Orphaned
Saping was very young when he lost his father and mother. He doesn’t know how he lost them, or how they came to lose him, but he does know that he was brought to live with some of his mother’s relatives. This is a part of his life he would rather forget. They despised him. He was beaten. The scars on his body will tell that story for the rest of his life.
Every day, Saping’s work was to collect firewood. The land on which he worked had very few trees because massive lumbering projects had deforested the region. Since wood was scarce, Saping had to walk long distances to gather sticks and then carry the heavy loads home. Some days he worked in the tropical heat, other days in the cold mountain winds that whipped his small body, and on yet other days he labored under monsoon rains. On many days, he didn’t come home with enough wood. As punishment, he was beaten and not allowed to eat. Saping was often hungry.
Then one day, the army arrived in the village. They went from house to house conscripting children. His aunt and uncle knew Saping’s cousin was registered for government conscription so to protect their son, they surrendered Saping to the military instead.
Living in the army was no better than living with hateful relatives. Work was no easier. Now he had to endure harsh military training but his main task was hauling water. Saping had been assigned to the kitchen detail; he daily drew water from the river and carried it into the mess hall. Cooking duty was a challenge for him, the huge pots were awkward for a child and one day he stumbled and spilled the boiling water from the rice pot on his feet. His small feet were severely burned and once more, Saping bore the physical scars of injustice.
Just like the years he lived with his relatives, if he didn’t finish his work when living in the army, he wasn’t allowed to eat. Beatings and missed meals were common for him. When he was allowed to eat, he often ate the leftover rice water usually given to the pigs. The ragged uniform he wore was adult size and sagged awkwardly around his small frame. He had never owned any shoes. Shame was his covering. Saping was never taught how to do anything but was beaten when he did not perform according to task. His world and horizon were constantly dark. To Saping there was no difference between night and day. All was darkness resting upon his mind and emotions. At night, he huddled between other children and shivered because they had no blankets. Life was misery.
Then one morning, the soldiers walked among the children in the camp. They chose those in poor health. They selected the ones they deemed where slow in mind and slow to listen. They separated out the unacceptable from the rest . This frightened group of children feared what was in store for them. The commander of the barracks barked, “Today we are giving you a second chance. You will go to school and learn how to help your people.” All the children they had gathered were loaded up in trucks. The engines rumbled to life and the children were carted out of the barracks. Saping was in this group. He was leaving a world of pain behind, but he had been in this position before. For all Saping knew, more pain was yet to come.
A New World
The trucks bounced and groaned over the dirt tracks, kicking thick clouds of dust into the air and coating everyone until they were powdery red. Saping and the other children arrived at our children’s home and stiffly piled out of the trucks. Saping and the others were greeted by smiling staff and the curious eyes of the other children. We had arranged for all these unwanted kids to be given to us! For the first time, Saping was told that he was wanted.
Now, months later, Saping talks of two worlds. The dark world he lived in and the world of hope that he now knows. He brags that now he has shoes, three sets of nice clothes and three good meals a day! Saping will tell you that he lives among people who love him. He has now learned to read and often reads about God in his bible. Saping asserts, “In Father God I have found a real love; He is someone who can really love me!”
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