Friday, April 22, 2011

Five Down, Twenty to Go!

"But their mattresses are so thin!" exclaimed my 10-year-old friend as she saw the picture of the girls' room at the Children's Home for the tsunami orphans.

I was thinking about the kids again today, and the realization hit me that these 50 young people are not in a holding pattern waiting for someone to adopt them or waiting for a relative to surface and claim them or waiting for their fairy godmother to wave her magic wand and make it all better.

This. Is. Their. Life.

The Home is their home. The minister and his wife are their guardians and parent-figures. Their roommates are as close to family as they'll have in their childhood.

They are here until they get married or get a job and move out. But for the girls, there will be no dowry to offer a prospective husband. For the boys, there is no family lineage to show a concerned family with a marriageable daughter.

I am encouraged that in less than one week we have received enough donations for five bunk beds - already 20% of the kids won't have to sleep on the floor on those little mattresses! I'll keep you posted as the week progresses.


The minister's daughter
translating Dad's message
of God's love

Many of you want so desperately to be able to help, but times are incredibly hard. You have told me you are praying for them, and there is nothing - NOTHING - more important that you could do for them. Pray for their health and for their safety. Pray that they will have nutritious food and that they will excel at school. I truly believe that education will be what unlocks the door for them.

Pray that the nightmares will go away and that the uncertainty in their eyes will be replaced by confidence and eventual joy.

Pray that they will experience love that will heal their hearts.

Thank you for caring for these beautiful little people.

2 comments:

  1. Thank you for the update and the good news of the provision of 5 beds. In the dark ages many years ago a lawyer neighbour approached me to give to a charitable cause. I wanted to give, but how much should I give and how much could I afford. He saw my unspoken frustration. His advice, “Just give $5, every dollar helps.” Lesson learned that a whole bunch of small gifts make a difference. 40 people giving $5 will provide for another bunk. I am going to look for a few more $5 bills.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hey Karyn….advancing to you enough dollars for a top bunk from a raid on a piggy bank and a bank. Actually, it works out to 21 times $5 so there is start on the bottom bunk. Please excuse that some of the $5s comes as change.

    ReplyDelete

I love to hear from you! Please leave me a leaf to read ...