Day one...

Disclaimer... Typing on phone... Excuse all typos:):)

Day one... 

Overwhemed on many levels... I knew God was going to work and me... And He wasted no time:) 

We spent lots of time at The Gem Foundation today... A special needs orphanage in Kampala (more on The Gem Foundation another day:) 

Meet Colin... Smiliest kid EVER!!!  

Louis and his new friend Shafiek:)

Here is how God worked today...

In all honestly, my experience with special needs is pretty limited... This morning before we left I was reading in Matthew about how Jesus healed the lame man at the pool... Immediately it dawned on me that I really needed to pray for Gods will to be done in healing these special needs kiddos I was about to meet...

I know with God anything is possible... And His will may be a complete healing here or may be in Heaven. It may be an emotional healing.  It may be a healing of one specific problem... 

I was blown away by these precious kids... Many with cerebral palsey, hydrocephalus, autism, and much more... 

But my heart was particularly drawn to a few children...

A 9 mo old who has been severely burned... So much so, that both of his hands are missing... Oh the long road of healing he has in front of him... And yet he is so sweet and joyful...

I was also drawn to 2 precious boys that were severely malnourished...one being 5 and looking more like a 9 mo old...  Little O, so precious...

And the other sweet little T.  he is 12 years old but wears a size 4...  you read that right... 12 years old, looking more like a 4 year old...

How does this happen?  How does it go on that long?  How does it go THAT FAR?  T is the most recently added Gem to the home... He was also abused... I truly never realized or thought completely through the amount of damage  that is done through malnutrition... Or more like starvation in this case...

I was immediately struck by God to speak the truths of His Word and love to T... 

You are so loved..  God created you for a very special purpose... You are fearfully and wonderfully made... I know that how he has suffered in the past he may not be "feeling" those truths... 

 He has telling eyes... Even though he can't speak, he still uses his face to communicate, even his eyebrows... He even gave me the slightest smile...

He broke me... 

No one deserves even the smallest dose of what he has experienced in life... This treasure who can barely do anything, can barely move from a tight fetal position because that is how he has sat for FAR TOO LONG is a BEAUTIFUL PRECIOUS  creation of God with a life purpose as great as yours or mine... Who knows maybe far greater than yours or mine... 

Do you believe that?  I am not sure what I believed fully before today... Before I saw it RIGHT in front of me with my own eyes... The toll of abuse, neglect, starvation on a precious little child...

He wasn't an accident... He deserves  to be loved, cared for, and treasured...

I feel blessed beyond measure and so privileged to be able to be a small part of that care and love these next two weeks...

Little T... I won't ever forget you... Part of your life  purpose was to change me... To teach me more about the infinite unconditional love of our Heavenly father... 

You are loved...

You are treasured...

You are handsome...

I am praying for your continued healing... Physically, emotionally... May God's perfect will now be done in your life...

You are now home T...I know you will be well cared for and deeply loved at the Gem Foubdation... No more to fear sweet boy...

no more to fear...