Victor tries to get us to take Lytone home with us every night now. I jokingly asked if Jesus could be speaking through her brother & affirming our hearts desires. Could it be so easy? – August 24th, 2013
Jay and I have seriously been talking about adopting Lytone and what that would mean. It is definitely the desire of both our hearts to raise her, to love her, to discipline her, to protect her and to teach her. We just don’t know if that’s what you, Lord, want. There are so many complicating factors.
- She has a hardworking mother who tries and loves her
- She has three siblings at home and many others in Mukono
Everything else that seems like a complicating factor is really nothing at all:
- She doesn’t speak English
- She might have AIDS
But these are nothing really. Fleshy concerns. The Father looks past these things and so do I. We always said international adoption for us would be only after we were already in relationship with a child. Lytone fits the bill. But in seeking the Father’s heart, I don’t know if his heart for adoption is greater than his heart for families to stay together. We can offer her a better life – out of poverty and full of the Father’s love, medical care, education and opportunity…but is that enough reason to take her from her family? We’d offer her unconditional love & attention. She’d have a mommy AND a daddy. She’d have new siblings someday. We could maintain her ties here, but is that what you want, Lord? God, be in this. Today, I need Immanuel. Tune my ears and my heart to see you and hear you in this. Confirm between Jay and I what you have for us.
We did the house visit at Lytone’s to take the ugali, beans, pineapple, bananas, popcorn & clothes. The kids were so excited. Her mom’s name is Katherine. We committed to praying for school fees for the kids and for the situation with the neighbors trying to evict her. Could school fees be our long-term involvement with Lytone? Why does it feel like there should be more? Will I ever understand, Father? – August 25th, 2013
As I was reading “The Hole in Our Gospel,” my heart broke for Lytone. The realities of this book are the life of my sweet girl. God, maybe she’s just supposed to be a face of the sufferings and tragedies of this broken world to me. Father, let me never become apathetic. – August 26th, 2013
We headed to the school and hung out with kids. We sang songs, played games, wrestled and hugged. I’m so glad Jay and I are cultivating a habit of using our “free time” to love and to minister. Lytone took me to Mama Frida to show me off as her friend. Jay bought chapatti for all the workers at the school and then we had the hardest goodbye of the Race. Loving Lytone grew our hearts for her siblings also. My heart was breaking as we walked away. It sucked. – August 27th, 2013
I’ve thought of and prayed for Lytone every single day since we left Mukono on August 28th. I’ve cried over her more times than I remember. Our last night there, we talked to Pastor Joseph and Frida about ways to help her family long-term. We have some options that we’re praying about. Unfortunately, adoption is not one of those options. We talked about returning to Uganda to live for three years to be eligible to adopt. We learned that her mother would be so happy for Lytone to go to America, but we also learned that adoption is near impossible if there are living parents. I’m also learning that as difficult as it is to accept – this was a journey of the heart. I felt like I was supposed to be forever connected to Lytone and while the heart can be deceptive – it was not. I am forever connected to this precious girl because I learned the Father’s love through her. Loving Lytone was like having my heart walk around outside of my body, it was a glimpse at the love of parents and helps me understand the love He has for His children.
Lytone was the filthiest child, in the rattiest rag of a dress with the snottiest nose and still, she was beautiful. She ran towards me with arms open wide, shouting “mzungu Jennie!” I didn’t think twice about the filth or the stench of dirty fish, because our hearts transcended all barriers. I picked her up and hugged her close to my nice, clean church clothes. I spun her around and even found myself kissing her potentially fungal infected head because isn’t that what the Father does? He sees me in my filth and still He picks me up, spins me around, kisses my forehead and clothes me in His white robe.
We're adopting a new kind of love to give away every single day…Father's love.
– Jenn Dannelley
