A Loving Pair of Arms . . .

"After my last summer, my eyes were open to the fact that it is good to send money, pay for surgeries... but one of the most important things you can ever send to an orphanage is a loving pair of arms."  ~ Gael Nichols who went to China last year to provide her loving pair of arms

Does it cost a lot of money to send a person to China to provide that loving pair of arms?  Yes.  Is it worth it?  Absolutely.  A lot of times there are too many children for the nannies in an orphanage to provide more than basic care to a child.  Each of us have been the first hand recipient of a child who received a loving pair of arms from some sort of organization, and it has made a great difference in how our daughter's adapted to their new surroundings with their forever families.  That's why we go.

Some of us were talking about having a "China Sunday."  A China Sunday is one where your heart just bursts with emotion for the orphan - for us it's China, for some it's America, or Uganda, or Haiti - they are all God's children.  The one sure fire way for me to have a China Sunday is to hear the song "He Knows My Name."  It was so reassuring to me that He knew our daughter's name and already had her in the palm of His hands.  That even though I had no idea what she looked like or where in China she was, that the "Lover of My Soul" DID know all the details.  My heart and soul would just heave and expel all that stress and all those questions, and I could just BE STILL and KNOW that He had her right where He wanted her.  God is good.

Now, this song rings true for another reason.  I feel like I gotta go sing it over some new children, whisper it in their ears, rock them, love on them, telling them "He knows YOUR name!"  The Maker of Heaven and earth knows YOUR name!  He has not forgotten YOU!  He is the Lover of YOUR Soul!  I just had to come tell you that IN PERSON.

Go.  Be.  LOVE.

~ Lori

Everlasting

As I was cleaning the other day, I came across an old forgotten prayer journal from a couple of years ago. This was my prayer on December 27, 2010 --

 

"and I ask that you would provide funds, a plan, and a way for my family to help the orphan and those who have dedicated their lives to caring for your little ones."

 

Since that time, I have continued to pray for the orphan. I have helped when I could, but I have done that in the safety of my home, the comfort of my living room. I didn't feel there was any way for me to travel to China and be part of an active ministry caring for the orphan. I had too many commitments here. I had lots of reasons for the "why" I couldn't go. Until the Lord ever so gently reminded me those were just "my" reasons, and he had a bigger plan....

 

A little over 2 years after praying that prayer, the Lord called me and members of my family to follow His heart to an orphanage in China with the Visiting Orphans team. We He called, we had no funds for the trip. We certainly have no great talent to take. The greatest thing we can take and contribute on this trip is The One who lives in our hearts. And I am reminded, He is more than enough. He is entrusting us to take Christ's love to the orphan. When I see this from an eternal perspective, the reasons to stay home are trivial. The reasons to go are huge. No funds? He called us. He will provide the funds. Nothing special about me? Alone, I am not so special, but with Him....I can be what He wants me to be. I have no great gifts or talents to take? He will provide what we need. He will place us where He can use us to the greatest effect. Our hearts would feel a little less bruised if we could stay here in our comfort and pray for Him to rescue the orphan, but sometimes prayer requires action. The Lord has been reminding me of all this and so much more, and while He has been teaching me, I found that forgotten prayer…

 

I am reminded that our prayers are everlasting. The Lord doesn't forget even when our frail human self does. He took my prayer, and at His given time, He has made a way for that prayer to become reality in my life. He cares for the orphan, and He has invited my family to join in and be His hands and feet, taking His love to the least of these!

 

Halli sums it up quite nicely. In her words, "He has given me a great beginning. I was an orphan, and then I was adopted. I have a family who loves me, now I can go to China and show the orphans that someone loves them."

 

Psalm 145: 3-4 Great is the LORD and most worthy of praise; his greatness no one can fathom. One generation commends your works to another; they tell of your mighty acts.