Engonia

It is an honor to have a guest blogger to share her connection with little Engonia. She wants to remain anonymous and I know her experience with this sweet girl will bless you. Don’t underestimate the power of doing something small. It changes lives.

Little Engonia was 3 years old when I met her. She was tough as nails yet a bit frail. She had a swollen belly and a red tint to her hair. All clear signs of malnutrition. She, her parents and sister lived in a one room mud hut. They cooked outside over an open fire. She had two little friends her age in the village. They played and did chores. She would sheepishly peep at me when I would feed and water the horse in a pen that was in her village. I could tell she was interested in what I was doing and also in the color of my skin. She would come over and touch my hand and then look at her finger to see if I had rubbed off on her. She looked for me everyday. The other children were afraid and stayed away but she was curious and wanted to meet me. So I would call to her and she would watch me work. After a couple of days I would grab a snack for her before I went to care for the horse. Usually it was a handful of peanuts, a boiled egg, a piece of bread with peanut butter on it or a banana or orange. I would work and then after I finished I would spend time with her and she would eat her snack. She spoke no English so our communication was all smiles, snacks, and time. I started teaching her A,B,C and 1,2,3. In about 3 months I noticed her belly wasn’t as swollen and her hair had turned black. Who would have thought the difference a hand full of peanuts everyday would make over time? Doing a little over time can make a big difference.

Before Engonia turned 4, she and her buddies wandered down to the river to play. Only two of the three came home. Word got to me that one of the girls had drowned but no one could tell me which one. I ran to the house and my little Engonia looked up at me and smiled. I knelt down and cried. I loved that child who would look at me and say, “A,B,C and 1,2,3.” Life in the village is hard. 

One day it was cold outside and I was bundled up when I went to care for the horse. Engonia came over shivering in a tattered short sleeve dress. “Are you cold?” Those black eyes looked at me and then away as she nodded. I asked a friend about her. Does she have a sweater, pants, or a blanket? They said, “No.” The next morning I had my house help get those items in the market for her. Then had someone take them to her. I took great care to be sure she got what she needed but I didn’t want others to know who it was from. It doesn’t take much. The simplest things can make a big difference. 

There were some older girls in the village who liked to hang out with some pretty rough characters. It was not easy watching them mistreat the younger ones. As much as I tried to talk to them they didn’t want to hear anything but grew more and more scarce in the village. Engonia was more relaxed. Then one day they announced her father had died. He was an older man who suffered with illness. You never know what will happen when the patriarch dies. Thankfully Engonia and her mother stayed in the village and her uncle took responsibility for them. God’s grace.

One day the President of my sending organization came for a visit. She was coming to see the horse and to see the children in the neighboring village. We had hoped there would be room in our school for some of these children to come free of charge. Her heart melted as mine had years earlier. I can’t explain how grateful I was that day when she said, “Let’s get these children in our school.” Wow! Now Engonia was getting two meals a day and an education for free. She was in and unbeknownst to me, I would be leaving in a few short years. It took so little time to make a difference in this child’s life. The next connection had been made and I was gone.

The day I left she was strong. She hugged me and said, “Please take me with you.” I later learned she cried the rest of the day. I was important to her in some way. It wasn’t because I did big things for her because I didn’t. It was because I cared. 

Its been five years since I left. Engonia is in 5th grade. She is the same child but growing up. On her face is a mixture of fear and uncertainty. She doesn’t remember me. Wow you might say, “That’s too bad.” But is it? The Lord let me play a role in her life, but my role was over when I left. It wasn’t about me. But what if I had been too busy with the horse? What if I hadn’t cared to take her a snack? What if she hadn’t latched on to me? What if I hadn’t done enough? What if I did too much? No need for what if’s when you live in the moment. I was available even though I had more than enough to do. I was taking care of 112 orphans and 50+ employees. I was doing enough. For whatever reason God brought her to me at a horse stall and there we visited, and snacked, and cared. We made the most of the time we had. 

Engonia is still in school and doing very well. Her future is different than it would have been. Not because of me but because God in His infinite mercy used so many to take care of her needs. It is so easy to be distracted. To think of all you have done or are doing or to spend your time dreaming of what you want to do. Live in the moment. Do what you can today because tomorrow is not promised. Remember, its not about you when God chooses to use you. It is about Him and His plan. Play your part as if the beauty of the puzzle depended entirely on the beauty of your small piece. 

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