Tuesday, November 2, 2010

Ilunga & Mulumba


Here is 16 yr. old Ilunga & young brother, 14 yr. old Mulumba. They've been with us for a year and a 1/2 and are 2 of my very favorite boys. They have suffered difficulty most of their young lives but now are thriving in the safe place that God has made for them. They fled their home days after their mother died as they overheard her family blaming her death on them being witches. The conclusion was that Ilunga & Mulumba should die. They were 8 & 10 years old at the time. As they traveled on top of or under trains Ilunga made sure that Mulumba was safe; even, on one occasion, choosing to risk death or serious injury letting go of his safe place under the train when he saw Mulumba had fallen so that they would remain together.
We call Ilunga 'Commander' because he behaves like a soldier. Don't do the wrong thing where he can see you or he'll correct you or make sure that you are brought before some authority regardless of the cost to him. He is a young gentleman in a land where you don't find such people.