Nehimah

This is the story of Nehimah…..

Relocating to Nigeria after living all my life in America has given me a new appreciation of what life actually means.  I visited an orphanage here in Nigeria a while back because at that time in my life I felt I had lost track of who I was and what I actually wanted in life.  I needed direction; I needed to find me again.  What better way to connect with your inner self than giving back and being selfless especially when you’re actually the most vulnerable? 

Nigeria is the most populous country in Africa.  With a large population and no source of livelihood there tends to be poverty.  Nehimah was born with a health condition, which made her grow without her legs forming properly.  She’s basically crippled.  According to the orphanage, when her parents noticed her deformity at an early age they abandoned her and threw her away.  Luckily for Nehimah she was found and brought to the orphanage at an early age of 5 months.   Today Nehimah is about 10 years old.

She had the most beautiful smile I had ever seen.   She didn’t even give the other children an opportunity to play with me.  She played with my hair, my jewelries, talked to me like we had been friends all our lives….. She was such a happy little girl. 

When I first walked into the large living room area, I was a bit skeptical about going towards Nehimah’s direction because I had noticed she had no legs.  In America you hardly see such conditions.  However, this little girl used her hands to lift her body towards me.   As soon as she was close enough she jump on me.  I couldn’t resist her courage, her strength, her nonchalant attitude about her deformity. She saw what or who she wanted and she went for it. 

When I got home that evening I just couldn’t stop thinking about Nehimah.  Thinking about that little angel made me think about LIFE! 

Who are we that God has been so merciful towards us yet we continue to be ungrateful?  Look at how far we have come yet it is never enough because we continue to pout about the things we don’t have.   I forgot about being lost in life and found myself thanking God for ALL I HAVE.   For love, kindness, family, home, health, clothes, shoes, food to eat, the ability to think, travel, talk , walk and even for my skin.  I thanked GOD for my troubles, my pain, and for the fact that my being lost led me to finding myself.   I am not bothered by what I see anymore, neither am I concerned about what I don’t see.  God has brought me this far and God will take me to my own country the same way He took Abraham to his promise land.

What are your cries to God?  What are your prayers to God?  What are you hoping from God?  Nehimah is praying for healing, love, acceptance and a family to call her own.  No matter how big you think your problems are think of Nehimah! 

SL