Yesterday our family went to visit an orphange we had not been to before. We went because Max and Margarette wanted us to visit to see if there was anything we could do to help, they are in great need. All week I had been praying that God would show us what we really needed to see there because sometimes there are little signs that speak boldly into a situation.
In Haiti, there are so many orphanages. There are so many kids left in the care of someone else due to poverty, sickness, death. Some orphanages provide great homes for children and the leaders have the best of intentions, they just need help.
We have seen some though that take kids in and ask for help only to benefit themselves and the kids suffer. Some have great hearts, take too many kids in and don't know how to manage, so any help they might get isn't necessarily sustainable.
We have seen both and no matter how much we want to help the children, we can't. It breaks my heart to say that, I wish we could save them all. But there is one thing God has made clear to us as we see so many needs; that we have to focus on what is sustainable to make a lasting difference here. Which takes me back to my prayers this week. If I am to focus on specific people, I need God to give guidance, wisdom, discernment into who those people are.
So as we enter this orphanage (I don't even know the name of it yet because all of the pictures I took including the one of the sign out front didn't came out clear. maybe God's way of me having to trust him by faith, not by sight), I just keep praying for God's guidance. We don't have much information yet on the background of this home. We don't know the owners well.
We do see good here, we see each child has their own bed. We see clean bathrooms. We see the owner holding two little one year olds at a time the way a mother would. We see a young boy leading prayer. We see some food in the food depot. We see tables and chalkboards where the kids attend school right there. We see some items some of the kids have learned to make to sell for income for the orphanage.
We also see need. We see kids in dirty tattered clothes. We see shelving in the bedrooms ready to fall. We don't see any supply of hygiene items. We see that there is nothing for kids to play with. No place to run and play. While I am in the kids' presence, I don't let them see I am holding back tears for them. I am watching babies taking care of babies, I have to turn my head.
We see a couple trying to minister, knowing they can't continue because they have lost their spot at the market where they earned their income. We see kids who don't smile much, could have been the scary white people walking through their home.
We don't know yet what all this means. Other than it is always hard to see kids who aren't with their parents. It is always hard to see such need. It is hard to walk away not knowing what will be the next step. We don't make any promises.
What I do know is our visit yesterday took me back to Good Samaritan Orphanage 2 1/2 years ago. Our kids were in a very similar situation. Now I see the tranformation that has taken place because God has brought us together to partner with Max and Margarette. The transformation in the lives of the kids is astounding, but the spiritual transformation in our lives and the lives of many other people who have supported or visited this place may be more significant. We are so thankful that our kids at Good Samaritan are doing so well. Now we pray that 2 1/2 years of transformation can be branched out and we ask God for His direction and timing in it.
Christ is in the business of transforming lives here and there.
~Deb
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