Overwhelmed by emotion, there I stood gazing upon the city from a rooftop. The thought of leaving India without this girl who had so quickly stolen my heart was heartbreaking.
We have been ministering in south India for the past few weeks in homes for children with special needs, most having been abandoned. In this culture these children are deemed to have no value and are abandoned at a very young age because of their condition. It is considered to be an unnecessary burden and even a curse to have such children in your home and so they are often forsaken.
It didn’t take long for me to be captivated by this precious girl. Abandoned at a very young age because of her cerebral palsy, she was taken into this home where she is taken care of. Winnie (her internet name) is 6 and she will smile and hold your hand for hours, content with just being held and talked to. Due to her cerebral palsy she cannot walk, talk or sit up on her own. But regardless of the fact that she cannot do these things she has so much life inside of her and I can’t not see Jesus when I look at her. She is so precious and knowing her has enabled me to comprehend a little better our Father’s heart for us.
Winnie means “gentle friend” and she has been exactly that to me. I wonder if she knows how much she has had an impact on my life. She is teaching me how to love. God truly does use the “weak” of this world to show His strength and love.
There upon that roof tears escaped my eyes as I imagined the soon to be reality of not being able to see my gentle friend every day. I then imagined what God feels towards his Children. His love is greater than we can imagine and fully comprehend. And sometimes He will bring people into your life so that you can taste that strong love and be drawn to it as He stirs affections in your heart to love those whom He has so carefully created.
There is truly no better love to know than that of a God who is extremely jealous for you. If you do not know this love or are not experiencing it right now I want to encourage you to ask Him to reveal that powerful love to you and He will. Ask Him to open your eyes that you may see that love and be transformed by it.
I am so thankful to have had the privilege of spending those moments with this dear friend. It is only the first month of the Race and I can already see how my life is changed because of this encounter. Thank you so much for being a part of that through prayer and support. I am extremely blessed. I will never forget the day I met Winnie.
Winnie is in need of sponsorship and if you have it on your heart to help provide for her please contact me and I will be glad to share more information with you about that.
Winnie is learning to sit up, lift her head and look around.
