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One thing I have learned in this life is how powerful a child can be in affecting action. I can say that it was one child that really sealed my fate as one committed to the street children of Ethiopia.
Abusha was his name. He was a 10 year old, give or take a couple years, wild-eyed street boy when we met. Of course he wanted money from the foreigner and somehow he penetrated my stone cold resolve not to give anything to another street child (after 2 months of living in Addis Ababa, I had little left to give).
Maybe it was the way he softened those wild eyes when he asked or maybe it was the Lord working, but I could not resist. Against my better judgment and against counsel I took Abusha to the nearest café.
After stuffing himself full of hamburger and fries (just what every street child needs, right?) he did what seemed like the strangest thing to me at the time; he crawled into my lap and fell fast asleep. Abusha’s hunger was not just for food, but it was for security, affection, and yes, sleep. Knowing the catnap on my knees was only going to provide those things temporarily, I broke.
In that instant was when my fate was sealed. I knew that I would be involved in ministry to Ethiopia’s street children from that point forward. Since then it has been my joy to serve these children through The Forsaken Children and our Ethiopian ministers in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Thanks to Abusha many street children are coming off of the streets, embracing Jesus, and creating lasting hope for Ethiopia.