My Overthinking

Philly Area mom, Life forever changed by adoption

The mamas who stand in the gap

In this place, there are 16 of them there, 16 women who care for 25 children. Every month, they receive a little less than $270 per child for fulfilling the job requirements of foster mother. But, for the women we met, we could tell that it’s really more than a job to them.

It’s standing in the gap for children who have no one.

It’s sometimes a willingness to go back to a job she did in younger years and focus all her energy for the sake of a child or two who need her.

It’s showing off baby pictures on your phone and cute videos of your children singing and being willing to be child-like and silly to try to coax a smile (after all, that’s what mamas do).

It’s teaching the lonely that they don’t have to be lonely and that they are cared for and can care for others.

 

It’s saying yes when others turn their backs.

It’s a lot of hand holding…

…often until that same warm hand waves goodbye so the child can have a future and take the hand of another.

Photos credited to Nicole Renee of Living Out His Love.

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#dropthemic

There are some things that seem to be universally awesome–stickers, bubbles, play dough, Old Macdonald, the limbo,…and microphones. There’s something about being center stage and having your own voice magnified that is somewhat irresistible even to those who are a bit quieter than their friend next to them.

In case the pictures are not enough to communicate their sweetness, check out these little people and their big voices in these little video clips.

Watching the videos Ashlyn caught, I’m wondering why we didn’t put their fashionable Lao Shi in the center of the circle. I’m thinking she would have enjoyed the microphone just as much. And, I am 100% certain we would have loved it too.

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Child, come as you are

Come out of sadness from wherever you’ve been. Come brokenhearted, let rescue begin. Come find your mercy. Oh, sinner, come kneel. Earth has no sorrow that heaven can’t heal.

Lay down your burdens. Lay down your shame. All who are broken, lift up your face. Oh, children, there’s a home. You’re not too far. Lay down your hurt. Lay down your heart. Come as you are.


There’s hope for the hopeless and all those alone. Come sit at the table; come taste the grace. There’s rest for the weary, rest that endures. Earth has no sorrow that heaven can’t cure.


Lay down your burdens. Lay down your shame. All who are broken, lift up your face. Oh, children, there’s a home. You’re not too far. Lay down your hurt. Lay down your heart. Come as you are.


Come as you are. Fall in his arms. Come as you are.

There’s joy for the morning. Oh, child, be still. Earth has no sorrow that heaven can’t heal. Earth has no sorrow that heaven can’t heal.


{adapted from David Crowder’s song “Come As You Are”}
A few pictures here (the great ones) credited to Nicole Renee of Living Out His Love.

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happy happy day. {he met his gege}

There was quite a crowd outside the orphanage. And, most of them were wearing matching shirts. We were all there. All were jittery with excitement to experience what was about to happen.

The school kids were getting off the bus at the gate of the orphanage soon. And, we were there to greet them. In that group of school kids were kids we’d all love by the end of the week. But, that day, there were two boys we already loved.

We responded like children ourselves when we saw the yellow bus arrive and a group of kids in orange jackets walk off. We clapped our hands and jumped up and down and started yelling their names. And, we saw them smile from a distance when they realized who it was at the other end of the drive waiting for them.

Our team held back a bit, cameras and tissues out as they experienced it with us. M.Y.’s buddy showed us off to their friends who clearly understood who we are, calling me Ayi and Ashlyn “ash-a-lyn” right along with him. But, M.Y. stood back, as we expected he would, smiling but still, clearly working to process the fact that there we were. And, moments later, taking in the fact that there was someone I needed him to meet.

I had practiced it over and over before we left home all in preparation for this moment. Ta shi Josiah de gege. Ta shi M.Y. de gege. (He is Josiah’s big brother. He is your big brother.) He looked at me. He looked at Kyle. And, his smile got bigger. He nodded his head. I don’t know if he recognized him from the photo album he had already received or not. But, I know he got it. This tall boy was his brother. His brother. It’s really happening. He has a family.

I never imagined this scene when we brought a scared little boy home from the airport late at night, when we taught him to play Uno and laughed when he cheated, when we taught him to pray and tucked him into a bottom bunk bed, when we clapped and cheered at him conquering his fear of the pool, when we held his hand and showed him the ocean for the first time. We committed to hosting him to help find him a family. But, I never imagined I’d have the privilege of being hosted in his space 6 months later and being able to physically take his hand and put it into that of the boy who will do all those things we did and much much more everyday of the rest of his life.

Oh happy day. Oh happy happy day.

First two photos credited to Nicole Renee of Living Out His Love. Last photo credited to Ashlyn. 

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