Written by Kelly Malloy, missionary in Nigeria:
The story that I am about to tell you is absolutely the most AMAZING and unbelieveable narrative that I have ever written to you. I can imagine that many of you might have a hard time swallowing the details of the story of Emmanuel. Even our Nigerian co-workers have been taken aback by the history of this precious child. One of the pastors on the staff of City Ministries Nigeria is a manager of a Care Center with 10 boys. Pastor Bulus was on an outreach in a remote village. Ambling through a field on the outskirts of the village, he stumbled upon what he believed to be a log. How shocked he was to find that the tiny article at his feet was the wrecked body of a small boy. Lifting the boy into his arms, he raced into the town in search of help.
The villagers disdain was instantaneous as they recounted the story of the emaciated child. Calling the village leaders together, the story was unanumous; the boy had been born to a mad man and a weak woman. He did not thrive after birth, possibly a result of being "tongue tied" and malnourished. At the age of two, he was unable to speak or walk, which was unacceptable to his parents. Blinded by ignorance and fear, they concluded that their son was either a ghost or possessed by a demon. Their only solution was to leave him in the bush to die alone.
And there the boy remained for THIRTEEN YEARS. Alone. The mothers in the village came to the consensus that he was born the same year as their fifteen-year old sons. This area of the country is devoid of streamsand trees. Somehow he survived in the open fileds, subjected to six months of blistering sun, followed by six months of torrential rain. Agreeing that he must be a wicked spirit, the local people never took the child into their village. Never was he fed or clothed. He was never bathed, held, taught to speak, potty-trained, or loved. He experienced neither human contact nor kindness - ever.
Until, that is, the moment that the Lord placed him in the path of Pastor Bulus, a gentle and humble man. Almost immediately, Bulus bathed and clothed the child and placed food before him. The village women scoffed, "He doesn't know how to eat proper food from a plate Throw it in the dirt and let him eat like a dog!" Bulus refused, realizing then that the boy had possibly been filling his stomach with sand and dead leaves his entire life. Bulus pleaded with the village chief, "I will give you half of my salary if you will promise to care for this child in your own home." (His monthly salary is less than one meal at a nice American restaurant.) The chief refused the offer, giving Bulus full permission to take the boy back to the orphan home. Pastor Bulus aptly named him "Emmanuel" which means "God with us".
SIM missionary, Missy Camiola, holding Emmanuel
After spending several days in our Jos hospital, he began to exhibit signs of attachment to several people, and even crawled into my lap and fell asleep. His behaviors most closely resemble the jerky expressions of birds, and he appears to be very at peace in the presence of pastor Bulus, who is an excellent caretaker. Emmanuel weighs 22 pounds.
As you can imagine, Emmanuel has a long road ahead of him, learning to live in civilization. Our most sincere prayer for him is that he will come to know the One who has daily protected him from starvation, dehydration, every kind of illness, snakes, countless other atrocities. As Bulus says, "He is a miracle. Only the Lord has been his Shepherd!" Please join us in prayer for Emmanuel and his full restoration. Pray for Pastor Bulus, his wife and the 10 other orphans as they care for and love Emmanuel.
Kelly is the nurse for the kids now (my old job). She's holding Emmanuel. Pastor Bulus found him. You can imagine how badly I wish I was holding him in this picture! Praise the Lord for these two incredible servants of God whom He has used to do miracles!
"Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves,
for the rights of all who are destitute."
Proverbs 31:7-9
