Things have been really busy since I last posted about Galeto- the 16 yr old burned orphan boy we have taken in to live with us.
He has made tremendous progress! I can hardly believe it is the same boy. Now I change his bandages every day and using a bleach/water/vaseline combination his wounds are rapidly healing. I feel certain they will be completely healed by March. Then later this summer we can think about contractural release surgery for his arms (both arms are drawn up because of scar tissue)
Tom and our friend Paul (visiting us from Okinawa) made him a walker out of plastic pvc pipe and he took his first few halting steps with it. From there he graduated to a cane. Now he is walking on his own power and even kicking the soccer ball!
He continues to eat everything I put in front of him and has learned to play games and puzzles.
I gave him a stuffed panda bear and he cuddles it and sleeps with it every night. Even though physically he is around 16, emotionally he is more like 10. The trauma of his ordeal by fire has left him scarred in more ways than one. But every night Tom and I tuck him in and I ruffle his hair and kiss him goodnight. I tell him I love him and he says "I love you Tu-weesa". That more than enough makes up for all the hassle and heartache.
In telling people about Galeto, we have come to realize something.
Truly, this was an awful, evil thing that someone did to this forgotten street boy. And I believe that Satan uses some people to do his evil work. But God has taken this terrible thing that happened to Galeto and brought much goodness out of it.
As he lay there in agony in the hospital bed-with no one sitting by him or caring--a concerned doctor told me about him. At the same time that Galeto cried out one night to God to let him die--I showed up the next morning. As we showed the compassion to him that Jesus commands each of us to do- others saw our example and were touched. They in turn responded with unselfish action.
People like Brenda, LeAnn and JoNell who sent me bandages and tape from America.
People like Marianne, D&D, Josh, Callie and others in AM (you know who you are) who are even now encouraging Galeto and bringing him orange sodas while Tom and I revive ourselves with family and friends here in Texas.
People who have read these blogs and seen my posts on FaceBook now pray for this boy and ask about him.
When people allow themselves to be used by God and show compassion to others- it opens up the floodgates of blessings to all involved.
Galeto's life is very different now. He once sold peanuts and lottery cards to survive on the streets of Ethiopia. He slept on a piece of cardboard at night. He had no one.
But now he is NOT alone.
And although he went through a horrible trauma and ordeal- God has been with him the whole time.
Now he has a 'family' who cares for him. He has friends who bring him orange soda and play soccer with him. He is loved and tucked in at night. And he knows now that he was NOT forgotten by God- and that his future is brighter than before.
He has made tremendous progress! I can hardly believe it is the same boy. Now I change his bandages every day and using a bleach/water/vaseline combination his wounds are rapidly healing. I feel certain they will be completely healed by March. Then later this summer we can think about contractural release surgery for his arms (both arms are drawn up because of scar tissue)
Tom and our friend Paul (visiting us from Okinawa) made him a walker out of plastic pvc pipe and he took his first few halting steps with it. From there he graduated to a cane. Now he is walking on his own power and even kicking the soccer ball!
He continues to eat everything I put in front of him and has learned to play games and puzzles.
In telling people about Galeto, we have come to realize something.
Truly, this was an awful, evil thing that someone did to this forgotten street boy. And I believe that Satan uses some people to do his evil work. But God has taken this terrible thing that happened to Galeto and brought much goodness out of it.
As he lay there in agony in the hospital bed-with no one sitting by him or caring--a concerned doctor told me about him. At the same time that Galeto cried out one night to God to let him die--I showed up the next morning. As we showed the compassion to him that Jesus commands each of us to do- others saw our example and were touched. They in turn responded with unselfish action.
 |
| celebrating Galetos first walk! |
 |
| Galeto walking with his friend, Zak |
People like Brenda, LeAnn and JoNell who sent me bandages and tape from America.
People like Marianne, D&D, Josh, Callie and others in AM (you know who you are) who are even now encouraging Galeto and bringing him orange sodas while Tom and I revive ourselves with family and friends here in Texas.
People who have read these blogs and seen my posts on FaceBook now pray for this boy and ask about him.
When people allow themselves to be used by God and show compassion to others- it opens up the floodgates of blessings to all involved.
Galeto's life is very different now. He once sold peanuts and lottery cards to survive on the streets of Ethiopia. He slept on a piece of cardboard at night. He had no one.
But now he is NOT alone.
And although he went through a horrible trauma and ordeal- God has been with him the whole time.
Now he has a 'family' who cares for him. He has friends who bring him orange soda and play soccer with him. He is loved and tucked in at night. And he knows now that he was NOT forgotten by God- and that his future is brighter than before.
No comments:
Post a Comment