noun: an ability to recover from or adjust to misfortune or change
Sena has demonstrated this quality - and I have also seen it in the children of friends who have also come from "hard places." I truly admire their ability to adapt to a life that is so different from everything that was familiar to them. I know that if the tables were turned, I would not handle it nearly as well. Today I was rocking Sena in her room before her nap and I was struck by the fact that I sat in that same rocking chair so many times while we waited for her to come home (her room was finished last April) and each time I sat there, I just felt such longing to be with her. Sometimes I would pray or read my Bible there. Sometimes I would just look around and try to picture what it would be like when she was home. As I held her today and she wrapped her little arms around my neck and stroked my hair, my heart just swelled with a sense of the goodness of God. I am so thankful for the little miracle in our home. As thankful as I am for her, though, I am also reminded that there are millions of children who don't have a Mommy to rock them. And that breaks my heart. I saw this video recently:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f4pgQvgdNqs
It was almost more than I could handle. How can it be ok for people to search for food in garbage? What must God think when He sees the plenty that so many of us enjoy while others are digging through garbage in hopes of finding something to eat? Sometimes I just want to move to Ethiopia. To love people. To feed people. To do something tangible to help meet their needs. John and I have been talking a lot lately about what we should be doing. At this point, we can give of our finances. I'm not sure what the future holds, but I want to have a willing heart for whatever God has in store. And, if He should ask us to do something crazy (like moving to Africa), He will have to seriously toughen this girl up. I am a wimp with a WEAK stomach! And I would have to take some lessons from my daughter on RESILIENCE!!
Mary
8 months ago
WOW! Maybe John will get to move to Ethiopia after all! :)
ReplyDeleteSomeone once said if you go to Africa with a hard heart, it will come back soft. If you go with a soft heart, it will come back broken. If you go with a broken heart, you will never come back.
ReplyDeleteOh ho! My husband is the one who wants to move to Ethiopia, and I, too, have a weak stomach. :) Same scenario, different family.
ReplyDeleteWe will pray with you for God to show us how He wants us to be involved.
That comment about living in Africa makes me giggle. John was just too much in his element there. It was pretty amazing. Maybe he is an Ethiopian in a white man's body:)
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