Broken for the Abandoned

When we walked into the orphanage, all of the children were
napping on the floor. A few were on rice mats, but most were lying on the bare
tile. One by one they began waking up as the director told us more about how the
children came to the orphanage. Most were the product of divorce. After
separating, neither parent wanted any memory of their past marriage, including
their own kids. These kids had been abandoned, unwanted by the very people who
brought them into the world. This news immediately broke my heart. Having
divorced parents myself, I could never imagine being deserted by either one.

As the kids began to get up from their napping places, they started to run up and cling to each visitor. They clearly wanted to be touched,
to be loved. The small staff could not possibly give the 25 children the
individual attention they craved. Looking around the humble building I looked
for extra rooms where the kids may sleep at night. Surely they each had a bed.
We later found out that room was all the children had.

We began teaching them games and songs, and each of my
teammates had at least two children in their laps. The kids in turn performed
for us, and we taught Bible stories. As time when on, their attention spans
shortened and chaos ensued. Children were running everywhere. I ended up on the
floor being wrestled down by at least five kids. Laughter filled the room as
the kids were receiving attention they had been wanting. Once it was time to
leave, we all began saying goodbyes. Children clung to each of us as we tried
to get out of the door. One little boy hugged my waist so tightly that I
thought I was going to have to take him with me.

Leaving the orphanage, I was broken hearted. I could not
imagine being abandoned by my parents, left alone to sleep on a floor. Grateful
for the abundance of love given to me by my parents, I prayed that each child
would find new parents who would love them and give them a home. I also prayed
that today they experienced an even greater love: the love of their Creator.
God’s heart breaks for the marginalized, the abandoned, the overlooked. Not one
of those children is abandoned. Each one is loved by a Father who will never
leave them.