Written December 8th, 2011
His name is Adrian. He has epilepsy and another disorder in which his bones don’t grow. He is 3. He doesn’t walk or crawl and barely talks. He fell off a motorcycle when he was 7 months old and broke his bones. His boy just doesn’t grow right. His arms and legs are very very thin. His stomach looks as if his organs have continued to grow but have all gotten pushed to his belly since his ribs don’t grow either. And he stole my heart this month.
I met Adrian and his family when my team decided to do a feeding with another organization a part of KIM ministries called The Children’s Garden. There are 13-15 families and about 40 people who live under a bridge in Manila. We took food water and a medical kit.
I’ve been on other feedings in Manila before. We go to Angono where the houses have been flooded for about 5 months because of the rain and a typhoon. The first time I went there it was hard for me because I just couldn’t imagine living in a place that is flooded but these families did it and do it every year. They are thankful for the food we bring as many of them are very very poor. But this bridge feeding was something different.
I didn’t know what to expect. We arrived and at first I felt pity on them because they have to live under a bridge. Then I realized how resourceful they were and how awesome that would be for me to learn a thing or two from them. These are God’s children I thought. Everyone of them he loves just as he loves me. It is not their fault they are here. Their parents never spent the money to send them to school. Many of them have no education whatsoever and so they do what they can. Adrian’s father works odds and ends jobs like planting to make money for the family. Some of them men make money by loading up Jeepneys (taxis). There aren’t really any programs here to help them out of their situation. But God still loves them, still provides for them, still hears their prayers.
When we first arrived I saw Adrian laying on a blanket on the ground. He didn’t move and when one of the girls tried to touch him and rub his back he cried. His mom picked him up and held him. My heart couldn’t help but go out to him and his mom. My heart continued to be burdened for this little boy and his mom while we were feeding the families. So much so that I asked Sharon, our contact, if she could come with me so I could pray for him.
I got to sit beside him and talk to his mom while she feed him. He was fussy! Apparently he cries when he is hungry but he eats so much that his mom has to cut him off sometimes because she knows he has eaten enough. She thinks he uses food to sooth himself. He didn’t talk much but was very fussy and whiny and fidgety. Funny thing was that when I asked to pray I placed my hands on his mom and him. As I prayed, he didn’t whine or fidget but sat very still even until we left. I can’t tell for sure but I’m pretty positive God touched that precious boy. I prayed that God would heal him, that his mom would one day see him walk.
I haven’t been back to see him and don’t know if I will before we leave but all I can think about is this little boy who stole my heart and got me to do something I’ve never done before without being prompted, to pray. I can only pray now that God answers that prayer for the boy under the bridge.
This is Adrian with his mom.
