The Arms of God...

Last night might be counted as one of the saddest moments of my trip so far...but also one of the greatest.

I got back late that night from dinner. Some of the others had headed home earlier, so I was catching up with them. While we were talking, Nancy (one of the older sponsored students) came to get us. She told me that Eddy was crying in his room and she couldn't get him to stop. So I headed over with her to see what was going on.

Eddy is 11 years old. His dad was killed when he was very little and he was raised by his mother. She died last year of a sudden illness and so he was left with no one to take care of him. Allison added him to her program and had him placed in boarding school with a few of the other children from Obunga. He has had a rough year, but is slowly starting to come to terms with all the tragedy he has seen in his short life. But some days, he is overwhelmed by his sadness. Last night was one of those nights. In addition to all of that, he was not feeling very well. The first or second day we were there, he came down with malaria.

I went to see him and talk to him. I don't actually know him that well, but some of the team that were closer to him were already asleep. So I was it. Another girl, Ashley, came a few minutes later. He was in bed sobbing. He didn't want to leave the next day. He was happy to be among people that cared for him, and didn't want to go back to school and away from the closest thing he had to family. We tried to talk to him and calm him down, but it did no good. So we just let him cry. Ashley has a BEAUTIFUL voice, so I asked her to sing for him. While she sang, I just laid down with him and held him in my arms as he cried. His sobs turned to quiet tears and finally his breathing slowed and he fell asleep in my arms while Ashley sung beautifully about the love of God. If that was the only thing I did in the entire 2 weeks, I would consider the trip a success. It was worth it to come halfway around the world...and hold a sweet little boy as he cried for his family. THAT is the need that is so great there. That words cannot fully express...

So much sorrow for such a little boy. But he's not alone. So many of them have the same stories. Details changed slightly, but with the same ending. Loss of parents. Loss of loved ones. Feeling all alone in this big world. Truly BEING all alone. It put my life and my troubles in perspective quickly.

I feel as if God let me be HIS arms that night. I am honored beyond description.

Lord, please be with sweet Eddy. Heal His heart, give Him a peace that passes all understanding. Let him KNOW without a doubt that YOU are His Heavenly Father. And that You will NEVER leave him nor forsake him. That you love him immensely and intensely. Let him feel that love. Let him find Your arms in the people around him. His teachers, his house mother, his friends and classmates.