"Jesus said let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these."
Matthew 19:14
We started our day out at Mercy Home to lead a VBS for the children of Bweya. The morning began with singing and dancing, led by the 4 African college students that we have been fortunate to have with us all week. They connect with the kids in such an amazing way. It doesn't hurt that they also speak their language! I think for the majority of us participating we would have estimated that we might have 50-100 children but as the music started the shelter area quickly filled and we had over 300 children and parents there to hear about God. It is such fun to watch the enthusiasm and love that children express to God even in such a dry dark place as Mercy Home.
I am sitting in a very familiar place having written the blog for the trip in December except this time I was looking through very different eyes.
We had a plan for our day and what we thought would happen but God had his own plan. We would all be touched in one way or another either personally or by watching our friends. It is easy to enjoy and connect with children-they are funny, cute, carefree. These children are also that same way but they are also very hungry for something deeper. Many of them have parents that are trying hard to care for them and then there are some that have no one and nothing. God has a way of placing those children in the hands of the one he knows will stop for just that extra second and realize their need. I saw this happen with Mark and Mercy.
Mercy is a precious, petite girl who smiles and you immediately smile back. I kept noticing her at Mark's feet. As the morning went on I would see them interacting and before long her little hand was in his almost constantly. I knew that he was growing to love her. That may sound strange to some but you see I recognized this immediately because in December this was happening to me with Edith. It is a beautiful thing to witness. Mark was here serving with ekissa (Mercy in Llugandan), at Mercy Home and he is now caring for a little girl named Mercy. It is so amazing how God can orchestrate such small details so that we might recognize him at work.
Steve and I are in Uganda finishing up the legal process of adopting Edith and her brother Derrick. On this very day we received the visas for both children to allow us to return home with them. We officially became their guardians.
All of us are along with the ekissa team participating today. Edith's older brother, Asharuf, is a 8 year old boy who lives at Mercy. They were both so excited to see one another. Even though many of these children are separated from their family there is still a deep sense of commitment to one another. We were serving lunch to all the children and parents. When Asharuf was receiving his plate he immediately recognized that his brother and sister were not eating. He passed his plate to Edith so she would have something. He may not have even in days but yet he was sacrificing his lunch for them. He also stuck by them all day rather than having fun with the VBS activities. We finished the lunch time and the kids began playing in the yard of Mercy Home. It was so awesome to see all these kids having fun and laughing.
The afternoon went on and we all knew it would be time to leave them. Having left Edith in December I knew what a hard time Mark would have when he had to finally part from Mercy. And I also knew that this might be the last time that Edith and Derrick would see their brother Asharuf. I had no idea that he might be aware of this reality. As we were leaving he began to hold tight to Edith's hand and my heart grew extremely heavy. How were we to leave this young boy here alone with no one to take care of him? What would we say? How is Mark going to let go of the hand that he had been holding all day? As Edith was yelling out to her brother "Goodbye Asharuf, I love you." and Mark was hearing the tiny voice say "Come back Mazungu." the tears began and I believe that inside Mark and I are still crying. But we also know that God will provide for these kids as well as provide for us.
How it will all turn out for Ashuraf and for the relationship between Mark and Mercy? We don't know. I know that when I came in December I certainly didn't come with the intentions of adopting. God does have a plan and for that I am grateful.
When we let go and let God have the reign of our hearts it is easy to love with the depth that only God can provide. He simply loved us first.
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