Powdered Faces and Water Balloons

(originally sent 4/4/07)
There are several young Baka children that hang out around our little collection of bungalows. It's difficult for me when I remember what a hard life they have. Many of them have been through difficulties children in North America could only imagine. Angu has a hand that is permanently disfigured from a fall in the fire and a face that is afraid to smile because of ridicule and harsh discipline. His little brother Ambili suffers from severe mal-nutrition that nearly caused his death, but he has improved dramatically in the last few months. Kunde recently fell into the cooking pot, burning his hand and forearm. Other children are left to fend for themselves most of the time. Many of them have been walking around completely naked the last couple days, until Laurel came out with some shirts that belong to her two young sons. I've heard the missionaries remark several times the last few days that it is hard for even their children, who play with the Baka children every day, to understand just how difficult life is for the Baka.
I got to spend some special time with the Baka kids today. I was sitting out on the Conrod's porch tickling some Baka boys while Laurel cut her boys' hair. She had baby powder out and was using it on Boaz when she gave a little to a girl sitting nearby. Immediately the powder ended up on her face to the delight of everyone else around. Powder was given to everyone, and thus commenced a scene of laughter and smiles as everyone got their pictures taken and looked in the mirror to see themselves.
The baby powder fun was scarcely finished when someone announced that the Abbotts had prepared water balloons for the children. They had a great time throwing water balloons at each other and effectively created a paste on their skin and in their hair with the powder and water mixture.
When we finished with that fun, we became aware that there were no Baka adults nearby. Usually, when that happens, it means that there is a celebration in the encampment. I had picked up little Ambili, who is not yet walking though he is probably about 2 years old, when he began crying in the chaos of the water balloon fight. Since Ambili has been so ill in the last year, I had written my friends here to ask if I would be able to see Ambili and take some pictures of him now that he is recovering. I had no idea that I would get a couple of hours of one-on-one time with him. His mother had also left, probably to gather food, and Ambili was left with a few young girls to look after him. So, I just kept him until his mother returned.
A few months ago, Ambili was so malnourished and ill that he looked like a skeleton and could not hold his head up. The missionary team here decided to make Ambili a prayer project and begun to pray that God would miraculously heal Ambili and grow him up to be a man of God. He has improved greatly, but his legs arms, and neck are still quite thin, and his belly, hands, and feet are swollen because of malnutrition. Ambili probably weighs less than 15 pounds at almost 2 years old. However, due to his miraculous improvement, we hope that God has great plans for Ambili. Perhaps he will be a great evangelist or a leader in the church, or maybe he will help teach Baka parents how to keep their children strong and healthy. Regardless of what he does with his life, I hope that he gives all glory to God for how He has preserved him. Please pray with us that Ambili would continue to gain strength and that God would be glorified in his life.