I just got a message from my friend Kristina, who lives and works at the DIC in Mae Sai, Thailand. Although it carried news she knew I would hate to hear, she knows the power of prayer and that I would want to be supportive to be precious Abbaba in whatever way possible.
Abbaba, the deaf child from the earthquake, has had a hard time learning not to steal. Being an orphan with parents in jail due to border issues, he has never had an influence telling him that what is others does not belong to you. In the past, his problems with stealing money resulted in him getting beat up by some children and running away from the DIC until he recently showed up when I was there. In his quiet world, his focus is finding some place to sleep at night and finding some way to eat. He cannot tell anyone what he needs, feels, fears. He cannot hear anyone tell him where to go, that they can help, or that he cannot have something that he wants. All that this little child has are survival tactics that he has taught himself, as he has lived his entire life alone.
He recently showed up at the DIC again with his face hidden by his giant black hood. Kristina said he was hiding his face, she didn’t think he wanted her to see him crying. As she pulled back his hood, his face was incredibly swollen and completely covered in blood. Someone had beat him up. He had taken something that wasn’t his and someone was trying to teach him a lesson. As she held onto his sobbing body, she realized that if this doesn’t stop, someone will kill him. In countries like this, you only get so many warnings and Abbaba is about out. It is terrible that he steals, but my heart breaks with him as this is all he knows on how to survive. What needs to be done? I have no idea. I have no idea how to convey that you cannot steal to someone who doesn’t speak your language, cannot hear you speak, and cannot speak to you in return. I have no idea how to give this boy anything but love, which I know he is receiving from the workers at the DIC.
What I do know is that for me, being miles away from a child who stole my heart in a matter of one night, that at this point, I can only pray. I can pray for safety. I can pray for God to reach him. I can pray that he LEARNS not to steal and a new way to survive, simply because his life thoroughly depends on it. This child needs all the prayers we can send his way. I would LOVE if you would join me in this mission to save my precious Abbaba. Through this trip, God has rocked my world again and again by showing me the POWER OF PRAYER. I think it is time that we let him rock our worlds again and do something BIG in this child’s life. I have to again, give Abbaba to the Lord and trust that He will take care of him, and I’d like you to do the same.
Mission Save Abbaba is now in order. Who is with me?