Today my heart broke. I walked into the room filled with
cribs. For these 31 babies this is the only home they have ever known.
Thirty-one babies and only five women to care for them. The needs are
overwhelming. Most of the children are either mentally or physically disabled.
It is heartbreaking to know that a vast majority of disabilities in this nation
can be traced back to the use of Agent Orange during the war. More than 30
years later, and Vietnam is still feeling the effects of this tragedy. Most of
the children are handicapped, but all of them are abandoned. Many just left on
the doorstep on this orphanage.
We
came in just in time to help feed the kids. One of the caretakers
brought Tho
and placed her in my arms. She is beautiful! I held her in my arms, fed her,
and began to speak truth over her. As I told her that she is loved, that she
has been created for a special purpose, and that Jesus values her she looked
straight into my eyes and stared intently at me. I know she doesn’t understand
the words I am speaking, but I believe she could feel the love I was
communicating.
Next
I held Juan in my arms. His frail body doesn’t have the strength to uphold his
head. He is blind in both eyes. His tiny arms and legs look like twigs
protruding from his body. As I lean down to kiss his forehead, he flinches. I
begin to slowly feed him the milk from his bottle. He eats a little, but is
struggling to eat from the bottle. Eventually I have to hand him off to another
caretaker who carefully spoons small amounts of milk into his mouth and then
moves his jaw with her hand to help him swallow. We passed Juan around the room
as each of us took turns pouring love out to him. Ali held him as Dan, Ali, and
I laid hands on his head a prayed restoration of his sight, healing for his
body, and life over him.
As
I continued to walk around the room I heard crying from a crib in the back. I
walked back and Hung was just
screaming and crying. As soon as I picked him up,
his tears stopped. This chubby, playful kid is just crying out for attention
and love. I held him, played with him, and prayed over him. This little boy is
a bundle of life and energy!
Finally
I came to Gai’s bed. He too, was lying there crying. I picked him up and held
him in my arms, but he continued to cry. Then I began to sing over him songs of
the Lord’s love for him. “Jesus Jesus how He loves you. Yes He gave His life
for you. Jesus Jesus precious Jesus He delights Himself in you.” As I sang Gai’s mourning faded into gladness and by
the end of the song he was giggling at me. I continued to sing over him, pray
over him, shower him with love and kisses. Every time I tried to put him back
in his bed, Gai would begin to cry again. So I held him. I held him for an hour
until we had to leave the orphanage. I continued to pour out love to him. My
heart broke as I placed him back in his crib and he began to cry again.
As
we circled around the room praying the Lord spoke to me and gave me a verse to
claim over these children. “No longer will
they call you Deserted or name your land Desolate for the Lord will take
delight in you.” –Isaiah 62:4 The truth is that though these
children were abandoned by their families they are not deserted or forgotten.
The Lord delights in them. He has a plan and a purpose for each life in that
tiny room.
