I remember the first time I ever met an orphan face to face. I was 19 years old and went to Nicaragua with my college roommate. I was timid, scared, and couldn't recall one lick of Spanish for the first entire day. I was so nervous. I actually chose to paint most of the time, instead of being with the kids... because physical labor came more natural for me than loving orphans.
In 2000, I met 400+ orphans face to face in Guatemala. This time, it was a bit different. I'm not sure why. While I remained drawn to the physical labor... there was something about those kids. I longed to hold them, love on them, mother them. It was there, I knew God had planted the seed of adoption in my heart. It was there I feel in love with orphans OF GUATEMALA. (honestly, I didn't care that much about orphans elsewhere at that point)
God took that and grew something much bigger than I could imagine. 5 trips to Guatemala later... He blessed me with a husband who loves orphans... and desired to adopt. We set off with life together... with helping orphans "on the side."
We went from not knowing an orphan... to serving God through loving orphans "on the side"... to becoming an adoptive family... to full time service in orphan ministry. At this point, God expanded our hearts beyond anything we could imagine.
That is what happens. God takes a heart that preferred painting walls over loving children... and makes it into a mothers heart. God takes a heart that only loved "one kind" of orphan... and makes the love in it SO large, that it loves BEYOND skin color, geography, or age. God took 2 hearts joined in Him... with a "thank God I'm not called into full time ministry" attitude and melts them into "I can't believe God would use us to do this" type of perspective.
He has taken our "We would never's" and blessed us with the ability to say "absolutely and joyfully YES."
Today, We long to go near... to "weep with those who weep"... to tell them they are precious... to reassure them when they are uncertain... to point them to the Father when they have no one... to laugh with them... to see them grow... We long to go near.
Clicking the "like" button : )
ReplyDeletei clicked the "like" button too! (o;
ReplyDeleteLove hearing about the story God has written for you life! I am also very thankful that God joined me with a husband who loves orphans too. I was reading a book today on the attributes of God and it was talking about how He doesn't need us, but when we are willing He will gladly use us for His GLORY! Thanks for sharing, it's beautiful.
ReplyDeleteMitzi, I have a few friends that started an organization to help the children and community in the largest slum in Guatemala; La Limonada. I'm not sure if it's anything you've ever heard anything about but I urge you to check it out. The website is: www.lemonadeinternational.org.
ReplyDeleteIf you want to contact anyone further on it let me know. I can put you in touch with the right people ;-)
Isn't it interesting how He changes our desires, passions, and heart into something we never dreamed possible? Love it!
ReplyDeleteMelt my heart and make me cry... again! Love you friend, and I am SO excited for the future and all God has in store for your precious family... ALL of you! :) (((Hugs)))
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