God doesn’t need to use me to be able to accomplish what He wants to accomplish in Yuniel’s life. However, I am blessed and grateful that He allows me to be a part of it. With that being said, today I choose to share why I thank the Lord for this little boy.
Every single one of my former English or Language Arts teachers/professors would be upset with me if I didn't start this blog by answering the most important unknown:
Who is Yuniel?
Yuniel is a six-year-old boy who lives right in front of the church with his grandmother, his physically and mentally impaired uncle, and his three-year-old little brother. Yuniel is a part of the kid's ministry at Iglesia Bautista Rompe Barreras (which is translated to Baptist Church Breaking Barriers). We have been working hand-in-hand with this church since January. Yuniel's parents are no longer in his life for reasons that I don't know and reasons that really aren't my business to know or to share. Regardless of all these things, a positive or a negative, this little boy stole my heart from day one. He is a handful, but the best handful.
Yuniel was my first friend and first kid I met in Santiago when I moved here in January.
I remember getting out of the car when we arrived at the church in front of his house.
He stood behind a light pole and just looked.
American Missionaries and a Dominican family dropping off a stranger he had never seen.
This stranger being me.
I began to unload my things with the help of my new family.
Suitcases unloaded. Cleaning supplies unloaded. A bed frame unloaded.
As we unloaded, or better say, as they unloaded (nobody let me grab a single thing), Yuniel finally comes forward from behind the light pole and says:
"Puedo ayudarte?"
or
"Can I help you?"
(Keep reading these blogs, you'll be fluent in Spanish by the end of next year)
I responded "Of course you can! What's your name?"
No answer.
He grabs the first thing he sees and runs it upstairs.
By the end of the day, we've swept my room together.
We learned each other's names.
We laughed.
We became friends.
As I laid in bed after such an overwhelming day, I smiled. The way these people took me in and helped me feel at home meant the world. I was also determined to do one thing:
Grow the friendship God formed that day.
Little did I know, I would get the opportunity the next morning.
An opportunity that left me speechless.
As I walked out of the church the next morning, I ran straight into a fully nude Yuniel. No underwear, no shirt, nothing. He ran straight over and gave me a hug. I just stood there speechless.
Is this appropriate?
Why is Yuniel walking around naked?
Is this normal?
"Hey friend! Why don't you have clothes on?" I finally asked.
His response, a shoulder shrug followed by this,
"Quieres jugar?"
or
"Do you want to play?"
"Go get clothes on, and when I come back, we can play."
I went on with my day, exploring Santiago for the first time with the Davis family.
When I got back to the church that night, I was expecting to go straight inside to shower and sleep. However, out from behind the light pole came a little one, Yuniel. He was ready to play.
So, we played.
Over the next seven months (January - July), many interactions between Yuniel and I mirrored this one. I would wake up and start my day. When I would leave the church, he'd be outside (with more and more clothes on each time) and we would talk. Then, I would leave to handle whatever God had planned for me that day. He would stay behind, finding the next adventure to get himself into.
Yet, anytime I would come back to the church throughout the day to grab something or do anything, he would run right over. These moments and memories made were some we both needed without even knowing it. We played games, we scored goals, we cleaned the church, he met teams, and we laughed plenty.
However, it wasn't always smiles and happiness. There were times when I needed to be hard on him, correct his wrongdoings, and say no. When that would happen, he'd leave and shut down on me. He wouldn't talk or answer me. I learned that in those moments, I had to give him space. He would always come back around eventually.
I promise he came back every time.
Looking back at how those seven months unfolded, I can say I achieved the one thing I was determined to do on night one: Grow the friendship God formed that day.
Somewhere along the road I realized that wasn't enough though.
The Lord began to stir up tough questions in my heart.
Why are Yuniel's parents still choosing to be absent in his life?
Why is Yuniel outside by himself at 8 a.m. when I leave and at 8 p.m. when I come back?
What does Yuniel do all day?
Why isn't Yuniel in school?
Why doesn't Yuniel know his own age?
Why can't Yuniel find his own name on the attendance chart at church?
Is Yuniel not being loved on at home?
Is that why he always comes around?
Questions I didn't have the answers for.
However, God did.
In June, the Lord stirred in Sandy, and I to find a way to get Yuniel into school.
This wouldn't "fix" his life or take away all his worries, but it would be a step in the right direction.
We prayed and asked the Lord for guidance.
We asked Yuniel if he wanted to go to school and he instantly smiled.
His grandmother wanted the same for him.
But,
We had obstacles in front of us.
Yuniel had none of the paperwork needed to register him for school and his mother was the only one that could get it for us.
His grandmother had no authority legally.
Honestly, I didn't know what we were going to do.
July 30th came, and I flew home for the month of August.
Yuniel still had no paperwork.
When I arrived back in Santiago on September 8th, nothing had changed. Yuniel was still my friend, and he still had no paperwork. However, God was ready to show that He is a God that answers prayers.
September 17th
RH2 took Yuniel school shopping.
All his school supplies were purchased.
His uniform was taken care of.
He even went to McDonalds for the first time in his life.
October 3rd
Two weeks after school shopping, Yuniel was still not in school.
Paperwork had been delayed, but we finally had it.
That morning, Sandy and I got him dressed in his uniform.
He wasn't registered in a school yet, but we believed the Lord would provide an opportunity.
We visited the first school, it was full.
No space for Yuniel.
We visited the second school, it was full.
No space for Yuniel.
We visited the third school, it was full.
No space for Yuniel.
The Director of the third school asked us,
"Why did you both wait so long to sign him up?"
God opened the door to share with her Yuniel's story.
The last words she told us,
"Call me next Monday. We are full, but I'll see what I can do."
We drove home, and we told Yuniel to keep praying for one more week.
I used that as a reminder to myself as well.
Keep praying, don't lose hope.
Prayer is powerful.
October 10th
8 a.m. sharp and we are on the phone with the school director.
"We are just calling to check in, you asked us to give you a call back."
"Yes. Bring all of his paperwork tomorrow." She responded.
Call ends.
The celebration that followed was a special one.
Sandy and I jumped and yelled like two little kids.
October 11th
We were at the school, Yuniel's grandmother and I not knowing what to expect.
We came ready with all the paperwork.
When the director walked into her office, she just smiled at us.
"We are full, but we are making space for him."
I couldn't hide my smile.
That morning I became Yuniel's emergency contact and was added to the parent's group chat.
I can't even take care of myself; how can I be responsible for this little one?
That morning Yuniel was added to the school system.
That morning God answered a prayer that had been going on for months.
That morning God reminded me that He hears His children.
Mark 11:24 "Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.
October 12th
My friend was headed to school for the first time in his life.
He had a friend with him who we love dearly.
The picture says it all.
Nine days later, and Yuniel hasn't been in trouble yet at school.
What a victory to celebrate.
In all seriousness, we are currently living an answered prayer.
Over the last nine days, I have had the blessing to drop these two off at school in the morning and pick them up a few days as well in the afternoon.
Yuniel's teacher said he is definitely behind academically, but his attitude and behavior make up for it.
Sandy and I have started tutoring Yuniel and a few other kids at the church to help them close that gap.
He has a long road ahead of him, but we serve a God who answers prayers.
This is one step we pray will begin to change his life.
Now that you have read what Yuniel has meant to me over the last ten months,
I pray you understand why I thank God for bringing Yuniel into my life.
No one will ever be able to replace his parents, but I pray daily that I can be a role model in his life.
Not for my glory, but for God's.
I want to help this little boy see that there is nothing better in life than being a man who loves God.
I want to help this little boy understand the cards he was dealt are hard, but that there is a God who walks with him.
I want to help this little boy learn how to say yes ma'am and thank you.
I want to help this little boy understand that he can't just pee at school wherever he wants, he must go use the bathroom.
I want to help this little boy change his family through education and the gospel.
I want to help this little boy acknowledge that God answered our prayer.
Christians reading this, God hears your prayers.
Non-believer reading this, God hears you when you think no one does.
Mother who is praying for her children, God hears your prayers.
Dad who is fighting for his marriage, God hears your prayers.
Soon to be parents who may fear the unknown of this process, God hears your prayers.
Young couple who just got married; God hears your prayers.
College student just trying to survive, God hears your prayers.
Find comfort in that.
Yuniel and I now do.
Reading this I have cried, I have laughed, but most importantly my faith have grown. You keep pressing, God will continue to show you the way!! Love you! Proud of you!!!
WOW!!!! HE is THEE WAYMAKER!!!!