It has been an incredibly busy two weeks. Due to life events happening within our staff I have been pulling double duty as house parent/nurse for 10 children in addition to my regular duties in overseeing health care for the 90 other children. These have been long days starting at 6am and sometimes never ending. Over the past couple of days my attitude has become bitter and I have thrown one or two temper tantrums about being tired (It is a skill I have mastered from house parenting two two year olds....). I kept telling God that today was it I wasn't going to get out of bed because I couldn't do it any more (FYI by God's strength and grace I always did end up getting out of bed!)
Then on Sunday I had an hour off and I spent it listening to a sermon by Louie Giglio. Ever had those moments when God pulls out His 2x4 and just nails you with it? This 2x4 was entitled "Get over yourself. It's not about you" The sermon is about how everything in the universe, from stars to whales, praises God. While I was listening I kept seeing moments in my week when everything, in my view, looked out of control and wrong but how God orchestrates those moments into praise for His glory.
Later in the day my duties took me to Victory home where I inadvertently arrived just as church was starting. It was really the last place I wanted to be, with all I had to do, but it was one of those situations that you can't walk out of so I took a seat in the back of the room. Immediately, I was piled under a group of 7-8 girls including a girl named Faith. Faith is one of the children whom it has been hard for me to love, mostly because I don't know how to love her. Faith has autism and the first time I met her was when, to get my attention, she bit me on the tender underside of my upper arm, leaving a very impressive bruise. Molly, who was here for June/July as amazing special education intern, had always told me that Faith had a very sweet and tender side but I have not been willing to spend the time to find out. But this time I couldn't run and hide from Faith. I watched cautiously as she gently picked up my chuney (the scarves woman wear with our Punjabis) and carefully wiped off the sweat from my face and neck. I sat in amazement as after she was done she clapped her hands and raised arms to the tune of the music like all the ayahs were doing around her. In that moment I saw that God created Faith just the way she is so as to bring Himself glory.
These are just the big stories. I could go on and on with stories like how the ayah I have been working with the past two weeks threw a dance party with the kids in the living room singing songs praising God for His marvellous creation. Everything is for His glory. These moments have refresh me and make me want to get up in the morning to see what He has planned. I am certain that had I not been so overwhelmed I would have missed seeing these moments completely because I would have been content with what I had and where I was.
Then on Sunday I had an hour off and I spent it listening to a sermon by Louie Giglio. Ever had those moments when God pulls out His 2x4 and just nails you with it? This 2x4 was entitled "Get over yourself. It's not about you" The sermon is about how everything in the universe, from stars to whales, praises God. While I was listening I kept seeing moments in my week when everything, in my view, looked out of control and wrong but how God orchestrates those moments into praise for His glory.
Later in the day my duties took me to Victory home where I inadvertently arrived just as church was starting. It was really the last place I wanted to be, with all I had to do, but it was one of those situations that you can't walk out of so I took a seat in the back of the room. Immediately, I was piled under a group of 7-8 girls including a girl named Faith. Faith is one of the children whom it has been hard for me to love, mostly because I don't know how to love her. Faith has autism and the first time I met her was when, to get my attention, she bit me on the tender underside of my upper arm, leaving a very impressive bruise. Molly, who was here for June/July as amazing special education intern, had always told me that Faith had a very sweet and tender side but I have not been willing to spend the time to find out. But this time I couldn't run and hide from Faith. I watched cautiously as she gently picked up my chuney (the scarves woman wear with our Punjabis) and carefully wiped off the sweat from my face and neck. I sat in amazement as after she was done she clapped her hands and raised arms to the tune of the music like all the ayahs were doing around her. In that moment I saw that God created Faith just the way she is so as to bring Himself glory.
As I continued to sit there and reflect on the words of the sermon I watched the school boys of the home up to there usual mischievous antics and my heart melted. Earlier in the week I was called out to the home to assess Ezra, one of our boys with cerebral palsy, who was having seizures (or fits as they are called here.) Sadly, seizures are nothing new for a large number of our children but we usually have them under very good control so they are still scary and stressful when they happen. There was a lot of excitement in the room and as I was getting medication ready to give to Ezra I was swarmed by three of our inquisitive school boys who, in their own way, were trying to help. In reality they were in the way. My first instinct was to yell and kick them out but instead I turned to them and said, "Boys, I need to give this medicine and I need you to pray that Yesu (Jesus) heals Ezra. Ok?" They nodded and one of the boys very quietly asked "Sister, do you want us to pray in English or Telugu?" I had to smile at that and I told them Telugu would be just fine. (A few of our school boys speak English very well and they translate for me all the time). I gave Ezra the injection and the seizures subsided. A few minuets later as I sat holding a smiling Ezra I asked the boys if they had prayed. They all nodded and said "Yes, sister". Later, I came back to check on Ezra and was greeted at the gate by one of the school boys who pulled me into Ezra's room and said, "Look sister, that boy is eating rice because Jesus made his fits not come!" Needless to say, I got a bit choked up. God found glory in a horrible situation by showing three 10 year old boys a glimpse of His mighty power.
These are just the big stories. I could go on and on with stories like how the ayah I have been working with the past two weeks threw a dance party with the kids in the living room singing songs praising God for His marvellous creation. Everything is for His glory. These moments have refresh me and make me want to get up in the morning to see what He has planned. I am certain that had I not been so overwhelmed I would have missed seeing these moments completely because I would have been content with what I had and where I was.
To God be the glory forever and ever. Amen
Child, Everything I have created sings praises to me. Watch, be vigilant ,listen and you will witness beautiful things.- Pray for us as we continue to be short staffed across the board. People are getting exhausted. Pray for strength and grace. Pray that we rely fully on God's strength not our own.
- Pray that we would find good, hard working staff that want to love our children well.
- Pray for Andhra Pradesh, the province I live in, as elections were just held and not everyone is happy with the results.
- Pray for the adoption process for our children. It is been on hold because of strikes in the Child Welfare Department here in India.
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