Noah's Ark

 Our last mural was Noah's Ark on the front of the new classroom wall.  We finished it just in time for the rain, which was so funny..we were painting the last few details of Noah's Ark as the rain came gently down...listening to the thunder as it approached.  So God.  

My time this week really was heart breaking and good. I had more time to rest than normal...time to hear from God and to speak to Him.  Sickness can be a good interruption in our lives.  It makes us take inventory of our lives.  What is really important?  

But my small one day of sickness paled in comparison to the babies I met who were struggling to stay alive from severe malnutrition or fighting against sepsis as it set in. We laid hands on these babies and fought for them spiritually as much as could and we cried with them.  I still cry with them.  Their high fevers and swollen bodies.  Their lifeless questioning, pleading eyes.  The children who loved us and we left.  The therapy my heart received as I sat with children who were kissing my hands and noticing every small detail on my body, from the hair on my arms (they do not have hair on their body), to the color of the blood vessels through my skin, my painted toe nails and freckels... They tried on each piece of jewelry I had, ran their hands through my hair over and over again.  

Many times we just sat together...I was therapy to them as their hearts yearned for a mother and they were therapy to me as my mother's heart needed them.  I felt so much love from them and I pray they felt this love in return.  I was only a substitute for that one day until their true adoptive moms could be there to finally hold them forever.  

I feel revived, hurt, upset, confused, happy to be home and scared to not return.  

As I close, I realize we never painted the rainbow that went over Noah's Ark. The promise...the promise that is so important to these children - that God has heard their prayers and He has shown up and promised them a family.  That will be my goal the next time I visit...to add the rainbow and bible verses to the walls of the home. 

Thank you for your encouragement and prayers as we traveled and reveled in God's love for these children.  It was a holy and precious time.  Remember adoptive parents, it is a HOLY moment when you meet your adopted child for the first time.  You are bringing heaven to earth in that moment in a glorious example of what Christ did on the cross for us.  

I just remembered this poem called The Invitation and feel I am to share it with you:

It doesn't interest me what kind of job you've got, where you eat or where you shop or the make of car you drive

It doesn't interest me how big a house you own, what I really want to know is what makes you feel alive.

I don't want to talk about how your future is all planned out; that isn't what it's all about to me.

Tell me what you ache for,

tell me what you wait for,

tell me what you long for, 

what your holding on for, 

tell me what your dreamin, 

what will give your live real meaning, 

what you've been afraid to pray for,

 tell me what you ache for....

It doesn't interest me if your planets align, your signs are well defined and your career is right on track. 

It doesn't interest me if your faithful and your true, if you're not true to you, then where's the truth in that.

So I don't want to waste our time comparing all our stars and signs; that's not what I think makes you shine, you see.

Tell me what you ache for, 

tell me what you wait for, 

what you long for, 

what your holding on for, 

tell me what your wishin, 

if you feel like something is missing, 

that somehow you've been saved for...tell me what you ache for..

Tell me what you are dreamin, 

what will bring your life real meaning, 

what deep down your heart breaks for...tell me what you ache for....

Here are more pics from our time in Ethiopia: