Azubike Kalu, Back2Back staff, looked down at the big brown eyes standing before him. “Chuy*! Sorry, Golibe*! Or . . . Mongo*? How are you this morning? Did you sleep well?” A small smile stretched across the four-year old boy’s face, but he never answered Azubike’s question. This morning was the first morning for a set of four-year old quadruplet boys at a partnering children’s home.
Tayo*, Chuy, Golibe, and Mongo arrived in January of 2017. When they arrived, the quads spoke no English and spent many days at the front gate, crying to go home.
“It was a difficult transition for everyone,” shared Azubike. “The boys missed their family and didn’t understand why their living arrangements had changed. They weren’t bathroom trained, and their regular outbursts grew to frustrate and distract the other children in the home.”
Azubike and fellow staff members began to pray for discernment on how best to care for the boys as they transitioned and adjusted to their new home. Providing holistic care without being able to communicate and develop relationship proved difficult in the face of language barriers.
“As we continued to pray, we felt God begin to, piece by piece, answer our cries for help,” shared Azubike. “All four boys received sponsorship within weeks of arriving. A portion of the sponsorship money provided pays for the children to attend school. Once they were sponsored, we readied the boys for another new beginning.”
The first day of school drew near, and the boys were joyfully expectant. They rose early on their first day, getting dressed and making sure they had all they needed. Azubike walked them to their classrooms, not sure how the transition would go, but the boys walked boldly into their new room, not looking back.
Later that day, the boys ran off the bus and toward the home. Azubike greeted them with a smile, “How was your first day at school?” Each of the four boys smiled and then one began singing a nursery rhyme. After just two lines, his brothers joined him and completed the song. “They didn’t get many of the words correct, but they were so proud of themselves for recalling the song and reciting it,” said Azubike. “It filled me with tearful joy to hear them.” The foursome walked past Azubike toward the house, singing ‘Row, Row, Row Your Boat,’ in their own special way.
The boys continued to go to school and staff prayerfully went to God, asking for language to begin to click, allowing communication and relationship building to become easier.
“Uncle Azub! Mongo took my toy car without permission. Please tell him to give it back to me!”
Azubike turned around, eyes wide as he took in the site of Tayo speaking in full sentences. Five month after starting school, the quadruplets are speaking English, and putting together clear sentences just fine. “I remember thinking, at the time, ‘just months ago, they couldn’t speak at all! And now, in full and understandable sentences!’” shared Azubike. The tiff was repaired between the two brothers, and Azubike smiled to himself gratefully. What had once felt like an insurmountable obstacle, was another way Back2Back staff and the children served are able to point to God for faithfully working in each story.
Back2Back child sponsorship allows each child to attend school and receive a well-rounded education. We are thankful for our child sponsors for partnering with Back2Back in pursuing growth for each child and being the difference for one.