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Tapala is a seventh grade boy who is very bright. He hopes someday to become a pastor or teacher. On one recent day in Boma, Tapala inspired me and showed me the true meaning of Easter.
Tapala’s Story: The True Meaning of EasterTapala is like most 7th grade boys you know; he loves to play video games and soccer. He attends Faith Learning Center where he does very well in the classroom. Tapala is also an enterprising young man so one day I asked if he would like to try selling some of our lemons at the market in Lower Boma. One of our initiatives in Boma is to find new ways to generate revenue to help offset the costs associated with running a school. Since we had a surplus of lemons, Henry Okumu, our African Director, and I thought we should try selling some to determine if their was a local market for lemons.
 Tapala took 45 lemons down the mountain and arranged them on a cloth in the market place. Unfortunately, he was unable to sell a single one. When he returned to Upper Boma to give us his report he was very tired and hungry. We gave him a big plate of beans and some chapatti (chapatti is like a thick tortilla). It looked like a lot of food and I asked him if he could eat it all and like most boys, he said he could eat even more. As he was eating I went back to my tukul to get a camera to take a picture of him. When I returned I saw that a young naked boy was sitting next to Tapala eating from his plate. I asked Tapala if he knew the boy and he said that he was just a boy from the village who was hungry. Amazing! So, Tapala saw a hungry boy and out of compassion for him shared his little meal even though it still left him feeling hungry himself. Tapala sacrificed what little he had and gave it to another starving child.
It seems to me that Tapala understands much for a 13 year old boy. He was tired and hungry, yet was still willing to share his meal with someone even less fortunate. He truly inspired me! While progress in Boma is often difficult to see, Tapala showed me he knew something about the true meaning of Easter. Christ saw each of us as that starving child and out of His compassion for our plight willingly sacrificed His own life so that we might be saved and live eternally with Him.
“Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.” John 15:13 (ESV)
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Pray for these Children!Please continue to pray for the children in Boma as hunger is rampant throughout the area. Most children get one meal a day if lucky and then must forage whatever they can from the fruit trees. Fortunately, when in season the fruit in Boma is fantastic. Mangoes, lemons and bananas are plentiful and do provide some relief, but this is insufficient for the number of children needing nourishment in order to maintain good health. Sadly, most of the children in Boma suffer from malnutrition but Tapala has shown us the true meaning of Easter through his sacrifice and kindness.
Your consistent prayers and support enable SEA Partners to share God’s love with these children every day through Faith Learning Center and the agriculture programs designed to relieve hunger and develop future leaders. Tapala has shown me that we are making progress, but there remains much to be done. With your help we can continue to improve the lives of these children in Boma.
May God bless you for your generosity.
Donnie Brake, Ed.D.
President
PS. If Tapala’s story has touched your heart, please consider an online gift as your part in helping the children in Boma.
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