Disturbed

Mokolov

The most disturbing place I have ever been in my life was in an orphanage for disabled boys in the village of Mokolov. When I walked through the gates I already knew that I would see horrific sights of neglected children. In my mind I thought I was ready to see what I was about to see. It wasn’t long until I realized this wasn’t true. It was one thing to know that this place existed and even to know of the tragedy that lay behind the wall but to see it, to smell it, to touch it was to experience it. The boys lived like animals. Children were wondering around. Some of them were drugged to keep them quiet. One of the older boys was in charge of the others. As a farmer herding his animals, he kept them in contained areas. Some of the children would sit for hours after using the restroom in their pants before someone would bother to change their clothes. Caretakers stood around, in their clean white coats. The boys were dirty. Some of them were drooling. Some had disfigured heads. Others had twisted bodies. Everywhere you looked you would see one of them holding their knees to their chest, rocking back and forth. The smells were atrocious. It was difficult for me to wrap my mind around this world. I sat beside a blind boy, unable to move, unable to stand up. What I saw disturbed me.

I watched in amazement as Saskia approached the boys without hesitation. Many of them she knew by name and they all knew her. It was a beautiful thing. It was Jesus in the flesh touching the least of these. I am thankful to God for this disturbing experience and the inspirational testimony of my friend.