Mamy

Mamy* was a teenager in Madagascar who's parents decided they could no longer afford to take care of him. As a young boy, they dropped him off at his uncle's house with a note asking for help.

His uncle wasn't in much of a condition to take care of him either. Once a successful carpenter, he had been hit by a bus and lost the use of both of his legs. His wife left him following the accident.

Determined to not beg, he said he decided that God had taken his legs but left his arms and he could provide for himself. He took sewing classes, and eventually made precious silk tablecloths for tourists. After years of being poor, he worked his way out of poverty. His wife had left, but he and his five children had a decent life.

But taking on one more seemed like too much. He told Mamy as he grew up: "I love you like my own son, but I can't afford to pay for another's schooling." It was a sad reality Mamy faced daily.

Mamy's life, he had decided, was to push his uncle around in his wheelchair wherever he wanted to go. In return, he received room and board. Every Sunday, he would push his uncle for over an hour up and down hills to get to church.

When he turned 17, he learned his parents had died and left him their business of chickens. This was his way out. He could sell the chickens, buy new ones, raise them, and sell them as well. Finally, he saw life out of his uncle's keep.

He learned that he was unable to sell the chickens unless he had a license that cost $20. He knew that neither he nor his uncle could afford that. Imagine... his life would have been set and he would have been able to provide for himself if he could find a mere $20. Sadly and with a shrug, he gave up his dream.

Well, when my parents visited me in Madagascar, they ordered a tablecloth from his uncle. I told them Mamy's story and how much I wished I could help (in my program, we were unable to give money to locals). But my parents were determined to find a way to help.

When the day came for us to leave, Mamy and his uncle delivered the tablecloths to us at my church's headquarters. I didn't know this before hand, but without taking a bus, Mamy had pushed his uncle three hours and up a huge hill to get to us.

When my parents saw him, they were touched that he would push his uncle for three hours to make the delivery... and that he had no shoes!

My dad told me to translate without input. My dad explained to Mamy that in our country, the person making the delivery received a payment as well. My dad took the shoes off his feet, and gave them to Mamy. Then, reaching in his pocket, he handed him 40,000 Ariary (about $20). Mamy tried to refuse and say it was too much, but my dad insisted.

Looking at the money (which was more than he had ever had in his life), he realized this sum was just enough to buy the license. He ran over, gave me and my parents a huge hug, and sobbed. His life was saved.

Do you want to help people like Mamy spiritually and physically? Donate to the youth conference today.

*Name was changed

Rija

Rija* was 14 years old when his dad abandoned him. He and his mother struggled to make ends meet, and ended moving into a one room tiny apartment in the Malagasy city of Ivato.

His mother was highly educated, but couldn't afford alone the costs of Rija's education. She worked two jobs and barely could afford enough rice to feed them both. Their electricity was turned off occasionally.

Rija and his mother knew the Malagasy poverty cycle all too well. If Rija didn't attend school, he and his children would live poor for the rest of their lives.

After a lot of prayer and discussion, they decided together that they couldn't afford to both eat and send Rija to school. So they worked out a simple solution. Rija and his mom wouldn't eat on Mondays, Wednesdays or Fridays in order to pay for his education. They were hoping that such a sacrifice would pay itself back later.

Rija happily obliged and went to school often on an empty stomach. He enjoyed playing basketball, but there were days he was too tired, hungry and dizzy to play with his friends after school.

Eventually, a kind couple from the United States provided a year's worth of rice and beans to this young family so he could attend school on a full stomach.

Want to help kids like Rija? Donate to Malagasy youth conferences today! http://www.youcaring.com/other/help-malagasy-children/115399

*Name was changed

Lucy

Lucy and her siblings lived away from their parents who were off working so the kids could go to school. When her and her 9 brothers and sisters met the missionaries, they immediately wanted to learn
more.

After two months and with no influence from their parents, they all joined the church. Their parents joined a
year later.

Who's running NHT

NHT is not affiliated with EFY in the United States.

However, former EFY coordinators and Session Directors are in charge of the program development and running the actual program. So it will be remarkably similar.