Ellie had her 2nd birthday this week! We had all the toddlers from a local home for abandoned babies over on Friday afternoon, and the dozen or so kids running around our yard made for a great little celebration.
In the midst of hotdogs, games, cake, and sticky hands and faces, it was amazing to look around and think about where all these kids have come from, and even more amazing, the plans God has for their lives. Many of you know Ellie’s story of being left at the hospital. Many of the other children came to the baby home from the same hospital Ellie was in. Some have HIV/AIDS. Some came to the home seemingly unable to see or hear but are now able to do both. Some were left in abandoned houses for days before being found. Now, after coming to the baby home where there is lots of great love and care, they are running around shouting and smiling, and displaying the awesome love of God.
I also wanted to share a story from one of my meetings with the women this past week…
2 weeks ago I’d talked with the women about the verse in Isaiah 41:10 that says, “Do not fear for I am with you, be not anxious for I am your God, I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will hold you up with my righteous right hand.” I asked the women to imagine God holding their hands, and know that He is continually with them.
When I arrived on Monday, the women were sitting around on grass matts, wooden palettes, and cinder blocks, laughing and talking together. Sphiwe, one of the older women seemed to be in the center of it all. She was sitting on her grass matt with her legs straight out in front of her, one are was up in the air, with her hand swiveling back and forth at the wrist, while she nodded and laughed and said words in Siswatti I didn’t understand. I asked Sphiwe why she was laughing, and she said “Because I am happy!” I asked her why she was happy, and she shook her hand even more and said, “Because the Lord is holding this hand…this hand right here…and He will never let it go, not even in the hard times!” I guess we all have reason to be happy!!!
So that’s the latest news from my corner of Swaziland! I praise God for the truths that he is planting in the hearts of these women, and we continue to celebrate Ellie’s precious little life. I’m so thankful to be her mom!
