After a fourteen hour flight, a twelve hour flip flop time change, and a night stay over in Beijing we finally arrived at Maria's. The staff heroes who deal with the heartbreak of orphan care day in and day out greeted us with such warmth and enthusiasm. We took a quick tour during which I could not keep my leaky eyes off the sweet babies in all the colorful Disney-themed rooms.
We familiarized ourselves with the facility and its workings, loved on big and little babies, and searched our hearts in an attempt to understand what God was beginning in us at Maria's. Brokenness is the recurring theme in us, in China, and yes, even at a place as wonderful as Maria's. The effects of the fall, sin, and death are simply overwhelming and oppressive. "BUT GOD", two of my favorite words (learned from painful trials in my own life)...
But God is here. And God SEES and knows each of these children and has a life, a purpose, and a hope for them.
But God is here. And God SEES and knows each of these children and has a life, a purpose, and a hope for them.
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Opening my daughters bible, which was brought with me because its smaller than mine, I saw psalm ten highlighted with a pink marker. Psalm ten is somewhat obscure, and I don't ever recall reading it with her. But because it caught my eye, I read it and the following verse just jumped off the page at me.
Psalm 10:14 says, "But you oh God do see trouble and grief, you consider it to take it in hand. The victim commits himself to you, you are the helper of the fatherless."
Did you see that?! "BUT GOD!" He is the helper of the fatherless!
His word is true. God is their help. The cute ones, the strong ones, the frail and the weak, we all need a savior. And thankfully that savior is not me. It's Him and Him alone. God alone can do the massive work needed to bring relief and love to the orphans of China. And I'm so glad He will.
He is their Savior but we are His hands, IF we are willing. It's on our heads if we hold suffering at arms length and they never get immersed in His teachings.
ReplyDeletePs 68: 5-6 "A father of the fatherless, a defender of widows,
Is God in His holy habitation.
GOD SETS THE SOLITARY IN FAMILIES;
He brings out those who are bound into prosperity;
But the rebellious dwell in a dry land."--Serenity--
Amen!
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