We Remember

Today is our 2 year anniversary of bringing in our eight oldest boys. It’s been two years full of hard work, laughter, tears, frustration, and pretty much every emotion you can have - we’ve all had it. We want to celebrate, we want to rejoice, we want to give thanksgiving to God for all that He has done in our family. And we will, but unfortunately, today has become bittersweet. 

Today we mourn the death of a child that we all knew and loved, Yohaya. 

I didn’t like most of my interactions with this boy. He started doing heavy drugs when he was 6, and now 3 years later he has been suffering from the consequences. He often overdosed and would end up in our home for a few days. His words were always full of anger unless he wanted something. He has bitten me, beat me, and cursed me many a time. He’s made many small trips into our home, where he is showered in love and affection by our boys - his good friends from the streets, and then he would always run away and usually not empty handed. 

Yet, we all loved him deeply. There are few times I have ever seen the war inside of him come to a halt, and see peace overcome. Yohaya loved to color - and I could watch him color for hours as his mind escaped the harsh reality that he lived. A sweetness would come about him, that I have never seen in him any other time. He would proudly show me each picture he would shade, and in a normal 2 day trip into our home, I would have to get at least 3 empty coloring books for him to color in. You could see joy in him. Peace over him. Contentment. This is who Yohaya really was, and we are honored that we are part of the few people that ever got to see him. 

I find myself angry as I think of this little boy’s death. Not at God. God is faithful. This little boy was tormented his whole life. He suffered from abuse, from addiction, from anger, from living on the street, and from the poison that someone fed him that killed him. 

I’m angry because I know that there was something better for him than that on this earth. He never reached it. 

So instead of a glazed-over hallelujah look on all of our boys faces today, I see a righteous anger. I see fiery passion in their eyes. I see determination to dedicate themselves even harder to prayer for the children on the street. I see themselves sitting down on a Saturday and willing themselves to work harder in school and use the gifts they’ve been given to give back one day. 

I see young men that no longer need their lives to be fought for - they are redeemed, sealed, and pressing in to the Lord- but are ready and yearning to fight the good fight of the faith. 

I see young men who are taking the life that Yohaya lost and letting it fuel a fire for God’s righteousness to rain down in the darkest places. 

Yohaya, we love you. You have blessed us.