About a month ago, an adorable little boy from the Yantana church told me about his home life. He’s 5 years old, and children have no secrets, they tell everything! lol So, this particular day, he just blurted aloud to me, out of the blue, “My mom hits me”. Sadly enough, I’ve heard this over and again from the children here. But he was so quiet and sweet and my heart burst when he told me this, and I began asking him about it. I discovered it wasn’t just his mom, it’s both parents. Now, children need discipline and I teach that in my churches and to the parents, but children don’t need to be ‘hit’, slapped in the face, punched, kicked, etc. But unfortunately, most of the parents here were raised the same way, in abusive homes, and that’s all they know, until they know Jesus and His love and His way.
So, we went on into church and had a beautiful time of worshipping Jesus, and afterwards this same little boy (for obvious reasons, I can’t use his name or picture) was playing. He ran inside the church and climbed onto the altar, standing on it. So, I had to teach him that that wasn’t okay in the House of God. As I walked toward him to teach and explain this to him, he hid behind the altar and kept saying, “Sister Susan is going to hit me.” I was almost in tears when I got to him. It’s all he knows, so he expected the same from me. Instead, I hugged him tightly and I told him, “Sister Susan will NEVER hit you. I don’t do that. I love you and I will never harm you. I will instead always give you hugs and make you laugh and tell you that I love you!” Oh, he smiled so big when I told him that. I did continue to explain to him that his behavior (running inside the church, standing on the altar) wasn’t acceptable at the church like that, so he must obey what I teach him and act real good when he’s at church. And he was so sweet and said, “Yes, I will.” And he gave me another big smile and a big hug!!!
He still comes to my church where he receives so much love and attention and he knows that he is cared about. And he always has a big hug for me when he arrives and when he leaves. I know there are so many more children just like him all over the world. And maybe I can’t help everyone, but I can help at least one. That is why I continue here daily, Reaching Ecuador, ONE Soul at a Time!!!
