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The issue of the children of the world growing up without fathers is becoming more and more prevalent. It seems every time we turn around, another child is left without a mother or father. And how do you save them all? Matt Patch encountered this very issue and shares how he handled it…
One day while I was in church a young muslim boy (about 4 years of age) came in and leaned against the wall of the church. Every time I would look over he would smile and quickly look down to the floor. After some time he got the courage to come sit with our team. We learned his name is Shebi. The next couple of days the cycle would continue of earning his trust.
Last night we went to the church to teach English classes. Shebi showed up. I was helping Jodi teach the youth while Shebi and his friend kept coming up to me pulling on me and trying to get me to play with or hold them. I held strong, trying to focus on the ministry and just sitting the boys back in chairs.
Turns out I’m too soft. In this area anyway.
 I finally ended up giving in and walking to the side to play with these guys. They would climb up me like a tree, I’d throw them over my shoulders, and act like a robot using them as machine guns. It might have been more fun for me than it was for them.
The Tanzania heat eventually got to me. It was break time. I squatted against the wall with my knees out in front of me so Shebi and his friend could sit and put their legs out and recline… a little taste of the American way. As we sat their sweating on each other in attempt to cool off, they would speak to me in Swahili and I to them in English. Not understanding a word but knowing it was okay… we were having fun. Eventually the night had come to an end… Shebi wouldn’t let me go. He kept jumping up to me repeating the same words over and over. I figured he was saying “lets play” or “pick me up”. He wouldn’t stop, so when Pastor Bone walked by I decided to ask him what Shebi kept saying… Shebi says again “ninataka baba”… “oh” says Pastor Bone “he says he needs a father” My heart dropped… and I realized I had a decision to make. I had two ways to look at the situation. Pull away from Shebi… after all what can I do? If I build our relationship all month and then leave he will be left heartbroken again… My other option, I give my best effort in showing this four year old he does have a father. A father that loves him, and has amazing plans for his life. A father that will never leave or forsake him.
I have a big task ahead of me… luckily I know his father pretty well. Turns out me and Shebi are brothers. Brothers in Christ. And I know my Dad… He would want me to tell my brother how loved He is… what being a man of God is like. He’d want me to prophecy over him because this cycle of being fatherless stops with Shebi. He’s going to be a great father, and husband. He’s going to serve the Lord and bring light to these slums.
Pray for Shebi… pray that God will send him an earthly father, or a mentor. Someone for him to look up to. Some one to play with, to show him affection. Last night the power went out and he grabbed my arms and wrapped them around him to protect him… I pray that there are always arms to wrap around Shebi. In protection and in love. “I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters…” says the Lord almighty… |
