God never stopped fighting for you when you were away.

“We worked with local officials and law enforcement and prayed for his return for two years.”

BY ALLISON BARNHILL

A few years ago I met a young boy in his rondoval with 7 other children and their grandmother who cared for them. The children represented 3 different mothers who all passed away, leaving the grandma to care for them on her own.

We brought a hodgepodge of clothes my kids had outgrown including funny grippy socks from a trampoline park. They were orange and I remember he held them and kept saying “For me?! These are for me?!”

He had such visible warmth and kindness in his eyes. We added all of them to the center. Later that year he was taken away by uncles to work as a shepherd. We worked with local officials and law enforcement and prayed for his return for two years.

When we arrived this summer I saw his smiling face at the care center. He was covered in bruises and cuts from abuse he faced at the hands of those who forced him to work as a shepherd. I was so sad looking at his face, but so relieved he was back.

He attended VBS this week and when we gave a gospel presentation he responded and said he wanted to be born again.

I pulled him aside after and said, “We really missed you. God never stopped fighting for you when you were away and I know he brought you back to us because he loves you and has big plans for your life.”

Tears brimmed in his eyes and we told him that what those people did was wrong and that we never stopped praying and hoping for his return. We told him that Jesus is something no one can ever take away from him. More tears.

He’s home now and although visible and invisible scars remain, his light is somehow not dimmed. His warm smile is the same. He really does understand the gospel. I love him so much and am so thankful for a God who seeks out his sheep and fight injustice on their behalf!

“The light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it.” John 1:5