Jeremia's Story
He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.
Psalm 147:3 NIV
 WHEN I first saw Jeremia, he was sitting in the dirt outside the Kilimanjaro Regional Welfare Office, wearing footsie pajamas that were several sizes too small for him. He was not wearing a diaper and his clothing was soiled. It appeared he had not been changed or bathed for at least a week. When he saw me gazing at him, he lifted up his arms with a look of intense longing on his face. He wanted to be picked up and held. My heart broke for him and in spite of his filthy condition I took him in my arms. He clung to me tightly as I carried him to our vehicle for the drive back to the orphanage.
The Welfare Officer had shared with us the story of the two children that we had found sitting outside his office. Jeremia and his half sister, Pendo, had been brought there by their mother who was on her way to the hospital because she was HIV positive and very ill. Her husband had died and she had no family to take care of her children. The Welfare Department asked if TOA would accept them on a temporary basis while they found a permanent home for them. That was November of 2007.
No one knew Jeremia’s age for certain, but we guessed that he was at least three years old. Yet his actions seemed more like those of a one year old. He was not potty trained, he could not talk, he did not know how to eat using utensils, and by his behavior we could tell there were some brain development problems. He had no control over his actions and would do things spontaneously without realizing the mess he was making. He appeared to be a child who had been greatly neglected, one who had not been nurtured in the most basic areas of his young life.
Jeremia soaked in the loving attention he received from the staff as if making up for years of lack. Yet he was soon to suffer one more blow to his already crushed spirit. His half sister Pendo, was taken in by relatives of her dead father, but they refused to take him because he was not a blood relative. Jeremia had a different father and they felt no responsibility for him. He watched with bewilderment as strangers drove out of the orphanage gates with his only sibling.
The TOA staff was sensitive to his loss and surrounded Jeremia with love and encouragement. Day by day we began to see changes. One of the biggest improvements has been in the area of his speech. First he started out speaking small words that he would repeat over and over. We would cheer him on with those simple words and he’d laugh with joy over our encouragement. These past few months have brought bigger changes. Jeremia is now speaking small sentences.
The best part is that he is not simply repeating what others are saying but he is speaking in response to what has been said to him. His level of understanding is increasing more and more each day. This is a dramatic improvement. Looking back over the past year and a half we can honestly say we have seen leaps and bounds in Jeremia’s progress. If I said he was a different child than the one we brought home to TOA 18 months ago, I would not be exaggerating one bit.
One day Christina and I were sitting outside on the porch with the younger children as they were playing with their toys. Jeremia came over to me and we began to sing. I stopped singing but he didn’t. He continued to sing “Old McDonald Had a Farm.” I was so excited to hear him sing that I began to cheer. Jeremia was so happy when I cheered he began to scream with joy. He sang again, I cheered and he screamed. This went on and on until my ears were ringing from his shrieks. I sent him over to Christina so he could sing for her, she could cheer and he could scream with joy in her ears. Christina and I talk about that time with Jeremia and laugh over his joy and smile in amazement at the wonderful changes taking place in his life. God really does heal the brokenhearted. Jeremia is proof positive.
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