Emilton

Emilton is 13 years old. He has been living on the streets since 2004. Before that, he lived in 2 different children's centers. He does have a mom and 5 siblings that live outside of Maputo. However, she does not want Emilton living with her. Emilton wants us to help him find a new children's center he can live at. We are going to visit his mom on Monday to confirm Emilton's story. If all checks out and she really doesn't want him living with her, we'll take him to a children's center. Emilton is very intelligent and his biggest desire is to live somewhere where he can continue his studies.

Emilton is one of the boys I've gotten closest to. He has such a sweet nature. He is definilty not the typical street kid. As I write about his story now, it breaks my heart to think of the rejection he has experienced in his life. Him mom gave him up as a baby, she later took him back only to send him to live with uncles who also decided they didn't want him. That was the first time he resorted to living on the streets. He later went back to live with his mom who welcomed him back only to kick him out again a short time later. No child should ever be subjected to such rejection.

Please pray that we will find a place for Emilton to live where he knows that he is loved and wanted. Pray that it will be a place where he can find freedom from all the rejection he has experienced in his life . . . where the love of the Father can heal his hurt and brokenness. And a place where his hope can be restored so that he may enter into the plans and purposes God has for his life.

UPDATE: We have visited Emilton's mother twice and his uncle once now. Emilton has decided that he would rather live with his uncle than at a center because he knows its better to be with family. However, his mom is not very excited about this as she does not want him living with this uncle. She actually said she's rather he live in a center or stay on the streets than live with this uncle. It really is so sad. The uncle has said Emilton can live with him but only if his mom agrees to it. We are now trying to set up a meeting with the mother and uncle to discuss the future of this boy. Please pray for the mom's heart to be changed and for her to allow her son to live with his uncle. And continue to pray for Emilton. I still cannot imagine how hard all of this is on him.