His hands, His feet...

Today in preschool I was greeted by the familiar calls of, “Jess – E-ka!”  The way the kids say my name with their Creole accent is just TOO cute!  It was picture day today, so the kids were in and out of preschool, heading between Toddler House and the school.  They were dressed their best, and each of them was taking a photo with his or her nanny.  They sat on the nannies laps and smiled big for the camera.  Their dark skin and bright white smiles are just too precious.

When I got into school, they all wanted to show me their outfits.  “Jess-E-Ka!  Jess-E-ka!”  They pulled at the necks of their shirts, and tugged on their shorts.  One kid even dropped his drawers to show me that he had numbers on his underwear.  (Sounds weird, but I had just taught him a few lessons on his numbers in English.  He showed me his underwear – “One!  Two!  Three!”  Ah man, he was so proud! But it was a bit awkward!)

Anyway, I assume that some of these photos will make their way to the kids’ adoptive families in the way of updates.  I have been trying to write about my babies in the binder at the Main House, so that families can know what their children are doing while they wait for them to come home.  That has to be the hardest part of adopting – knowing that your child is being cared for by others while you wait helplessly for the governments to finish legalizing your status as “mom or dad.” 

His Hands and Feet

While I have been in Haiti, I have met some pretty amazing people.  Most of them are pretty quiet about their work, and they just go about it like it is no big deal.  Those people remind me that God calls each of us to some unique plan – or some special service in His name.  We are His hands and feet, going about His business every day.  There are so many here who came as volunteers and then never left.  They felt God’s call to service in this place that is at once beautiful, and devastated.  I admire them because I don’t know that I would be able to sacrifice as much. 

I told one of the Toddler House workers that the other day.  I told her that there was simply no way I could ever do what she was doing, living and working in a place like this – calling this tragic country home.  She didn’t even skip a beat.  “Yes you could,” she said.  “If God told you to, you would.”

Simple.  True.  Not always easy.  I believe that each of us has a job to do.  Some of us are called to be his hands and feet in Haiti.  Some are called to care for the sick in our hometowns, and some of us are called to open our homes and our hearts to the precious children of this world who need the love of a family – a family that will introduce them to Jesus and help them grow in a relationship with Him.

I have been thinking and praying a lot about what God’s plan is for me.  He reveals it in little ways all the time, but deciphering the message takes prayer, concentration on Him, and faith.  I feel so blessed to know that God loves me, and has a plan for me.  He treasures me, just as He does the 80+ children at God’s Littlest Angels.  I hope that I am listening when he tells me what to do.