When I first saw Tanya's picture, something pricked inside of me in a way that is hard to explain. I felt an immediate empathy for this young girl, not even knowing her name or age or circumstance. I felt an immediate need to meet her, and a nervousness that first night that I had that privilege. It felt similar to a first date kind of nervousness.
Will she like me? What will she think of me? What is she like? What are her hopes and dreams? What will her future look like?
We brought a simple meal of shepherd’s pie for the group of orphans, house parents, staff and volunteers, as an excuse to meet her and get to know her a little. Would she like my cooking? How could I even talk to her? I didn’t speak her language and she didn’t speak mine.
Initially, she was standoffish, hiding behind her orphan friends and the translators that she had grown to love and trust, with eyes cast down and not much interest in us “newbies.” Scott and I were a bit intimidated, with all of these beautiful orphans running around with the staff and volunteer children, and a whole lot of people we did not know. Our kids were intimidated at first as well, not quite knowing what to do or say.
But soon our children were in the midst of the other kids, running around, laughing and playing indiscriminately as children do, and blending in beautifully with the orphans and staff kids.
“Lighten up,” I thought to myself. “Let’s go over and ask her if we can play fooze ball with her.” I elbowed Scott in the ribs. We took a deep breath and went over there. Like nervous teenagers ourselves, we asked if we could play. Before long, Tanya’s beautiful smile and bright blue eyes were laughing and looking at us as we played together.
Before the end of the evening, we were able to talk with her, through translators, and begin to get to know her. Before we finished the 45 minute drive home, our hearts were full of a divine daughter-love for her that is unexplainable, and our hearts were full of the peace of Christ to adopt her.
We spent the next week seeking the Lord in prayer and through His Word, and Ephesians 2:10 recaptured our hearts. If this is indeed a good work that God has prepared beforehand for us, all we need to do is obediently walk in that. We don’t have to have this thing figured out. We were not prepared for this, we didn’t have the money for it, we didn’t feel ready for it. But what has stuck with me is the picture of walking through these open doors, one at a time, in obedience to Christ, letting Him lead one step at a time, and letting Him worry about whether a door will shut or not.
Maybe we were created for this! And so we walk in obedience, one step at a time....
Will she like me? What will she think of me? What is she like? What are her hopes and dreams? What will her future look like?
We brought a simple meal of shepherd’s pie for the group of orphans, house parents, staff and volunteers, as an excuse to meet her and get to know her a little. Would she like my cooking? How could I even talk to her? I didn’t speak her language and she didn’t speak mine.
Initially, she was standoffish, hiding behind her orphan friends and the translators that she had grown to love and trust, with eyes cast down and not much interest in us “newbies.” Scott and I were a bit intimidated, with all of these beautiful orphans running around with the staff and volunteer children, and a whole lot of people we did not know. Our kids were intimidated at first as well, not quite knowing what to do or say.
But soon our children were in the midst of the other kids, running around, laughing and playing indiscriminately as children do, and blending in beautifully with the orphans and staff kids.
“Lighten up,” I thought to myself. “Let’s go over and ask her if we can play fooze ball with her.” I elbowed Scott in the ribs. We took a deep breath and went over there. Like nervous teenagers ourselves, we asked if we could play. Before long, Tanya’s beautiful smile and bright blue eyes were laughing and looking at us as we played together.
Before the end of the evening, we were able to talk with her, through translators, and begin to get to know her. Before we finished the 45 minute drive home, our hearts were full of a divine daughter-love for her that is unexplainable, and our hearts were full of the peace of Christ to adopt her.
We spent the next week seeking the Lord in prayer and through His Word, and Ephesians 2:10 recaptured our hearts. If this is indeed a good work that God has prepared beforehand for us, all we need to do is obediently walk in that. We don’t have to have this thing figured out. We were not prepared for this, we didn’t have the money for it, we didn’t feel ready for it. But what has stuck with me is the picture of walking through these open doors, one at a time, in obedience to Christ, letting Him lead one step at a time, and letting Him worry about whether a door will shut or not.
Maybe we were created for this! And so we walk in obedience, one step at a time....