Elesha’s Giant

Elesha’s Giant
Sooner or later we all have a giant to face. For many of us our giant came early, looming over our shoulder and making important decisions about life and relationships for us. I was raised in an orphanage, went when I was four and left when I was 18. It was my giant. I’ve dealt with it but so has my husband of 52 years and our 4 children who were raised by a motherless mother. I have had to apologize for so many decisions I made. By the Grace of God, they have stuck by me.
When I look at Elesha at Neema House Arusha I think what giants this little boy will face in his life. Born in a country where extreme poverty affects so many people, where unclean drinking water takes the lives of children every second of every day and where there are no government programs to help the poor and disabled, Elesha will have a hard row to hoe. He was born with Beals Syndrome, a condition so rare there are only a  few thousand cases in the world. His little misshapen back, thumbs stuck to his palms, legs that wouldn’t straighten and made of delicate extra-long bird like bones, we prayed he would make it to his first birthday.   He did.
Well, read what Rhiannan Stevie, a travel writer, who stopped by and left her heart at Neema, writes:
 
We prayed he would be able to sit up some day. He has. We prayed he would be able to pick up a toy. He has. We prayed he would be able to walk. He’s trying!  You gotta see him trying in the video link below!
As Kelly, who thank God is an occupational therapist, has worked with Elesha, rubbing those little hands encouraging them to open and to his whimpers of pain stretching his legs so he might someday walk, he is struggling to be like his little friends at Neema. He sees what they are learning to do and you can see the hope in his eyes that he can too someday. What this little boy could teach us about courage!
I’m reading a book that my friend, Dr. Sue gave me, “He Walks Among Us” by Richard and Renee Stearns. It’s one of those “stomach puncher” books. As Richard and Renee walk among the poor on this dusty planet with World Vision, he writes:
“There is a misunderstanding we often have about the poor – believing that we who have so much are the ones in the position to offer help to those who have so little. But what we have discovered on so many of our trips is that we were the ones who were poor and they were the ones who were rich: rich in wisdom, community, perseverance, courage, faith and even joy. They had much to teach us about living, loving, overcoming and celebrating. They had much to teach us about dependence on God.”
Elesha will face many giants in his life. Our job is to teach him there is no giant bigger than our God. That is our faith as we work with these babies, as we try to find water on our land, as we build a home for the babies and widows and disabled children, as we try to keep them fed and healthy and safe and as we work in a land where power is sporadic and the internet is down about as much as it is up, we do battle daily. We thank God for those of you who battle with us with your prayers and support.  (To see the cutest video ever of Elesha trying to walk with Sylvia Pape click on the link below!)
 
Our newest baby (pictured below) made 40 babies this week until one flew the nest.  So here is sweet baby Nuriath Mariam whose mom died.  She is a little cutie pie. 
“Live simply so others can simply live.”