Thursday, October 27, 2011

Meeting David...

David
On Tuesday of this week I left early in the morning with our director and social worker to pick up a young boy named David. About two and half hours from the village where we live through long dirt roads and way off form everything we come upon the orphanage where he is being taken care of. The children ran to us to shake our hands and a boy around 9-10 years old came up and just held my hand as I walked around to the house. Then he said, I am David. He was excited to go with us and we took his care-taker as well. We began the journey of going to the eye doctor in the capital city called Ouagadougou to see what his vision was really like. He was so patient the entire time and his sweet smile melted my heart. I was struck by how beautiful he really was and they told me that he had never been in school, we don't really know his real age, and if his eye sight is really horrible that it is going to be even more difficult to place him into a family for adoption. I want to badly to adopt! It eats at my heart almost everyday that I am here.

After the doctors office we got the news that he was almost completely blind and that his optic nerve had been damaged and there was no way to re-pair it. In that moment, I knew that there was a special family out there that was going to take this boy! I said, he will be a challenge but we really need a family that wants to make a difference and give a child a life. He is so gentle, sweet, and precious.. I know that if people met him that they would fall in love with him just like I did. Please come along side us in prayer for this sweet boy.

Faical and I
The Lord everyday seems to put new things on my heart and challenge me to be more of His. I have loved my moments here with the children and beautiful people of Burkina Faso. Lately, I learned how to say "I love you" in the tribal language and I know the kids probably don't hear that very often but I still don't hesitate to say it :) This last sunday as I was walking home from church with the kids one of the little boys named Faical, who is 13 years old whispered in my ear, in the tribal language, "I love you so much" my heart just melted and I knew THIS is the love of God! This is it! That is this amazing feeling down into my soul that makes me want to jump for joy. Another young boy named Jonas who is 7 years old always brings a huge smile upon my face as I see his little stature run to me the moment I walk into his eye sight. He hugs me so tight, kisses me on the cheek, and says, I love you. I know that God is showing me how much He adores me and loves me through these people.


Unworthiness seems to always capture me whenever I am around the children. But I think God does that so I won't take them for granted. I love them all so much. Thank you for all your prayers and support. The Lord is so good and I have around 5 weeks left here in Africa. Time just goes so fast! It is going to hurt me to leave and I find myself in tears already thinking of that time BUT I am reminded that "Our God is as faithful as the rising sun"- Chris Tomlin.




But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. - 1 Peter 2:9


Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Honestly Indescribable

In all seriousness so much has been happening and I feel bad for not writing. God has been working on every bit of my heart and I feel so unworthy to even be in the presence of the wonderful people of Burkina Faso. Last week all of the kids came back to the orphanage because the school year has started. So, I was finally able to truly meet everyone and I have fallen in love! They definitely have captured my heart and have left a long lasting impression. Sheltering Wings Orphanage has a lot of young men who are going to school and some are even in their 20s and are still in high school for various reasons. But the first day I was really able to meet them and spend time with them, we sat down and started playing music together. They LOVE music... it seems that most of them are talented and are so eager to learn more. Many have asked me to help them learn piano, guitar, and more vocals. So, I have been growing in relationships with them as we work and spend the time together.

I have been able to sing in church the past two sundays with the German girls and this past week a couple of the boys joined us! It was amazing. And one of the girls and I joined the French Choir in church. Its crazy because I don't really speak french.. haha.  Church is an all together interesting and long experience in itself. It is usually 2 1/2 to 3 hours long with SO much music... and their dancing is so different but amazing. I really love how open they are to let us join in and also share a song in English. :)

Every Tuesday night is a student lead prayer night with a little sermon and some music. So, tonight the kids got all together with their drums and sang praises to our great God in "Moore" their tribal language. It is such a great experience as they honestly sing as LOUD as they can to the Lord haha. One of our little boys named Jonas who is 7 years old, did a little dance that was absolutely adorable!


Then after some songs a young man named Bartholemy stood up with a guitar, looked up and said Praise the Lord (in Moore) and sang an amazing powerful song that HE WROTE! I was in awe as his sweet voice came so alive and everyone listened. It was so great- I thought, i want to take you home and share you with everyone!! :) Hearing him praise God in 'Moore' was honestly indescribable. Then they said, okay Tenielle, its your turn to sing a song. hahaha I was like what? okay... what song? and after that? So, I sang How Great is Our God. They all smiled and clapped. During the sermon one of the older boys came over and translated it all for me. They are so respectful and thoughtful in that way. Always making sure I am taken care of and feel comfortable there.

Ferdinand is the one in black :) 



I have been enjoying myself a lot as I grow in friendships with these amazing people. They keep asking me: when will you come back to Burkina? And how can we contact you when you leave? I am praying more and more about coming back maybe in a year or so :) We are still trying really hard to get all our kids sponsored for school.. its $35 a month and there is an amazing beautiful little boy named Ferdinand who is 11 and needs to be adopted! we are praying for the right family to take in this gorgeous boy. Contact me if you are interested in helping in anyway tenielle_lytle@hotmail.com :)


thank you for all your prayers God is faithful and working!!! :) I love Africa very much and I am trying to take in all the sweet moments. From delivering food and soap to widows around the village, doing bible clubs for village kids, trying to give medicine to sick children in the mobile clinic, hugging one of the babies or just helping our kids with homework! God is working!