I met a woman named Ellen. She is a missionary and she doesn't even know it. She has taken in several children that are not hers and then she has four of her own. One of her sisters died of aids so she took in her two children. Then, her brothers wife died and the sister to her was abusive to two other children so she took the two little ones so the abuse could stop. This woman's life is not easy. Being a single parent is hard enough with your own children yet alone adding other children to the family. I decided to visit her and listen to her story and see what I could do to help.
As I walked toward her house I passed Ellen's oldest son. He was working digging up sand, mixing in hay and water to make bricks. This young 17 year old boy was doing this holding crutches. He was born with a deformity that makes it impossible for him to walk normally. I really respect the fact that this does not keep him down. Then a bench was brought over from a neighbor's house for me to sit on. I look over, under a tree, and there lays a woman that is pregnant and in pain because her husband beat her up. She ran to this lady to help take care of her until she had the power to go against her husband again. Then here come all the little children in their tattered clothes. One by one shake my hand, he smallest not even afraid.
I begin our visit asking her general questions about her life and telling her a little about my own. She tells me about why she got the other children. I found out about the kind of abuse these little kids had to withstand. Their aunt would tie up the second youngest. Tie him up around his hands and his feet. Then keep him in the hut. When he would cry she would go in with pliers and pinch his skin around his stomach until the skin would come off, they showed me his scares. One of the neighbors witnessed this and informed Ellen on what was going on. Everyone around wants Ellen to take this lady to the police but she said that she is going to leave it in God's hands to punish her. I think that she is a little afraid of the police and the fact that the police are so corrupt that even if she were to try she would have to pay them money that she just doesn't have.
I ended our visit by giving her one of the bags that a woman in the Maranatha group left for us to fill with things that a person here may need and money to start a business. I also gave her a big bag full of many food items. I gave her an invitation to bring the smallest boy to the hospital because his neck is swollen under his ear, quite a bit. The next day she did come to the hospital and we pay for all the hospital needs. I gathered a big bag of clothes and a tooth brush for all the eight boys she has at her house.
I would like it if you would please join with me in prayer for this woman. I know I will be praying that she will continue to be a living example to others around her on how to have a missionary heart.
Thank you and God bless,
Tammy Parker
Jamie phone: +235 93 46 46 35
Tammy phone: +235 95 25 86 58
Jamie & Tammy Parker
Hopital Adventiste de Bere
52 Boite Postale
Kelo, TChad
Afique
All donations can be sent to:
Harrison SDA Church
P.O. Box 969
Harrison, TN 37341
Make Checks payable to:
Harrison SDA Church
Earmark: "The Bere Project"
