The DMI blog aims to let people know about the deaf kids, teachers, pastors, schools and churches that DMI supports in developing countries, and encourage support for them by telling their amazing stories. Please share this blog with your friends.
About ten years ago in Ligao, a guy went into a fast food restaurant to ply his trade. He would go from table to table and beg for money to feed himself. There are many beggars in Ligao, so this is an unexceptional story, except for a couple of small things: the guy is maybe 7 years old, and he is deaf.
And so it was that Neville and Arnel (one of DMI’s deaf pastors) went out to a Jollybee restaurant and rescued this young kid. They soon discovered the full extent of his woes. The eldest of five children, he had run away from his abusive step-father and alcoholic mother. His father, like one of his brothers, had been killed. He didn’t know his name or his age, and he was living on the streets.
How do you recover from a start like that?
It’s become a cliche but it remains a timeless truth: with love.
Neville spoke with him and invited him to come and stay at DMI’s school in Ligao where he could live safely, sleep soundly, eat regularly, dress properly, learn reliably and be included securely. He had never known so much love. It was astounding. He started at the school, was given the name ‘Little Neville’ (by the staff) in honour of the man who rescued him, and began to discover his true self.
Love is kind.
It was like a dream-come-true. He had been delivered quite literally out of the gutter and into the idyllic, Eden-like beauty of the Ligao school with its pretty buildings, quiet surroundings, lush green environment, and friendly inhabitants.
But this was not a fairytale.
At first none of the kids would talk to him because he was a dirty, dark-skinned street kid. So the staff took him and gave him a solid scrubbing in the bath, changed his clothes and then some of the kids started talking to him. It took a while for most of the kids to warm to him but Neville, the other staff and a few of the kids made him feel so loved.
Love is patient.
Concerns remained though. Some behaviours die a really hard death. Little Neville struggled at times with rage and would take out his frustrations on other kids or in throwing stones at passing cars. He wrestled with the guilt of running from his family, and was sometimes tempted to return to his old ways of begging and stealing on the streets.
But love perseveres.
Those days have now long passed. In the course of embracing this new life, Little Neville found one more friend – Jesus – and He has made all the difference. Little Neville believes in Jesus. He prays to God in Jesus’ name. Despite all that he was put through as a young boy, he feels no bitterness toward his family and prays for them regularly. He reads a daily devotional for the deaf and this helps him to understand God’s plan for his life. Little Neville goes to chapel every Wednesday at the school and loves to sing (in sign) during worship.
I’m interested in his understanding of the faith and ask him what the most important aspect of the faith is for him. He says that it is to avoid idolatry (in any form) and to follow Jesus alone. He says this is important to him because even now his old demons can still arise at times to tempt him back out onto the streets, and follow other ‘gods’. It’s only in keeping his eyes fixed on Jesus that he can resist this and remain faithful to God. It’s a matter of trust, he says. He just has to trust Jesus that He is in control.
Wise words from someone so young.
I ask him what he would like to share with those who read this blog. He says he doesn’t know much and wouldn’t presume to share anything of value to people more learned than himself, but he would like to share the love of Jesus with others just as Neville and Arnel shared it with him back at that Jollibee restaurant ten years ago. He received the name Little Neville after the man who shared Jesus with him and showed him the way to true life, and now he would like to do the same for others.
Now that’s something of great value to share with others.
Little Neville recently reconnected with his family where he discovered, amongst other things, his birth name. His name is Jesus.
Love never fails.
DMI still has 150 unsponsored children in its schools. This Christmas, why don’t you give them the same gift of generosity and love that Little Neville experienced, by sponsoring a child?
Go ahead, change a life.
If you would like to know how you can support any of the kids or teachers at DMI’s schools, or help meet any of DMI’s needs, please click on the donate button below, or mail to info@deafmin.org
Wow Andrew- another life changing story! Praise God! Thanks for bringing these stories of God’s goodness to light.
Great testimony Andrew. I love how Jesus joins the dots of what can look like hopeless circumstances.