“Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever. Let the redeemed of the Lord tell their story—those he redeemed from the hand of the foe.” Psalm 107:1–2
At a young age, Gabriel suffered an injury that left him with untreated wounds, ultimately leading to an infection in his left hip. Although our team found him and quickly sought medical care, the infection had already caused permanent damage to the bone, requiring a hip replacement. Gabriel could run and play with the other kids, but he did so with a limp and significant pain, dreaming of a day when he could be free from it.
Gabriel and Dr. Brad Guffey before Gabriel’s surgery
The path to healing was not easy, largely because Zambia had no surgeons who performed hip replacements. Family Legacy staff members searched and prayed for opportunities to have the surgery elsewhere. After several years, God revealed His answer to those prayers. At Camp Life 2024, generous supporters Edd and Nina Hendee heard about Gabriel’s need while speaking with Dr. Brad Guffey. They immediately took action, connecting our team with a surgeon in Houston who not only agreed to perform the surgery, but offered to do it at no cost.
With many of God’s people stepping in to help, including Family Legacy staff, the Hendees, and Andrew and Stacey White (Gabriel’s sponsors), Gabriel arrived in Houston in mid-September for a life-changing surgery that successfully replaced his left hip. As he healed, Gabriel leaned into one of his greatest talents—painting. Not only did it pass the time, but it became a meaningful way for him to share his perspective with others, painting beautiful Zambian sunsets, birds he’s seen, and more.
From Pain to Painting
Gabriel’s paintings serve as a powerful reminder of the picture God is painting in each of our lives. He redeems us from dark places and gives us a story to tell, so that we can share His goodness and mercy with those around us, as we are called to do in Psalm 107. Gabriel has fully embraced this command after seeing God redeem His life, using countless believers and circumstances to bring healing—spiritually and physically.
Gabriel displaying one of his paintings
Through his paintings—the physical artwork and stories of God’s goodness—Gabriel hopes that believers would continue to invest in the redemptive work God is doing around them. For this reason, Gabriel is not only sharing his story, but also auctioning 40 of his paintings in Houston on Sunday, November 10, 2024. All proceeds of this event will go to Family Legacy’s Hill Wellness Center, the very place whose staff members cared for Gabriel and helped him throughout his healing process. He hopes this event will allow others to experience the same life-changing medical care that he received. His humility and overwhelming love toward others have been evident throughout this incredible journey. Click here to bid online or donate to the Hill Wellness Center.
May we, like Gabriel, recognize the beauty of God’s redemption stories in our lives. Would we not just recognize them, but also seek to share them, as commanded in Psalm 107, inviting people into the story God continues to write—because He is worthy of all glory and praise.
To sponsor a child like Gabriel coming from extreme vulnerable circumstances, click here.
