy enjoying our time and our ministry here. We’ve been building a mud house for a widow, praying and providing for sick and struggling people in the community, and engaging with the kids that we get the opportunity to dance, laugh, and play with every day.
The ministry here has a need for transportation; call-ahead motor bikes are the primary method but can be hard to call and secure. Our host explained to us that it can be next to impossible to get transportation to the hospital after dark when a child is sick. Since team Kindred is fully funded, it’s been heavy on our hearts to raise $1000 USD by October 1st to purchase a motorbike for Peter and his ministry here in Mafambisse. If you would like to donate to this fund, we have started a YouCaring page where you can donate. The link is available at https://www.youcaring.com/charity-family-orphan-care-mafambisse-mozambique-435702#.VfxPCKgn2Dk.facebook
The sponsorship of these kids is also a huge need here and my team and I would love to help get them funded. Of the 15 children that live here and are supported by Peter and his wife’s care, only 3 of them are currently sponsored. It costs $15-20 a month to provide for one child’s food and school fees, and can be arranged through paypal. I know that these children have stolen my heart, and I can’t help but think about the people I know who could spare $15 a month to give them a better life.
If you feel led to prayerfully donate to either of these causes, give me a holler. I’d love to be able to do all that I can to kick-start and encourage Peter’s ministry and the children here. Thank you a thousand times over for your support and prayers. I’d love if you could continue to pray for my team and our ministry here as we finish up our time here and travel to India at the end of the month.
**photo cred to Kaitlyn McGregor
