Welcome Home

In the last year...I've been here for over a year already! WOW!...I've had the opportunity to watch several children come into the center to join our TRS family there. We welcomed L. and M. who we asked God for the privilege of caring for for a long time before HE moved and brought them to us. Girls and boys keep coming to us...and although we've slowed down because of space and staffing, we still get to see God answer BIG prayers and bring new little ones here. On Tuesday we welcomed our newest family member; for me this may be the best one yet...

Last June, on my first visit to the Children's Hospital I met E.J. and have been asking the question...what can we do for E.J. ever since. She was abandoned at the hospital and had been living on one of the floors there for several years. The nurses were taking care of her as best as they could. We wanted to scoop her up that first day a year ago and bring her to the center but E.J. has special needs and we couldn't meet them at that time and we were experiencing some road blocks with another child abandoned there and didn't want to walk that same road with E.J. and end up loosing her to the system...AND God was whispering that dreaded 4 letter word...W.A.I.T.

So we visited her; gave her clothes and food and diapers. Every team that went to the Children's Hospital went to her floor and saw her...and then last week, I didn't go with the team to visit E.J.; when they arrived she was not there. She had been moved and it caused quite the commotion. The TRS staff that was along for the visit asked millions of questions and learned that she had been removed from the hospital and taken home but that the parents were unable to care for her and they needed help. At first glance it seemed like we were too late...we should have taken her in months ago...did we fail to listen to God? BUT then it became clear that this was God's movement...we didn't have to fight to get E.J. to our home...there was no one left to say "give me money and I'll give you the child"...she was moved to TRS at just the right time and in just the right way; I am OVERWHELMED at God's timing because we had all the things we needed to welcome her...things that we didn't have a year ago and some that we didn't even have a month ago. 

We have space in a bedroom...a month ago she would have had to go into the babies room...and she's at least 9 years old!

We have caregivers ready to help her...a month ago we were short some staff.

When she came through the door on Tuesday afternoon I couldn't help but be amazed at our staff. The aunties surrounded her and started proclaiming how beautiful and wonderful she is. Uncle Daniel encouraged her over and over again that she was welcome her and we are glad to have her. Aunty Seray helped her bathe and found her clothes that fit and shoes! And then there were her new brothers and sisters; she was loved and accepted immediately. They held her hands and showed her all over the center...they asked her question and didn't mind that she didn't answer...they just loved on her and they will continue to love on her!

I see E.J. where she needs to be and I ask God...what about the others...what about the one who has been trafficked? or the 13 year old who has decided that soccer is more important than school and dropped out? what about the man who dreams of finishing college but doesn't have the funds so he asks the stranger that walks past his house everyday? what about the girl whose mother named her Mohamed to trick the devil into thinking she is a boy? what about the others who are sick in the hospital with little or no treatment? what about the mother who just lost her 3 year old? And he whispers that dreaded 4 letter word W.A.I.T. ...know that I am God and I am at work...these are MY children...I will rescue them, in MY way, in MY time, and for MY glory...

So for me today, I will REJOICE that E.J. is here among us and marvel at HIS goodness and care of HIS children.