Jonesbones5 
Never Abandoned
It was a normal day…well, as normal as it can get on a trip to Ethiopia. We were visiting the home of a Compassion child with her sponsor. I was with the sponsor doing my usual thing. I was asking lots of questions and learning about the child, the home, the family and how Compassion was helping. The child was so happy to see her sponsor, Kaitlyn, and together they visited in the child’s home.
While we sat there, I was noticing someone in the other room. The father was sitting with us; the mother of the sponsored child had died. The father had remarried, but his wife was working.
“Who is in the other room?” I asked.
The father said something in Aramaic.
Our translator said, “It is a little girl that lives here.”
“Can I meet her?” I asked.
The father called her out. A shy little girl appeared with tattered clothing. She held her head down, as if ashamed. Instantly I needed to know the story of this child. Here we were visiting Kaitlyn’s sponsored child, while this precious child hid in the kitchen.
I asked,“Why is she in this here?”
The father answered. “Her mother abandoned her. Her father is in prison for murder. My wife brought her home last year because she had nobody to live with and the victim’s family wanted to kill this child to avenge the murder. We are protecting her.”
I asked, “How old is she?”
The father responded, “We think she is 10, but we have no birth certificate.”
The child came over and sat quietly near us. Once in awhile she would look up and peek at us, but most of the time she held her head low.
I asked, “What is her name?”
He answered, “Her name is Wuluagersh. It means All Nations.”
I was so concerned for this child. “Is she in school?”
The father answered, “Yes she is in school.”
I could not fully grasp the situation, but the child was not in the Compassion program. Her clothing told me the story. Her hair was a mess, her shoes worn, I was loosing it inside at the sight of this child, but I was still managing on the outside.
Then I looked Wuluagersh in the eye, I took a deep breath, put my hand on her shoulder and said, “GOD WILL NEVER ABANDON YOU.”
She began to cry.
I asked her to come and be next to me; she came over and curled up underneath my arms. I then prayed over her. As I prayed, she laid her head down into my lap and I knew that this little girl needed a mommy. I could not longer hold it together.
After I prayed for her I told her…
You will grow up and be strong.
With God, anything is possible.
YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL!
YOU ARE LOVED!
DO NOT BE ASHAMED!
GOD WILL NEVER ABANDON YOU.
The words flowed along with my tears. She lay on my lap and I wiped her tears with my hand. Together we cried.
After I said goodbye, I could not even speak.
Tomorrow I will see her again. I told her to sit with me in church.
Once in awhile I come across a child who just takes my heart and splits it wide open.
Wuluagersh was that child today, and I will not forget her.
31 Comments on “Never Abandoned”
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Jonesbones5 
Hi Julie,
We are looking into it.
Thanks,
Patricia
Is there a way to sponsor this child or help her?
I didn’t cry until I read that you prayed over her. I know how that feels even though I have no idea what pain she ‘owns’. Thank you for praying for her. You have planted a mustard seed that will grow into a forest. God bless you!
This post brought tears. Thank you for sharing this story.
My heart was tender as I read your blog post about this precious little girl. I will pray for this little sweetheart, too. I don’t know if you know this, but as I was scrolling down your blog to leave this comment, Google had 4 ads at the end of your post before the comments started. One of those ads were for 2 women in San Francisco, Ruth and Julia, who were advertising to adopt a child into their family, so they could become moms. I clicked on the link to make sure….it was indeed a lesbian union seeking to adopt. I’m not sure what I what I would do if this appeared on my Christian blog—I love and encourage my homosexual friends to Christ, I do not encourage their lifestyle……
thank you for being arms of love
A friend of mine posted this blog on her Facebook. I read it and then cried. You and your family have been added to my blog list to read weekly, as well as my prayer list. Please continue doing what you’re doing. There are those of us stateside that would love to be there with you, helping and ministering, but are currently stuck doing other things (for me, it’s grad school). Another year and I’ll hopefully be abroad again. I miss it so much. Please take care and keep blogging!! 🙂
An ugly cry…yes…I am there!
Thank you for seeing this one most precious hiding in the background. Thank you for drawing her near and speaking words of love and affirmation. Thank you for praying and speaking Truth over this special child.
And thank you for sharing your story – her story – so that we too can cry ugly tears and hopefully, begin to see those who are hiding in the background in our moments.
Patricia,
Thank you so much for sharing all of these posts from Ethiopia. I am Kim S. friend from Stanwood. I have two amazing little girls from Hannah’s Hope. We recently received pictures of their siblings who remain in Ethiopia with extended family (since both of their birth parents have passed away). We didn’t know we would ever have contact with them or hear from them, so it is very exciting. However, they live in a rural village and are so ravished by poverty. I’m desperate to figure out of way to connect the remaining siblings of our girls with Compassion or World Vision or someone so we can sponser them. Could you email me with your thoughts or ideas?
Thanks so much,
Celeste
Can’t stop thinking about Wuluagersh, nor can I read this post without an avalanche of tears…
I am hoping to hear that you were able to sit with her in church, and even more so that she’ll be able to join the Compassion program — how wonderful if Kris could become her sponsor so that she can continue to be nurtured and loved.
Patricia-
Is there a way for you to help get her enrolled in Compassion? I would love to sponsor her. If this is possible please let me know. Praying.
Kris
This is so heartbreaking. I sponsor a girl in Peru with Compassion and just reading about this girl makes me want to help and get her in the Compassion program. I am so glad you were able to comfort her! Deuteronomy 31:6
Wow. Incredible. I felt like I was sitting in that house with you while reading this, Patricia. Praying for you guys and for Wuluagersh today.
Crying here too…
gut-wrenching. these are the precious ones who will never be able to pry themselves from your heart.
thank you for loving her as she deserves to be loved…
OK – this broke my heart too. But so thankful you were there and available for her. Thanks for always being willing. Praying for you and can’t wait to hear more about her in church. Love you!
Patricia,
You represent all of our love and hugs for these children. Thank you, Sandra
oh.
wow.
like keely said, i’m crying with you and praying the same prayer for this beautiful, beautiful girl.
thank you for telling her story so we would know her name.
Patricia – thank you for being available to Wuluagersh and sharing this amazing gift of love with her (and passing the tears to us)
I agree with Amanda & Michelle!
Now we are ugly crying too! What a sweet girl and testimony to God never ever forgetting any of his children, ever no matter where they are. We miss you and can’t wait for you to come home.
Love you,
Karen and David
crying with you-so glad she could meet you!
Oh my heart.
Heartbreaking.
Patricia,
Thanks for sharing this …
When I was in haiti this week, a group of kids sang me a song that made me think of Wuluagersh … something that each of these sweet children needs to know …
“I am not forgotten, I am not forgotten, I am not forgotten, He knows my name…”
Oh Patricia…my heart hurts for little Wuluagersh.
Thanks for crying with me for her. Can’t wait to see her at church in the morning!
Crying With You…. and Praying that same Prayer for sweet Wuluagersh.
Oh my heart! I feel broken for this little girl but I am glad that you were able to reach out to her. My heart longs to bring another child into our home and I wish it could be as simple as raising our hand, opening our door and letting her in.
What a heartbreaking story. Praying for you as you see her again tomorrow.
Oh my breaking heart….