From the first moment I saw her face I felt drawn to her. It was something in her eyes, something deep within that told me, "there is something special about this one." We exchanged glances, then smiles. I made the gesture, asking her to come over and she simply shook her head, "No." She was more than shy, the boldness in her eyes told me that. She was guarded, increasing my interest in her. As I watched her, it was obvious that the expressions that crossed her face were far beyond her years. "What's her story?" I wondered.
I pointed her out to our contact, the director of the orphanage and asked her name, "S*" he said, "She's the newest addition to the orphanage."
As the kids began to take their place for dinner, I made my way over, making eye contact with her the whole way. The look in her eyes was curious, but still very much guarded. I sat down on the floor across from her and said the one word I thought she would know, "Hello." She just stared at me. I began talking with the girls around her. They pushed her to sit in my lap and her face filled with fear, tears welled up in her eyes as she emphatically shook her head, "No" once again. From that moment on I was convinced of one thing. I'd get to know 'S' if it was the last thing I did.
The next day we returned to the orphanage for lunch. All the kids were gathered and I saw her peeking through the kids, looking for me. Our eyes locked and she smiled. I, once again joined her on the floor. I didn't want to push her so I sat and talked with the girls around her again. At one point as we sat in silence, she stretched her hand out to me. I wasn't sure what she wanted so I stretched mine out to her. She looked at our hands for a moment and then returned to her own little world. After the meal, as the girls retreated upstairs to their rooms they invited me to join them. Upstairs there was singing and dancing, but my attention was on 'S'. She leaned against me for awhile, finally crawling into my lap. Being "the new girl" she was just as wide-eyed about the rooms activity as I was, so we sat and watched. Later than evening, when I picked her up, she wrapped her arms around my neck and my heart was officially won. I left that evening with a huge smile on my face.
Since that night, her face lights up when I walk into a room. She runs into my arms, filling me with more joy than I could ever express.
Our contact has told me a bit about her. "A child of prostitution," she was born three years ago to a woman living in the red light district of Mumbai. She never wanted a child, so 'S' was beaten on a regular basis. Her body still carries the marks of abuse. This beautiful child that fills me with so much joy was abused day in and day out. No wonder she was so guarded.
All I can do is praise God for the orphanage. I praise God that He rescued her and that she now gets to live in a home surrounded not only by people that love her so well, but also by the love of Christ, which is more than evident in that place.
I can't help but wonder what God has in store for this precious little girl. Some evenings, while I cradle her in my arms, I pray blessings over her. I whisper encouragement in her little ear, though I know she can't understand me. I just know that there is something special about her. I believe that God has amazing plans for her.
And the most beautiful part is that although she was born "the prostitute's daughter," she is now "Di Di" (meaning, "sister") And one day, I believe firmly that she will be called a "Daughter of the Most High."
*For security reasons I am unable to share her full name
