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I’m going to share a short story from our time in Nepal that just touched my heart.

On the first day of hands-on ministry work, I went to the street to school home where former street boys live and go to school. First, we got a tour of the home. On the lower floor is a TV room and three sleeping rooms and upstairs is a kitchen, two study rooms and a bedroom for the parents of the home.

When we arrived, it was homework hour and the kids were all busy studying. We tested the oldest boys on their English and general knowledge and it was amazing seeing just how intelligent they are. A boy in grade 3 could spell the word precipitation, in English, in under 5 seconds, without hesitating. The boys proudly told us how they were at the top of their classes. Bindu, the parent of the home, said that two of the boys might be able to skip a grade since they are so smart.

These bright students are former street boys who were at the bottom of the social pecking order, addicted to glue, filthy and treated worse than dogs.

That day, we were making juggling balls made from several layers of balloons filled with sand, with the 8 oldest boys. The boys made three balls each and then practiced their juggling skills. It was heartwarming to see the joy on their faces, as they improved, and the concentration they had for such a simple craft.

As we were making the juggling balls, I started talking with one of the boys, Prawindar, who seemed vaguely familiar to me but I did not know from where. I had been introduced as Daniel’s daughter and he told me “Your dad find me on streets, he bring me to shelter.” I was speechless, I could not reply for the look on his face was one of pure love and gratitude for what my dad had done.

Then it clicked, Prawindar had been at the shelter 3 years ago when I had visited Nepal. I remember him being uncontrollably wild, he would kick, and bite and ram his head in the staff’s back if they even just turned away from him for a second. God’s grace and persistent love has turned that street boy into an intelligent young man who has a bright future ahead of him.

~ Steffi Burgi