As parents, we have all experienced those moments when our children have an achievement that makes us bawl like babies. When they are teenagers and this happens, it can be a moment of great embarrassment for them! So when our Vicente was baptized last Sunday at his church, I did my very best to keep the joyful sobs and wailing inside my chest, but I could not hold back the tears from slipping down my face.
I am so very proud of this young man. Orphaned and abandoned, he tweaked out an existence for 2 years with his older sister and younger brother. He stopped going to school. He became the village thief, but he stole only to satisfy his hunger. He was asthmatic and HIV+ and was receiving no medical assistance.
When we first met him to bring him home, he was the most rejected, angry, and hurt child I have ever encountered.
After we loaded him, his siblings, and their meager belongings into our van and pulled out, he literally collapsed on the seat next to me, sobbing uncontrollably. He didn't know where we were going or what was ahead of him; all he knew was what he was leaving behind, and it was like a release of the floodgates of his emotions that had been held inside for too long.
Since that day, he has been loved unconditionally and cared for in a family setting. He has been educated and supported in all ways. He is earning the best grades in his classes at school. He is always there to greet me with a huge smile and hug when I arrive. He is readily available to assist with any job, be it hanging curtains, watering plants, or carrying heavy loads. He has grown into an amazing young man whom I really enjoy.
It has been my privilege to walk alongside Vicente. Our Sunshine Family of 32 children and 8 mothers gathered together as a family to celebrate his baptism. In Mozambican culture, the guest of honor cuts the cake and presents a bite to honor the people in his life. Vicente presented to me the first bite of his cake. With tears streaming down his face, he shared a speech to thank me for bringing him home and giving him the opportunities needed to make him a better person. We all cried along with him. Our children and mothers know this type of suffering all too well. They all have experienced great loss and pain. They all could relate to Vicente's gratitude for receiving a new start in life.
I can brag about Vicente all I want because I deserve no glory in this. I have had the simple part in his growth. I simply brought him home. It has been first the Lord who has made a life changing impact. Secondly it has been his mother who has nurtured him and held him accountable every step of the way. If you talk with any of our mothers, they will tell you that they believe they have been called by God to raise these children as their own. They are very proud of their children, and I am very proud of them all. Together, we have all made a family that has resulted in the fruit of an amazing man who will in turn impact the lives of others as well.
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