Wednesday, July 6, 2011
We are less than a week away from picking 'K' up at the airport. We set up her bed, washed her sheets and cleaned out a drawer for her. I set her alarm clock, plugged in her lamp and started cleaning. I'm not sure she'll care that I washed out the fridge and cleaned the vents, but she might ;-)
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Some people, when they host, fear the language barrier. Some people fear they won't like the food that their family normally eats. This is our third hosting, and I don't fear those things. At least not much. I'll stock up on chicken, Ramen noodles, chips, fruit, potatoes, cucumbers and tomatoes. Surely K will like something we have, right? And I hear she speaks okay English, but even if she didn't, I have had amazing talks with people via the computer translator and charades.
Honestly, my biggest fear is her being bored. We can all remember being kids and being at some one's home for a few days and once there is nothing to do- anything can happen. Homesickness to hyperactivity. The last 2 summers I have kept us moving and going places. This year, our budget is so tight you can hear it squeak and I won't be able to do that. I really want to take her to Monkey Joes and I really want to take her to a game ranch nearby where you can pet and feed all kinds of animals. I'm praying I can do both. At the very least we will be able to swim at the lake quite a bit. I'm praying she likes to swim.
My other concern is one I can't quite put words around. I want to make sure she sees God in our family and knows that Jesus loves her and has a plan for her life. Even though everyone else has quit on her, He will never quit. My prayer is that we can show her that in 100 different ways while she is here. I know her history, and it's painful and harsh and too much for an 11 year old. I pray we can begin to touch her heart and set her on the right road. The road where she doesn't become like her parents, or those around her, but a woman who has a purpose and a hope and does good things for others.
This is a prayer someone posted on a pic of her before we agreed to host her (or even knew she COULD be hosted):
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Some people, when they host, fear the language barrier. Some people fear they won't like the food that their family normally eats. This is our third hosting, and I don't fear those things. At least not much. I'll stock up on chicken, Ramen noodles, chips, fruit, potatoes, cucumbers and tomatoes. Surely K will like something we have, right? And I hear she speaks okay English, but even if she didn't, I have had amazing talks with people via the computer translator and charades.
Honestly, my biggest fear is her being bored. We can all remember being kids and being at some one's home for a few days and once there is nothing to do- anything can happen. Homesickness to hyperactivity. The last 2 summers I have kept us moving and going places. This year, our budget is so tight you can hear it squeak and I won't be able to do that. I really want to take her to Monkey Joes and I really want to take her to a game ranch nearby where you can pet and feed all kinds of animals. I'm praying I can do both. At the very least we will be able to swim at the lake quite a bit. I'm praying she likes to swim.
My other concern is one I can't quite put words around. I want to make sure she sees God in our family and knows that Jesus loves her and has a plan for her life. Even though everyone else has quit on her, He will never quit. My prayer is that we can show her that in 100 different ways while she is here. I know her history, and it's painful and harsh and too much for an 11 year old. I pray we can begin to touch her heart and set her on the right road. The road where she doesn't become like her parents, or those around her, but a woman who has a purpose and a hope and does good things for others.
This is a prayer someone posted on a pic of her before we agreed to host her (or even knew she COULD be hosted):
"Father God cover K that what Satan would try to use in that pain and betrayal you would claim your glory..that all of it would be used and that this child would not remain in that hurt but cling to you while you carry her from it. May she rise up a God fearing woman that knows your love. May you send her rescue now Lord, a woman that will share you with her! Claiming her life for you Lord!! Amen"
Please pray that our family can be her 'rescue'.
On a slightly different note, but just as serious, there is a sight called Reeces Rainbow. Many of you have heard of it. It has pictures and short bios on children in other countries that are waiting to be adopted. These kids are special needs kids; some have FAS, some have Downs Syndrome or CP or HIV. Some are barely affected and others have horrible health problems. These are the unwanted of the unwanted. Time for these kids is short, because after they turn 5, they are moved from 'baby houses' to 'adult houses' where they spend their days drugged, under fed, and strapped to their beds sitting in the one diaper they get for the day. Sounds too awful to be true, yet it is. 85% of these kids die in the first year after they are transferred out of the baby homes.
This sight has matched so many kids to their forever families.
Today, a cutie pie with Downs Syndrome died without a family. He was so cute and when I saw the fwds saying he had passed, I cried. He was almost 3 and deserved a family. He probably died of something that a family and proper medical attention could have prevented.
People debate about helping kids in other countries before we help our own. That's like saying that missionaries have no business going to other countries until everyone in America is a Christian. A life is a life, whether they have a disease or not and whether they are overseas or not. Children are dying while people do nothing. People are stalling around waiting for a convenient time to adopt and children die with no family. You can't look at this sweet face and not be moved.
Pick someone to help and do it. For Warner. For Ksenija.
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