A Moment from Heaven

Saturday was truly the best day of my life thus far. I watched my little girl move into this dream house (by Zambian standards). I have dreamed of our reunion since we said goodbye last year, but of course Satan was great at making me worry about that moment and that Violet wouldn’t remember me. I know it’s a crazy thought after everything that happened last year, but Satan had made me really question if maybe I had thought last year was more special than it really was. BUT SATAN WAS SO WRONG! That moment was truly a gift from God! As the bus drove down the dirt road to the Tree of Life, I spotted Violet through the window of the bus on the opposite side from me. Of course, I started yelling her name and she heard me, saw my face, and no joke jumped across the bus straight to my window beaming, grabbed my hand through the window and said, “I love you so much.” I cannot even begin to fully describe the emotion that filled me at that moment. I ran alongside the bus holding her hand until the bus stopped, at which point she jumped THROUGH the window into my arms and clung to me and kept saying over and over (in both English and Nyanjan) “Nikukonda managi managi” a.k.a. “I love you so much.” I was shocked to hear that tiny bit of English come out of her mouth because last year she couldn’t utter a word of English. Then I got to walk her to her new house, which is adequately dubbed “The Freedom House” and let her look around for the first time. Her face was priceless when she saw that she had her very own bed to sleep in for the first time ever that had three of her very own stuffed animals on it. She was speechless. And then I showed her that she had a closet full of clothes (well it’s probably got four outfits per kid and she will share the closet space with three other girls) but four outfits to a kid who was wearing the exact same thing that she was wearing a year ago are a lot of new outfits! I asked her what she wanted to wear and the first thing she wanted to put on was a frilly purple tutu that totally didn’t match the red fleece she already had on (of course I wanted to put her in matching clothes and get her all dressed cute) but she wanted that purple tutu so you know what? For probably the first time in her life she got to wear a purple tutu, I mean how could you tell that sweet face no?!

This was the sweetest moment that I have ever had in my entire life. The little moments like watching her hug her very own stuffed animal for the first time. Oh and I have to add that she had her first Starburst ever yesterday. She couldn’t believe that there were eight Starbursts on her bed all for her and she didn’t know how to eat it; I had to teach her how to chew a Starburst. Those are the precious little moments that I loved most about yesterday. Her awe and wonder at the things that I take for granted…She is constantly reminding me without even knowing it to be grateful for what I have been given; God just so happened to package this reminder in a pint-size girl named Violet whom I love dearly. She is such a gift from God!

I have also learned so much about serving quietly and behind the scenes. It has amazed me how much work goes into making a non-profit run, and I had no idea how much work I would be doing. It has challenged me to let someone else be in charge and to just sit back and joyfully do the grunt work. It has been so good for me, but I must say it has also been a huge struggle because we work (and I mean HARD work) about 17 hours a day and I am exhausted at the end of it. This morning I read Colossians 3:23 “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.” Yes, I have probably read that verse before, but trust me it has taken on a whole new meaning here because this has been a very hard adjustment for me. As much as I love Zambia and orphans, it is a totally different game serving behind the scenes and it is a lesson I have needed to learn. So may I ask that your prayers be with me right now as I adjust to really having to be the bottom of the totem pole where no one particularly wants to be. It sounds like a funny prayer request but it would be so appreciated because it has stretched me to my limits at times, considering that I’m not usually one to back down and not lead.

On another note, Sunday at Zambian church (which is quite an experience and should be on everyone’s bucket list), Pastor Rafael talked about if God is calling you and if you are being disobedient to the Lord’s plans or obedient. It hit home for me and made me really think. Church here is nothing like American church; you can see the joy clearly on the faces of the Zambians. We dance and sing and shout praises to the Lord like there is no tomorrow. Because what if there isn’t a tomorrow? We are not guaranteed even another breath, let alone a whole other day. Living here and seeing real poverty and real despair relentlessly remind me that life is fragile. Seeing Violet, who has no parents and is blind in one eye, makes me question what I consider to be “problems.” There are times that mine seem downright meager and whiny. God loves us all the same; I was not made better than them. I am not entitled to more than them by any means. My every breath is a gift, just like every breath that these kids here take is a breath. God has richly blessed me here in this life, but someday these kiddos will receive the blessings of God as well, which is the theme for camp this week, The Kingdom of God. I can’t wait to tell them about being the princes and princesses of a majestic King! As the Zambians always say, “I AM BLESSED!”