The most difficult part of hearing we likely won't be able to make the estimated February or March travel dates to pick up Sweet P is knowing she won't be right here in our home for a few more weeks of her life. Instead, she will be a few weeks longer of life in the orphanage.
Two days after we got that news, I got an email from Meagan, a girl I met back in high school while visiting my friends Kristie and Amy at their new home in Kansas. Following me? ...because it gets more intertwined... Fast-forward to college when I went off to Texas and my lifelong friend Carrie went to college in Oklahoma. Meagan did too. Carrie and Meagan become the best of friends and when Carrie got married, both Meagan and I were bridesmaids!
Carrie and me
Can't find one from the wedding with Carrie in it, but Meagan is the second girl and I'm right next to her.
Meagan just returned from four years in Zambia working at an orphanage. The Lord impressed upon her to share her experiences and thoughts about Sweet P and life in an orphanage. I wish I could adequately put into words how encouraging it was to read. I want to share an excerpt here:
God is really putting it on my heart to comfort you and reassure you of how loved she is right where she is. I say this in no way to minimize the feelings you have because I can’t imagine how hard it must be. But I assure you, having been the one on the other end, that it broke our hearts every time one of “our” babies left us. Our whole lives, and the lives of those that work in orphanages, center around the children and they become our children and we love them with every ounce of our beings. I obviously have no clue what your daughter’s orphanage is like, and I could be way off base, but I just want you to take comfort in the fact that though she is far away from you, someone is holding her tight, loving her, and dreading the day she’ll be leaving them. I know God is using whatever hands are there to cradle her and comfort her and develop her until she can be with your family finally.
Meagan was completely on target with what she said. The reason I know this is, the day after she wrote I asked on our adoption yahoo group if anyone had pictures of the orphanage to share. I didn't ask for details, just pictures. What I received back was another beautiful gift from the Lord. A girl named Jen wrote to say she had pictures from their trip in 2007. They have a gorgeous little girl who was 5 years old when they brought her home. Only the Lord could have compelled her to respond to my request for pictures with this specific info:
The kids are incredibly loved at (orphanage). Our daughter was there since birth. It's very clean and has lots of play areas. We were given a photo album with pics of her since she was a baby! Then as we were leaving a volunteer who knew our daughter since birth made up a beautiful photo album for us! It is so wonderful for our daughter to have. They also have very good medical care for the kids!
It was amazing to hear of the love from the workers at the orphanage -- exactly as Meagan had assumed. I was especially thankful for her final statement about medical care since that is a huge concern for Sweet P. Jen sent these pictures of the orphanage where Sweet P lives right now:
Some of these children were on the waiting children DVD and are still waiting for families... I vividly remember their sweet faces.
This picture is the most difficult for me to look at because of all the little beds in a row. On one hand, they have lots of friends around all the time, but on the other, it's so institutional. Don't miss the row of identical bears up on the cabinets.
Aah! I can't wait to get that little girl home so I can love on her. Buddy says he is going to give her lots of hugs and Peanut can't wait to have a bunkmate! I also can't wait to get her home so we can begin this process all over again. The need is so great.
Maybe you've felt compelled to adopt? There are children waiting for a forever family worldwide. You don't have to be a perfect family, just willing.
Blessings, angela
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