It was in the summer of 2006, on a mission trip to the Mosquito Coast in Honduras, on one of my annual trips to visit the orphans of Mama Tara Miskito Orphanage, that I finally found out some of the details behind the deaths of the parents of the child I sponsor. Little Biborly, had been brought to the orphanage in February of 2003, by her grandfather, along with 2 other siblings, a brother named Max and a sister named Yonly, soon after the death of her their mother. I had become her Madrina,( sponsor, or guardian) a few months after my first visit to the orphanage, in June of '03. She captivated me with her spunky little mannerisms. I loved everything about her; her beautiful almond shaped, dark brown eyes, her captivating smile, and her zest for life. I could tell she was a "leader in the making", and was probably a "handful" for all of the grownups, but I was drawn to her from the very beginning. Little did I know of some of the drama she had been exposed to at such an early age.
It was the orphan's tutor, Ebety, that filled us in on details about Biborly, and her siblings, that I had never known before. One typically, warm, balmy evening at the restaurant by the lagoon, which is similar to a tropical Tiki hut, with a thatched roof, Ebety began to tell us all of some interesting bits of information she had come across in her search for the children's birth certificates. We had already eaten and some of us were so tired, that we were about to call it a night, when Ebety began telling us stories about the children. Gustavo, our guide, interpreted everything she said, as she speaks Miskito, and Spanish, but not English. Of course, when she began telling us about Biborly, I perked up and listened eagerly to each piece of news as if I was searching for a pearl in a mound of oysters. The language barrier has been so frustrating to me, because it keeps me from truly communicating with this little child that has become so dear to my heart, but of whom I know so little.
The story, if I heard it correctly, goes something like this: it seems that Biborly, Max and Yonly were living at home in the village of Benk. Most of their siblings were much older and married. Biborly, age 6, was the youngest child in the family. Her mother, at the time of her death was about 8 months pregnant. Apparently, there was another family member staying with them, who was said to have been jealous of all of them and was secretly putting poison in the parent's food. The mother began to get very ill and was eventually brought to a hospital, where after a short period of time she and the unborn baby died. How tragic! That happened in January of 2003. The father, being ill himself, couldn't care for his children. He wanted his parents to take care of them, but they were old and were unable to do so, so he had no choice but to find an orphanage for the children to live. To make matters worse, in the fall of the very same year, Biborly, Max and Yonly's father died. These kids were orphans in the true sense of the word. Most of the children in the orphanage may have at least one parent alive, and some have 2 parents who are still alive, but because of abuse, neglect, or sheer poverty and sickness, are unable to raise their children.
My heart was broken for this poor little family, that would still be together, if it had not been torn apart by the criminal act of a jealous person. What a selfish and hateful act to commit! There is no way to know if the person has been brought to justice, but even so, nothing can repair the damage done to the family.
Can you imagine the devastation this violent crime had on these three children, first losing their mother and an unborn sibling, and then, after having been carted off, by boat to a village some distance away from all that they'd ever known, they are then dropped off to an orphanage, only to have to live with complete strangers? I can't fathom what that must have been like for them, waking up those first few months in a totally new and strange environment. They had no one or nothing familiar around them, and had to get used to new faces, and new rules. Who could they trust, who could they feel safe with, who would love them like a parent? I'm certain that they felt hopeless, scared, and very alone. Thankfully they still had each other.
Ebety went on to say that she was speaking to Biborly one day and asked her why didn't she go back to her village and live with some of her older siblings, or aunts and uncles? I'll never forget the feeling I had as I listened to Ebety relaying Biborly's answer, as I was totally blessed by what was being told to me. Biborly said that she really loved Mama Tara and liked living at the orphanage. She said that she was happy there and loved the other orphans. Anyway, she went on to say, if she left the orphanage and went back to Benk, she would never see her Madrina again. All of a sudden, the words she said hit me so deeply. At last, I felt a closeness to this child, that I had never felt before, as I had no idea that she really gave me a second thought. I was truly shocked by the child's answer. I started to realize that perhaps I was making an impact on this little girl, more than I had dreamed. I seemed to be making a difference to her. Up 'til then, I wasn't really sure about that. I began to weep bittersweet tears. I was happy for myself, that apparently Biborly had learned to love me,and wanted me in her life, but tears of sorrow, for the loss of her parents and the break up of her family. That was one night that I will never forget. I was overflowing with joy, at the news that Biborly indeed loved me, and I was so grateful to the Lord for allowing me to finally have some insight into the life of this little orphan, named Biborly.
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