Jonas - House 1
Jonas came to us in 1997. Jonas came out of the bush from a desperately poor situation, both financially and morally. His grandfather is also his father. His mother is simple. The father beat his own daughter (Jonas’ mother) and tried to kill her with a machete. A great aunt of the boy took the case to social services and tried to get the boy out of this situation. She would not take in the boy and just as well as she is the Madame of a brothel. Talk about seeing soap operas before our very own eyes. She kept refering to the boy as a “bush rat”.
Jonas took to the house mother right away at Chain of Love. It seemed that he was used to being handed out. In fact, a couple from our church had taken him in off the street sometime in the past but gave him up because they themselves were very poor.
Jonas has a real craving for a mother and father figure. He did not speak much when he came to us. Jonas is very fair. He has bright red hair and pink skin, full of freckles. He cannot go into the sun for any length of time as he burns and peals very badly. His hands are all wrinkled and dried up and cracking. The house parents are applying a salve to moisturize them. They look like the hands of an old man. We need to overlook all this, knowing that he is not very attractive, when compared to all the other Chain children, as we know that the person under the skin is as important to God as all the rest of the children.
Jonas is 11 years old and is enrolled in a special school. He is taking an art class offered here at Chain of Love. Jonas can often be seen playing outside playing alone or with his younger brothers. Please pray that God will continue to help Jonas’ continued growth and maturity, as Jonas is slow in many things.
Update: Jonas won a trip to Beto Carreiro (similar to Disneyworld). He was tested genetically and nothing was found wrong with him.
January 2007 Update: Jonas is 13 and attends a special school. Jonas says he has accepted Jesus as his Saviour but has not requested baptism. At the homes, he works with leather, making belts. In church he goes to Boys’ Brigade and the Adolescent Group. He has changed remarkably in his behaviour. He is loving and responsible.
Main Prayer Request: That he would develop in the area of reading and writing.
2008 Update: Jonas is fourteen years old and attends a special school. He works at home to sweep the outside walks and patio. When he has spare time he likes to use a hammer and other tools, but he does not make anything. He is a sweet, loving boy. He would like to be a fireman one day.
He is growing spiritually, has accepted Christ as his Saviour and been baptized. He talks about the Lord and likes to participate when the church is involved in evangelism to needy areas.
Jonas does not sleep at nights. Please also pray that he would stop pestering the girls in his home.
2009 Update: Jonas is very patient, loving and gentle with younger children and at school he is improving at forming words. He enjoys taking things apart but he cannot put them back together again. He also has difficulty with computers. He asks for prayer for his biological mother and his brothers.
Birthday: August 16, 1993
Photos: Jul 2010
sister: Sara