And I Was Amazed
When leaving office of Social Action one month ago, I was amazed at how God provided.
Just a few days before, I heard the story of this orphan baby named Fleur and how no one in her family seemed to want her. Then one morning, I learned that the lady who was caring for her was refusing to do it any longer. Fleur needed a foster home, an she needed one quickly. Due to Social Action's limited resources, our Infants In Distress Porgram stepped in to help, and Rebeca stepped up to care for the child. We walked out of their building with a baby, and I was amazed at how God had provided.
I called a village pastor, told him about our need for a foster family for Fleur, and encouraged him to engage the church to help. A few weeks later, he called me back with the story of a woman who was willing to take the baby, and I was amazed at how God had provided.
So we went out to visit her in her home. We learned her name is Joceline, and she is an extraordinary Christian woman. Not only does she take excellent care in managing her house, she also takes care of her granddaughter, who is also enrolled in our infants in distress program, along with her own two youngest children.
"There is no distinction in this house between one child and another," she said as she explained how all the children are loved and cared for equally. Unlike many other Dagara women we have observed, Joceline pays special attention and gives extra love to her children by playing with them, engaging them, and providing sensory stimulation and developmental activities. When we explained again the story of Fleur and asked if she was still willing to take her in, she didn't hesitate for a second. She even told us about two other people she knows that want to start caring for orphans. We prayed over her and her family and her courtyard before leaving, and I was amazed at how God had provided.
We then wrote up a report that explained our findings and our desire to place Fleur with Joceline. We met with Social Action to share what we had done and the results we had found, and they graciously agreed to place the baby with Joceline. Again, I was amazed at how God had provided. Grace after grace.
The very next day, Fleur was placed with Joceline and received with welcoming arms from everyone in the family. She was passed from person to person, even among the children, as each person had the chance to meet her, hold her, admire her, and love her. I was amazed at how God provided.
It was a difficult day for Rebeca. For as many orphans as Rebeca has taken in, you would think she would be used to the separation part; she's not. Although Fleur had only been with her a month, she loved her well. Even her daughters cried as they said goodbye to Fleur. "The only thing that got me through this day," Rebeca said, "was knowing how good Joceline's heart is and how much she will love Fleur."
Fleur was passed from one pair of loving arms to another, thanks to a united effort of our team, Social Action, and the church. The Fleur I met a month ago who was barely able to sit up and who was wasting away from malnutrition is now a healthy babyirl at a normal weight, who know understands what it means to be loved. Grace after grace. I am still steadily amazed at how God provides.
Our dream and desire for the infants in distress program is that we will be able to unite the church and inspire believers to rise up to the call of caring for orphans by identifying and training Christian foster families. Through Joceline, the first chapter of that story has been written. By the grace of God, many more chapters will follow.
Grace upon grace, our God faithfully provides.
Just a few days before, I heard the story of this orphan baby named Fleur and how no one in her family seemed to want her. Then one morning, I learned that the lady who was caring for her was refusing to do it any longer. Fleur needed a foster home, an she needed one quickly. Due to Social Action's limited resources, our Infants In Distress Porgram stepped in to help, and Rebeca stepped up to care for the child. We walked out of their building with a baby, and I was amazed at how God had provided.
I called a village pastor, told him about our need for a foster family for Fleur, and encouraged him to engage the church to help. A few weeks later, he called me back with the story of a woman who was willing to take the baby, and I was amazed at how God had provided.
So we went out to visit her in her home. We learned her name is Joceline, and she is an extraordinary Christian woman. Not only does she take excellent care in managing her house, she also takes care of her granddaughter, who is also enrolled in our infants in distress program, along with her own two youngest children.
"There is no distinction in this house between one child and another," she said as she explained how all the children are loved and cared for equally. Unlike many other Dagara women we have observed, Joceline pays special attention and gives extra love to her children by playing with them, engaging them, and providing sensory stimulation and developmental activities. When we explained again the story of Fleur and asked if she was still willing to take her in, she didn't hesitate for a second. She even told us about two other people she knows that want to start caring for orphans. We prayed over her and her family and her courtyard before leaving, and I was amazed at how God had provided.
We then wrote up a report that explained our findings and our desire to place Fleur with Joceline. We met with Social Action to share what we had done and the results we had found, and they graciously agreed to place the baby with Joceline. Again, I was amazed at how God had provided. Grace after grace.
The very next day, Fleur was placed with Joceline and received with welcoming arms from everyone in the family. She was passed from person to person, even among the children, as each person had the chance to meet her, hold her, admire her, and love her. I was amazed at how God provided.
It was a difficult day for Rebeca. For as many orphans as Rebeca has taken in, you would think she would be used to the separation part; she's not. Although Fleur had only been with her a month, she loved her well. Even her daughters cried as they said goodbye to Fleur. "The only thing that got me through this day," Rebeca said, "was knowing how good Joceline's heart is and how much she will love Fleur."
Fleur was passed from one pair of loving arms to another, thanks to a united effort of our team, Social Action, and the church. The Fleur I met a month ago who was barely able to sit up and who was wasting away from malnutrition is now a healthy babyirl at a normal weight, who know understands what it means to be loved. Grace after grace. I am still steadily amazed at how God provides.
Our dream and desire for the infants in distress program is that we will be able to unite the church and inspire believers to rise up to the call of caring for orphans by identifying and training Christian foster families. Through Joceline, the first chapter of that story has been written. By the grace of God, many more chapters will follow.
Grace upon grace, our God faithfully provides.
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