The Way, The Truth, and The Life
February 27, 2010
Picture if you will a dirty older street boy about the age of 19 years. He’s a rough and tumble youth and the designated leader of a gang of street boys ranging in age from 11 to 19 years. This boy, we’ll call Abebe, gets all kinds of ideas in his head for his “little” group of followers. This week his idea revolves around a prostitute.
Abebe decides one evening that he will bring a prostitute to their usual hangout and each of the boys can pay to have their turn with her. The price is set per boy and the protection of choice- a plastic bag.
This young girl, possibly a child herself, spends the evening allowing upwards of 15 boys violate her for 10 Ethiopian Birr a piece. (Today’s exchange rate is 13.5 Ethiopian Birr for every 1 US Dollars.) Do the math & you will see that she “earned” approximately 75 cents for each boy. That night she sold herself for $11.25 and 15 possible chances of contracting HIV/AIDS.
Folks, we aren’t talking about consenting adults! We’re talking about children- some only 11 years old. Innocence repeatedly lost! Lives constantly shattered! These kids consistently allow themselves to be abused and actively engage in abusing others. They see and do things that are absolutely unimaginable to us as adults.
This is a true story told to a CHE staff member by a drop-in center boy during a one-on-one session last week. This is the way of the street, the truth for hundreds if not thousands of boys and girls in Ethiopia, and the life that will most likely continue for their children and their children’s children.
Let’s put this into perspective for most of our contexts – these boys are supposed to be playing Little League, riding bicycles or skateboards, and pulling girls pony tails in school. The girls should be going on date nights with their dads, taking gymnastics, and dreaming of being teenagers.
Jesus answered, “I am the WAY and the TRUTH and the LIFE.” John 14:6
I have never believed more strongly in this scripture than I do today. Jesus is the ONLY way out for these children. Jesus is the ONLY truth that will set them free from the bondage of the streets. He offers the ONLY life that will change these patterns and help these children LIVE the way God intended a child to live.
Join us as we storm the gates of heaven on behalf of these children of Ethiopia. May God by his grace and mercy open their eyes to his truths, lift their bondage and set them free!
He will take pity on the weak and the needy and save the needy from death. He will rescue them from oppression and violence, for precious is their blood in his sight. Psalm 72:13-14
Love… A Choice?
February 12, 2010
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| Amonyesh at the Drop-In Center |
Do you know how some children are just lovable the first time you lay eyes on them? I have that experience a lot here in Ethiopia as I meet the children that CHE ministers to. There’s Begidu, who may possibly be the cutest little boy ever or Metu who instantly charms you with her smile and jovial personality. Love for them just came easy for me, despite some of their very unlovable behaviors.
There are other children though, who seem hard to love at first. Maybe it’s their appearance, or their expressions, or their defensiveness – I’m honestly not always sure why. One such child for me was Amonyesh. I remember the first time I met her. She came into the Drop-In Center one day in 2008 and wanted me to push her on the tire swing and I did not want to (I know, how childish!). I was already playing with some of the other children, but I decided to stop what I was doing and push her on the swing.
It was that way up until about a month ago; always choosing to show her attention and love despite not really wanting to. Then, one day in January she came up to me with her big smile and asked me to treat her already healed wound (a common occurrence at the Center, especially for Amonyesh) and something changed. I actually felt love for her. As I faux-treated her healed wound I noticed how sweet Amonyesh was and how funny she could be. I felt like I had been missing something the whole time I’d known her. I honestly do not know what changed other than the fact that I had persistently chosen to show her love despite not feeling like it and finally the feelings followed.
Just last week I got the chance to visit with Amonyesh’s mom and two sisters in their small one room home. Amonyesh told me that she wanted to be a doctor one day so she could help poor people in Ethiopia. I asked her what influenced this decision and her response surprised me. She said it was because of people, like me, who helped her with her wounds and when she was sick. All those times when I begrudgingly cleaned her minor (and I mean very minor) wounds really had impacted her. In that instant I had an ah-ha moment and the saying, “Love is not just a feeling, but it’s a choice,” finally made real sense to me. Thank God I had chosen to love Amonyesh when I had not wanted to, otherwise I would have missed out on finding her friendship and even playing a part in inspiring her to also love others.
