Forgotten Boy Tuesday # 7

** please click here and read this post first, if you're not familiar with Forgotten Boy Tuesdays and how/why they began. 

Meet                     . The reality of the lost boys in Africa hits me as I write this post. I don't know this boy's name, nor his age, yet I've met him more than once. I can't recall who he is and it burdens me deep inside. 

You see, most of these boys are a lost face and name to the world, to their country. No one ever really takes a moment to get to know them - at the most they place a small franc piece in their hand, continuing about their walk to wherever they're going, happy to have pleased Allah with their alms giving. No one cares what's going on in this young man's head, the battles he struggles with daily, the hunger that plagues his stomach day in and day out. Or perhaps the people passing by are just like he is, lost and alone. That is, until we  stop what we're doing and care for him. Maybe you aren't able to move to another continent to shake this boy's hand, give him a hug and tell him the Truth and love him as Jesus loves him, but dare I say you have something even more powerful available to you. You can pray. You can fast. You can pour your heart out to God and petition the throne for this kid.  You can love him like no human being ever has before and fight for him and his life. Missions changes things to be sure, but prayer is it's very foundation, it's at its very core. 

The last time I remember seeing this particular kid was last August/September at the center for street kids. My guess is he went back to the streets, most likely unable to cope with not having authority over his day (as street boys roam and rule their own roost basically) or just a longing to be back with his friends on the streets. Please remember this boy. Remember his face, his eyes, his smile, his potential in the Kingdom. God does, and He's begging you to do something about it. Will you? 

Snapshot.

 Well, here you go. I'm so proud of them. If I don't love them as sons who will? Just a thought. That's why I want you to watch this home video. A little snapshot of each and every one of them, their personalities, sweet laughs and adorable faces. Are you ready? It's a little chaotic, but that's just the way we like it. 

Forgotten Boy # 6

Something gripped my heart today. It is a story about a boy - he's lost, and alone and doesn't know he is loved by the King of kings and has an inheritance awaiting him. He doesn't know he is called the beloved. He has been forgotten by society and the world. Much like all the forgotten boys, yet this time I don't know him personally. In fact, I've never been to his home country. He doesn't reside in my Mali, but Uganda instead. 


This week is a "guest post". She didn't know that I do Forgotten Boy Tuesdays, nor does this young woman probably even know anything about my being a missionary to Mali, but she's a fellow sister in Christ whose serving the Lord with a fierce determination to love always and deeply the way the Lord loves us all. Please read Kate Casaday's post of a forgotten boy she's encountered in Uganda and how the Lord is moving mightily in both this boy's life and hers. Bless you, Kate. May the Lord continue to light your path.  


Go and intercede, for his life depends on it. 




*For more information on how Forgotten Boy Tuesdays began, please visit this post. 

Excerpt from my journal August 2011

August 26th. 

Fɔlɔ fɔlɔ,  Bambara for in the beginning, describes my life as of late. There's a new road that spans a thousand hills in the distance. It lies there right in front of me, straight as far as my eyes can see, imagine even. My eyes are seeing something of a new dimension. Perhaps it's not safe to say something completely novel to my understanding, but definitely a different sort of realm. Yes, I've known of God's gracious faithfulness, but to have seen it poured out in my life just as He says He will - it is amazing. When I look back to say a little over a year ago, I'm completely amazed at how He's been there with me through it all.

There's a newness to the things around me. A realization of just what I have. Within me stirs a hunger for something from the most ancient of days. He is the same today, and that blows my mind. I cannot comprehend how glorious and holy You really are, God.

This past week was the first week of the street outreach I'm doing with the boys  where I was able to share a Bible story in Bambara with them. I had aimed to do this the week before that (my first attempt at the outreach) but was run off of the place where the boys and I were seated. So I decided to wait until the next week, since I wasn't exactly the happiest camper that a man was telling me I was allowed to sit in this certain spot, but not the kids. Some sort of a mother bear instinct swelled up in me, and I told him I would not sit there either. My aim is to take care of these boys, and I wasn't about to act like that was fine with me. It's not fine to treat these boys like that in God's eyes, so it will not be fine in mine either. To take a peek at how God sees the situation determines how I will react. Jesus went out of his way to be with the thieves and whores, the outcasts and sinners. So will I.

These boys are known to be thieves, yet if you send somebody to the streets how else do you expect them to survive? They use what they know to get what they need. Essentially, you're creating a thief mindset. Begging doesn't always work. Suppose you're no longer that cute nine or ten year old, but you're the bothersome fourteen year old who nobody takes a second look at anymore. You're not getting your meals from the public any longer, so you resort to a foolproof tactic - stealing.

Today 

My mind is soaking in Galatians 5:13-14, and believing it to be true in thought and action:

For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

Soon, boys... soon. One day you will rejoice in the beauty of your inheritance from your Father.

Forgotten Boy Tuesday # 5

Meet dear Modibo. And when I say dear, boy do I mean it. Modibo is one of those quiet yet joyful little souls that  sits in the background and takes it all in. He is reliable and very lovable. Below is a picture of Modibo the first time I met him. He wore one of the saddest faces I'd yet to see in my life that day. 

 

One Saturday morning I made my very first venture out to the Hippodrome/Quizambougou area to just sit with the boys. Kwala, Kady and Modibo were who I found. After attempting to get to know them a little in my limited Bambara, the other two said goodbye and there I was left with Modibo and a few men selling credit for phones and cds of Celine Dion and a few other random Western/African artists. As the men kept saying "Awa (my Malian name).." and a jumble of Bambara to follow, Modibo just sat there on an advertisement sign  (as you can see in the picture) content with a silly band and a handful of lifesavers I had given him. 

Tears come as I  remember this day, because you see this little boy said he was thirteen and he doesn't look a day above nine. I asked him again how old he was, thinking I'd misunderstood him. But again he said, " Tan ni saba". Thirteen.  

It sounds so old for this little body, yet then I thought about just how young that is to be out on your own with no one but other talibe boys (students of the Koran; beggers). Thirteen.  How much longer must Modibo go without knowing He is a treasure in the eyes of the King? When will he know that he is Yours and doesn't belong to his Marabout (teacher)? 

I want you guys to see something - a progression of a little boy who once lived on the streets to a boy who found family at a center for boys just like him, alone. He found a family in the boys and mentors there. I visited him every Monday and Wednesday and played games with them all, colored pictures and stood amazed as they taught me card games that I never did quite catch onto. Here is Modibo after he moved to the center. Quite a stark contrast, no? There seems to be a weight lifted off of him that no one can really explain other than the fact that he belongs now to a group of people that love him enough to always be there. 

 Dear Modibo is quite the producer of tears for me with his adorable ways as I think back. 

This here is Modibo and myself the last time I saw him, a few days before I left Mali. No one could ever be as happy for this boy as I was that day. I was leaving in a couple of days but right before I walked out of the gates of Caritas one of the mentors told me that Modibo was to be reunited with his family the next morning. I asked Modibo about it, and the cutest, most tear jerker grin came upon his face and deep in his eyes. He was so happy that he was returning to the family that had rejected him. I can't fathom what was going on in his head during the drive back to his village, but I do know when I arrived back at Caritas the day I was leaving Mali to say my final goodbye the mentor told me that dear Modibo was indeed settled back at home and was doing good. 

Now one would think, okay, so the kid has a home now. That's perfect. But it's not. He's gone back home to a family who sent him away. He's got forgiveness to conquer. His family sent him away to learn the Koran, so they're of the Islamic faith, and that my friends is enough in itself to petition the throne for both this little guy and his family. I can't mention him without my mind going to his mother and father who gave him away to Islam. Their hearts need to be overhauled as well. Can we pray for Modibo and his family to come to know Jesus and become sold out to live for Him? Can we pray for his mother to once again "give up" her child, but this time to the Lord and for His service, not to the streets and the darkness of a false god? Pray for stability in his and his families life. Pray that they will be open to the Spirit's whispers and call. Please. God has a heart for this dear boy. Ask Him what he feels. 

{The joyous little Modibo (giving thumbs up)}. 

Forgotten Boy Tuesday # 4

If  you want to know the beginnings of Forgotten Boy Tuesdays and why it exists, please click here.

This week I would like to introduce you to one of the silliest little boys in all of Quizambougou. Meet Sidy. His age is unknown, but I'd guess he's somewhere in the ballpark of eight or ten. He's small, spunky, and seeking a friendship that never ceases. Oh, dear boy, there is One who says you belong and are loved. Only that you knew...

There was hardly a week that went by without me seeing dear Sidy at n'Ice cream or Rayans. He seemed to always be hanging around the shops there with his buddies. He also attended the weekly Bambara Bible story time I did on Thursdays and really seemed to enjoy learning about Adama and Awa (Adam and Eve) and other Bible stories. I couldn't choose just one picture, so I figured I'd share with you the many faces of precious Sidy.

The little man, front and center as always ;)

 It seems like just yesterday I would barely get out of the taxi and his hands would be up on the window wanting to hang out together. Goodness. Today I really feel impressed to pray for this little guy's safety. For those of you who don't know there has been a *coup in Mali and the nation is now living with the after effects. What a troublesome time this is right now for the Malian, especially one who has not a place to call home nor a pillow to lay his head. The rebels in the North are advancing southward each day, hopefully ending in the last of the territory they claim as rightfully theirs. Could you pray that dear little Sidy would find safe and loving shelter, preferably among Christians who can use this time to speak Christ into his life? Would you pray that he would find food and water? The sanctions imposed on Mali by other West African countries has all gasoline, access to banks, and other food supplies cut off. Not only dear Sidy, but would you pray that all of Mali finds food and water, but most importantly the Living Water so they will never thirst again.

Sweet Sidy, may you know the One who wants to give you eternal life with Himself.


** Again, please share so that we as an army of prayer warriors may petition the throne of Heaven for this dear boy.

Forgotten Boy Tuesday # 3

For the story behind Forgotten Boy Tuesdays, please visit this post.

Meet Mamatou, eighteen years old. 

I knew Mamatou for about four months before he went missing. At eighteen the center sends you to your family if you haven't been reunited with them already, and attempts to get you standing on your own two feet it seems. Those were the plans the center had for Mamatou, but he didn't go home, instead he went back to the streets. No one knows the exact reason why, but I can only imagine the thoughts racing through this young guy's mind of bitterness, not measuring up, and just wanting to keep this new life he'd found. The last I'd heard Mamatou is still on the streets, that people have seen him but have been unable to get him to go back to his family. 

You see, Mamatou was living at the center for a long time, and I'm sure he felt a strong sense of belonging and a sort of brotherhood he hadn't felt before. Every Monday morning at 6:30am a couple of friends and myself fed the boys breakfast at Caritas Center which usually consisted of sweet milk and bread with sardines (their choice! haha) or eggs. Mamatou was way beyond the other boys in age, as most of them are between ten and thirteen years old. He always served the milk to the boys and went and bought the bread. He was so consistent, so nice and mature. 

Mamatou (far right) with the younger boys.

The center is missing a vital part without Mamatou there, yet go he must. However, being back on the streets was not in their plan for him, so could you please pray that he comes back to the center in order for them to get him back home to his family. In order that he may begin a new life. 

But even more than that, can you intercede for this young man to find Christ? So that his life will indeed be made new in spite of all the problems he's had in his life, no matter how deep the issues have taken root nor how his birth family may or may not react to his coming home. Could you pray for open arms of his father and mother? For forgiveness to become real for him, so that he can both give and receive it bountifully? Mamatou is a very reliable, steady guy that God is wanting to use to do great things. The only thing is Mamatou must first realize it. He needs a revelation of who God is and what He did for him. Would you pray that God would reveal Himself to him in such a real way that he can't deny the power and presence of Him? Pray that he finds the hope and feeling of belonging to the King of kings. He is wanted and loved - for him to know. Let us not stand back and do nothing. Do you all you can do - set aside time to love this boy in the only you can. Pray.

"¹⁸ I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, ¹⁹ and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength ²⁰ he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, ²¹ far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. " 

Ephesians 1

**If you have a blog please feel free to share so that we as a united army of prayer warriors can fight for this dear boy.