Stars

It's time for you to meet our newest orphan we took in a few months back. I have shared via a post earlier about her journey to us, but I didn't know Dina except via a couple chance encounters on our trip to Desdunes and through a photo I had shot of her. She was in possession of the most tragic set of eyes I think I have witnessed, and when I learned of her predicament, we started the effort to collect her, and mend what was left of a family back together again. I can report tonight that it is an extraordinary joy to see her and her brother together again. But I also think it is only fair to report that these kids come to us maimed and hurting so deeply that their path to healing is long and arduous at best, and the truth is some aspects of them will never recover. When we started our movie night at the property tonight, the orphans hadn't arrived, so as we settled in and were watching I was pleasantly surprised when they suddenly showed up and promptly perched on the floor in front of us. Mind you we have been so busy with projects that up until now I have not had much time with the kids this trip in. So as they settled in I began to watch Dina, our newest orphan. She has developed an infection in one of her eyes, it showed up over the weekend and we are sending her to a doctor in the morning. As I watched, I noticed a tear running down her cheek, and at first I thought it was her eye, turns out some of it was, but she was unbelievably moved by the movie. Within a few minutes I realized Dina was interacting with the film on a whole different level than the rest of the crowd. As I said earlier, we were watching 'Soul Surfer' and the interaction of the family, and especially the mother and father were deeply moving her. So I bent down and scooped her into my arms, her small frame melted onto my lap, and I held her while weeping in my heart. So much injustice in life, so much pain, how did she survive, and how will she heal. There isn't much compassion in Haiti, the callouses of poverty and starvation have crippled this culture in it's ability to tend to it 's wounded. You search far and wide to find hearts willing and ready to take the high risk of caring. We have been blessed at our orphanage to have some incredible hearts a part of it, and create this loving environment for these kids. But that can never replace the home, the real mothers embrace, the protection and guidance of the father, nor was it meant to. We are just attempting to embrace them for a season with the love of God, pray grace does what only grace can do, and give them a future. Often we are called mom and dad by the orphans, and one is left pondering the capacity of love. And so it is the tenderest of our children is also our newest. Bringing a flavor all her own, she is an incredible little girl. She is quiet, and gentle, but possesses a brilliant spirit. we are so grateful to have put brother and sister back together again! As I was entering the tent tonight, the sky was brilliant with stars, the sky is incomparable to back home, the darkness of Haiti shows off the sky in majestic fashion. And in our orphanage, in the darkness of this culture these children also shine brightly and we get to witness it! Thank you for being a part! Blessings to all!