I just had some really sweet time with my girl. Chad had a meeting tonight so it was just the two of us for family worship. Ava got out her small New Testament and said that she wanted to read the Bible story tonight. I settled in for an interesting story and I wasn't disappointed!
She literally talked for 5 minutes while barely taking a breath. It was a story about Peter and the other "bisciples" going on a car ride with Jesus. It started raining, but thankfully Jesus had an umbrella. They had to take a car to Heaven because it was too hard to walk. Then some robbers came and fought with Peter and he got some bobos. Then Jesus healed him. There were lots of other details in there that were hard to catch, but she was passionate as she shared the story. I somehow kept a straight face and just praised God that He is stirring a desire and love for the Word of God in my little girl . . . even if there is a little fiction thrown in! :)
As we went into our prayer time things got a bit more serious. She wanted to pray for her little brother in Ethiopia, but for the first time really started asking some questions. I answered the easy ones . . . Where is he? Where will he sleep? Can I hold him? She even demonstrated how she would hold him and pat his bottom if he was tired and crying!
Then she asked if his mommy and daddy would bring him to us. I explained that we would go get him and bring him home. She asked if his mommy and daddy would come here too. I explained that for some reason, his mommy and daddy wouldn't be able to take care of him and that God had called us to be his new mommy and daddy.
She frowned, thought for a few seconds, and then said, "I want him to stay with his mommy and daddy." Heartbreaking. It didn't come out in a jealous "I don't want him here" way, but with an uneasiness about him leaving his mommy and daddy.
I had never really thought about having to explain the reality of an orphan to Ava. She was so upset at the thought of him not being with his parents. It makes sense because she can't imagine Chad and I not being here to care for her. I felt in a new way the reality that the joy of adoption always comes out of the pain and trauma of loss. As young as she is, even Ava realizes that this shouldn't be. Orphans shouldn't exist. No child should be without a mommy and daddy.
What if we all realized this and allowed it to transform our lives? I was able to assure Ava that we would take good care of her little brother and would be his new forever family, but there are millions of orphans who don't have that hope. Is God calling you to step out in faith and do something about it?
I cherish moments like tonight, but I know it is going to get hard. Please pray that we will have wisdom to explain the adoption process to Ava (and eventually Grayson). I don't want to shy away from the harsh realities because my prayer is that those very things will draw our kids to surrender their lives to the only One who can truly rescue and save the lost, broken and orphaned.
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