A single tear pooled in the corner of her eye. After a few seconds, it slid over her nose and cheek and fell quietly onto her pillow. Gentil’s arms lie limp beside her on the white hospital bed. All her energy is drained. An IV pumps fluids and medicine directly into her blood stream. I gently hold her hand and gaze into her chocolate eyes.
When I was sick as a child, I would crave my mother’s presence. It was comforting just to know that she was there. Peace and rest would settle upon my spirit. As I sat beside this hurting, fourteen year old girl, I tried to imagine what she was feeling right now.
She is sick. And she has no mom…or dad…or sisters or bothers. She is alone. Gentil is one of the 60 children at the orphanage that we are spending time with this month. We sit beside her bed. A tear comes to her eyes. She seems scared and anxious. We sit in silence. We pray. We wait. Another tear falls. We sing a song. Her body relaxes. A tear falls. We continue to sing and her headache goes away. God smiles. Her eyelids begin to get heavy and ever so slowly her brown eyes disappear.
We say good bye to the other two kids we prayed for earlier. Their once solemn faces are now aglow with the spirit. God smiles and so do his children! They wave goodbye and bless us with their beautiful grins.
One of the ministries we are working with while in Phnom Penh is a CPCDO orphanage (Children and Poor Communities Development Organization). One branch of this organization seeks to rescue children – especially those who’s parents have died of AIDS and are now helpless and vulnerable. They have multiple orphan car centers around Cambodia. The children range in age from a couple days old to 18.
These children are so hungry for love and attention. A gentle touch on the back brings a smile to their face. Handing out something as simple as a bananas caused them to rejoice. Silly hand games and songs bring hours of enjoyment. They live simply and love simply.
Jesus becomes real in the laughter of a child. Heaven breaks open with the smile of a child. God’s healing touch becomes visible as He gently wipes away the tear of a child.
Please pray for the children at the care center. Sickness is running rampant through the kids due to close quarters, change in weather and unsanitary conditions. Each day 5-15 kids are being brought to the hospital to receive IV’s and medicine. They normally return home the next day, which may be contributing to the spread of the sickness to other children.
