I think the best way to let you know how I feel about being away from Backdoor is to actually share a bit more about Backdoor & some of the incredible testimonies that I have witnessed this year… as they are the things that have changed my life by demonstrating just how faithful, loving & awesome our God really is! It’ll also fill in a few gaps from the stories mentioned in this blog previously!
So I will start once more with something that really stirred my heart – and continues to do so (see Protect the Treasure) :
“Bhekifa is another one who has completely stolen my heart. He is about 12 years old and has been at the hospital for at least a couple of months since his grandparents decided they could no longer cope with him. Tellingly, his name means ‘Protect the Treasure’. In many ways it is understandable. He cannot talk & even the nurses and doctors think he is just naughty and so leave him to wander half-dressed around the hospital grounds. Now I’m no behaviour expert, but I am convinced that with a bit of love, security and special attention his behaviour could be controlled. But for now he’s left to do whatever he can to get the attention he craves.
It would be my dream to see these precious ones in the homes in our village… and I’m holding on to that because I truly believe the Lord gives us the desires of our hearts (Psam 37:4).”
For 7 months every time I visited the hospital Bhekifa was there. For 7 months he was left to his own devices as nurses who didn’t know what to do with him just pinned notes to his back telling people where to return him to if they found him & seemed to delight in reminding him that he was crazy. The social workers were in the process of finding him a place in a special home in another province. For 7 months I slowly tried to build up a relationship with a boy so troubled that he cannot talk and seemed unable to interact with people in a healthy manner. It seemed to annoy some nurses as they believed I was simply wasting my time with him. But as we visited more frequently with various teams he got to know us & would sit with us as we brought in colouring books and crayons, stickers or puppets. He had an incredibly special place in my heart.
Around the end of March Bhekifa was no more to be found in the hosiptal and there was no-one I could ask to find ut where he was. All I could do was pray that the Lord had found him a home. A few weeks after that was our Easter conference where around 1000 people arrive from churches all over South Africa, Swaziland & Mozambique. I arrived early on the Thursday evening and noticed a boy interacting strangely with other youngsters and I could tell immediately who it was – Bhekifa! I grabbed Bheki (who was almost always with me when visiting Bhekifa) and we went to talk to the young boy with him. It was his 13 year old brother with whom Bhekifa now lived with the rest of his family!! For some reason that I still don’t know they had decided to travel from a local farm to Backdoor for the conference! And Bhekifa remembered exactly who we were. He would make signs asking if I was the lady who visited and coloured with him at the hospital. My joy at seeing him was certainly tinged with sadness as I saw the trouble & problems he had interacting with children who didn’t understand him & the pain in the eyes of his brother who had clearly had to grow up too quickly in order to look out for his brother. But that weekend his brother made the decision to give his life to the Lord, got baptised and Backdoor became their local church!! Before they left I gave his brother a bible with some scriptures to encourage him & my phone number… and a new colouring book for Bhekifa! His brother drew me a picture of the 3 of us with the Lord lookng over us & a note saying ‘Thank you for loving me and my brother’.
And the joy continues. They have since been regulars at church on Sundays and Bhekifa is almost unrecognisable!! We have prayed over him many times – especially against witchcraft, curses & abuse that people have suggested were placed on him by his grandfather at a young age. When I arrive at church he makes a beeline for me & always gives me a big hug. And during the service he’ll join in worship and dancing, interact with children and even sit quietly during the sermon. And he recognises our ministry vehicles & will run out to the road from the farm to wave at us if he sees us pass! He can still only utter a few words but I am believing for his total and absolute healing as I know that I know that I know that the Lord grants us the desires of our hearts. I simply cannot express how much that young treasure makes my heart leap with joy.
They say a picture tells a thusand words… perhaps more so in this case. This is a photo of Bhekifa this summer at a childrens party at our church in Backdoor…
“It would be my dream to see these precious ones in the homes in our village… and I’m holding on to that because I truly believe the Lord gives us the desires of our hearts (Psam 37:4).”
The miracles don’t stop there!! Without going into too much detail we recently had a meeting with the head peadiatrician at Themba hospital,together with senior doctors, ward managers and social workers who are so understaffed and overworked that they are crying for our help. They recognise the immediate deterioration of kids abandoned & left unloved. The realise the need for stimulation for kids in hospital long term. And they see the need for emergency safe homes for the abandoned, orphaned or special needs kids. And they have asked for our help!!
So from the time we return ealry next year we will be working in partnership with the hospital and local authorities to make these new dreams reality. We will be training up a team of locals to regularly vist abandoned children and give them the much needed love and attention that they crave. We will also be provided with a room in the ward to develop into a play/ education room. And we will also be working with the social workers to feed the abandoned children from the hospital into the homes in our village!!
We truly serve an awesome God & no words will ever glorify him enough for the miracles he has done. I challenge anyone to read this & not believe that Papa is faithful in giving us the delights of our hearts. It certainly challenges me to keep dreaming!!
