Scraped up little knees. Scabbed over wounds. Tattered little dress. Shoeless feet. Emotionless face. Outstretched arms.
Meet Brenda, my favorite little girl from the orphanage that we are helping with this month. Who knows what the past four years of her life have held.
The first day we went to see the grounds she was wondering around just here and there completely content on being alone and unbothered. In fact Janell saw her and was like, "She's gonna be a tough one to crack." Janell even walked over to her and tickled her and she kind of smiled, but quickly walked away from us.
We took a quick tour around the grounds and made our way over to sit for a bit. As we were walking Brenda found me. She just walked up and held up her arms and waited on me to pick her up.
That was a moment of honor. She spent the afternoon in my lap just playing with different accessories I had on and talking to me in Swahili. I just kept smiling and nodding and telling her how much I wish I could talk to her.
It came time to go and all I had to do was move just right and she knew I was leaving. She just climbed down and walked away. No attachment necessary. Not me, I loved her already.
The next day came and we spent some time there again. She quickly found me and we spent the afternoon, her speaking in Swahili as she played with my hair and necklace and me telling her how much I wished we could talk.
My favorite part was when I was explaining to her how my Dad used to play horse races when I sat on his knees. He would bounce me up and down on the very edge of his knees while he hummed the racing charge and eventually drop his knees out from under me for a little extra kick of excitement. Mind you the entire time I was telling her, I was giving her the best horsey ride she could want. Immediately her giggles turned into laughter and instantly I felt my heart overflow.
I have no idea what Brenda's life was like before she came to the orphanage. I don't know the story of her parents or if she's ever been/is sick. I have no idea how she got to the orphanage. But in all honesty, I don't care.
It's not that I don't care about her. I just don't care to edify a past that brought her to abandonment. Instead I care to edify a future that will come from being in an orphanage where she's loved and every need is met.
Pastor Moses last month made this statement that has stuck with me.
"The Lord says come just as you are. But you must not remain the same as you first came."
I know that Brenda's life will be the fulfillment of this quote. I know that the Lord will continue meeting her and covering her with His love. I know that He will make sure that she knows she's His no matter what.
Scraped up little knees. Scabbed over wounds. Tattered little dress. Shoeless feet. Emotionless face. Outstretched arms.
Meet Brenda, my favorite little girl from the orphanage that we are helping with this month. Who knows what the past four years of her life have held.
The first day we went to see the grounds she was wondering around just here and there completely content on being alone and unnoticed. In fact Janell saw her and was like, "She's gonna be a tough one to crack." Janell even walked over to her and tickled her and she kind of smiled, but quickly walked away from us.
We took a quick tour around the grounds and made our way over to sit for a bit. As we were walking Brenda found me. She just walked up and held up her arms and waited on me to pick her up. That was a moment of honor. She spent the afternoon in my lap just playing with different accessories I had on and talking to me in Swahili. I just kept smiling and nodding and telling her how much I wish I could talk to her.
It came time to go and all I had to do was move just right and she knew I was leaving. She just climbed down and walked away. No attachment necessary. Not me, I loved her already.
The next day came and we spent some time there again. She quickly found me and we spent the afternoon, her speaking in Swahili as she played with my hair and necklace and me telling her how much I wished we could talk.
My favorite part was when I was explaining to her how my Dad used to play horse races when I sat on his knees. He would bounce me up and down on the very edge of his knees while he hummed the racing charge and eventually drop his knees out from under me for a little extra kick of excitement. Mind you the entire time I was telling her, I was giving her the best horsey ride she could want. Immediately her giggles turned into laughter and instantly I felt my heart overflow.
I have no idea what Brenda's life was like before she came to the orphanage. I don't know the story of her parents or if she's ever been/is sick. I have no idea how she got to the orphanage. But in all honesty, I don't care.
It's not that I don't care about her. I just don't care to edify a past that brought her to abandonment. Instead I care to edify a future that will come from being in an orphanage where she's loved and every need is met.
Pastor Moses last month made this statement that has stuck with me. "The Lord says come just as you are. But you must not remain the same as you first came."
I know that Brenda's life will be the fulfillment of this quote. I know that the Lord will continue meeting her and covering her with His love. I know that He will make sure that she knows she's His no matter what.
So thank you Brenda for challenging me to never remain the same as I first came and thank you for stealing my heart, I would gladly give it away to you again any day.
