The Sound that Haunts Me

We were in our son's country for 32 days, the first trip.  We left the day after court.  We missed our girls like crazy.  Little G was in MS with my mother, Big G was in Germany with our friends.  I had a child in 3 different countries during that time.  My love was wrapped around the world.

My girls were in such great hands that I wish I would have allowed myself to relax and fully enjoy the one on one time with my husband.  It was tough but they did so well!  I'm proud of their sacrifice to their brother's cause.  I'm sure they are proud of themselves, too.

It's so crazy how God will pull you so far out of your comfort zone.  Leaving the children behind is Chris' job.  Not mine.  He's the one who deploys with the military... I'm not suppose to leave but I simply had no choice.  I pleaded with God to bring me peace and confidence to make this journey and He spoke to me once and said, "He's your child, too.  Go."  There was just no other way.

As we were about to land in his country, I remember thinking to myself, "Wow.  He's so close!  He has no idea how his life is about to change."

I remember so clearly the first time we pulled into the drive at the orphanage.  Such a dreary day.  It had the appearance and gloominess of a prison.

I remember the moment they brought him into our sight for the first time.  His curiosity making him look around wildly...laughing hysterically.  We prayed that he would know us and I believe that he truly did!

I remember the constant smell of soup.

But the sound that I will never forget is this...the empty sound of his hard soled shoes on the pavement as we held him up to walk.  The clomp, clomp, clomp on the hard ground is burned into my memory forever.  I will never, ever forget that sound.  I should never take such notice over a sound such as this in an orphanage with hundreds of children.  The quietness was almost deafening.  Another child is surely wearing those shoes now...they were never Griffin's shoes to begin with.  Just a pair out of a bucket.

These children have nothing... nothing but the love of Christ.

Can you help?  Today is Orphan Sunday.  Please act!  Please give!  Please pray!  Please follow your heart and do what you feel that God is leading you to do... I'm so glad that we did.  We have been blessed beyond measure with the most precious little boy in the world!

This little boy needs you.  I personally know the family that met him and he is not being treated well at all.  He's not an orphanage favorite.  There is currently $97 in his grant fund.  Can you help him?  Larger grants attract families and he desperately needs one.  If you feel led to give, please do.

Thank you!