I had an amazing opportunity just a few weeks ago to go to Guatemala with an organization called Orphan Outreach (http://www.orphanoutreach.org/). There were 30 mother/daughter teams from all over the U.S. that met in Dallas and then headed to Guatemala City from there. I was privileged to go and lead worship with my friend Carmen D'Arcy from Grace Community Church. We shared music both with those women and at each orphanage with the children. The point of the trip was to take school supplies to various orphanages around the city and to enjoy time together playing and hanging out. It was both amazing and heartbreaking. See in the pics the following shots: Soren wearing a handmade necklace I brought back, Carmen and me at the hotel, the way that the cribs were arranged at the orphanage for babies (yes, they were lined along walls and stacked on top of one another), giving each other manicures, and 2 beautiful girls who are orphaned and living at Los Angelitos.
It seems an impossibility that Soren will ever be orphaned. I know this will sound terribly morbid, but I have to admit that if something were to happen to me, then to Jeff, then to our parents, all of our family, all of our friends, etc., I still know that Soren would be taken care of. We are fortunate and grateful that Soren has so many caring hearts that love her as if she was their own. This is not the case with many many many children in Guatemala City. There are cribs lining the walls... who's bed will the little one crawl into when he has a bad dream? And when she wants to tell someone a secret from the depths of her heart, who will listen? And when they want to snuggle, who will be there with open arms?
While I'm grateful, I wonder how my gratitude directly helps those children. There are beautiful people there making huge strides in raising up a new generation of Guatemalans - helping to educate and provide for the children. How do I live with respect for the poor and orphaned? I'm processing again. My prayer is that I would be changed as a wife and mother and that I would pray to leave a legacy with my precious Soren... that she would see those Guatemalan children as her sisters and brothers. Pray for those children and pray that I may be changed.
I've enjoyed making a little play area for Soren. It's the land of "YES". In other words, it's the place where she can get into anything, crawl around and pull up anywhere, browse through (and bite) books, play with empty boxes (um, tell me again why the toys even need to come with their boxes???), bite on fabric baskets, and explore everything without getting any "no, you can't get into that" sayings. It's been amazing to see her explore the world. As she figures out the beautiful intricacies of life, I do too.
