Family

Yesterday was the first time that Mahlet told Heather, “I love you,” without Heather first initiating it.  Sure, she has repeated it at bedtime and such, but it was the first self-initiated time.  It brought a smile to both of us. 

I have been sitting around for the last couple of weeks letting my ankle heal and I have had lots of time to just sit and watch.  I normally am so busy that I don’t have time to just sit and process things.  The questions that have been streaming through my head have not been easy though.

Would Yosef have made it to his 5^th birthday?

What about Mahlet’s deep hurts?  Would she have any childhood left?

How much longer would Eyerusalem be able to last without her innocence being stolen?  (God thank you for protecting her.)

What about London?  What would her life have been like growing up in the foster care system here in America, lasting in one house for a few months at a time? 

How far have our kids come? 

What was their life like?  I know that they came from a very poor area, (I have been there.)  

Normally, I don’t think of our kids as orphans, or ex-orphans.  They are just our kids. I don’t like to go back to the memories of them as orphans.  It is too hard to do.  This week though, God has been showing me something.  (I am not quite sure what it is but I know that he has been putting something on my heart.) 

God has graciously placed them in our family.  They have comfort in knowing that they have a mom and dad who are at home who love them unconditionally.  They take comfort in knowing that they have siblings to play with.  I am watching them grow up well fed, loved and cared for. 

This week was the first time that I have seen Mahlet play make-believe.  She has never done this before.   She has had no idea how.  She asked for Barbie’s for her birthday a few months ago, but then afterward she wondered why she got them because she didn’t really know how to play with them.  She has never had time for make believe before.  When we were staying in ET, I thought that Eyerusalem and Mahlet would be easily entertained with the long days and I was completely wrong.  London, Geneva and Capri, all knew how to play make believe and entertain themselves for hours playing house, or tea party or flying paper kites.  Mahlet had no idea how to just play. 

Now, I listen to her playing Barbie’s with her sisters, “Okay, I get to be the mom now.  It is okay baby, I love you so much.”  These words mean a lot.  She now remembers what a mother is supposed to be like and she now knows how to love again. 

God, thank you for demonstrating to us what a family is.  Thank you for being our Heavenly Father who cares for the orphans.  You place them in families.  It is by your grace that you have blessed us with our children.  Lord, embolden your church, your people, to provide and care for the millions of orphans that remain.  You are the Father to the fatherless and you bring justice to the orphan.