Appointed One

"I will give you treasures hidden in the darkness - secret riches.  

I will do this so you may know that I am the Lord, the God of Israel, 

the one who calls you by name."

Isa. 45:3

In a crib, in an orphanage, halfway around the world, sits a boy.  He's easy to miss, as he sits there quietly with his head bowed.  You might even pass him by, unless you took the time to look into his face, pick him up, hold him in your arms.  
At that moment, he becomes unforgettable.

This is what happened to me on Monday, October 19, 2015.  I walked into his room, going from crib to crib to speak to each child, to touch each child, to tell them that I saw them, that they mattered.  His was the last crib on the back row.  He sat so still, not making a sound.  All I could see was the back of his head, as he had it bowed down.  I reached out to stoke his head, never dreaming that I was about to lose my heart.  When I touched him, he raised his head up, and I saw his face for the first time, a face that radiated with joy and light.  I felt the presence of the Lord.  

I was the only one on our team in this room.  The nannies spoke no English.  I spoke no Chinese.  There was no way for me to find out anything about him, not even whether he was a boy or a girl.  All I knew was that I had never been affected by anyone like I was at that moment by him.  

As the week went on, I spent every second I could with him.  He could not walk or talk or see, but to be with him was enough.  To hear the precious laughter (video) flow from his beautiful lips when I tickled him.  To see his pure joy the first time I put his hand to my face, his delicate little fingers gently touching my eyes, my nose, my mouth, my hair, the fuzzy softness of my shirt.  It was like I was watching him "see" for the first time.  To let him run his hand down the wall as I carried him around the orphanage with me.  To experience his wonder as I carried him outside and he felt the crisp air on his cheeks.  

These were holy moments.

I was continually crying out to the Lord for this precious baby boy.  My heart was torn to shreds, knowing that I would leave in a few short days.  

"Lord, who will touch him?  Who will hold him?  

Who will sing to him and tell him that he is loved?"

"God, You have to give me some hope.  Show me, Lord, that You have a plan for him beyond his life in that small, dark crib."

And He did.  

Up to this point, I had held little hope that the orphanage would allow him to be registered for adoption, because of his age and special needs.  But God had a plan for this precious one long before I arrived.  Through a set of circumstances, I discovered, much to my surprise, that he was actually already registered and available for adoption and had been for some time.  The orphanage told me that they were going to pull his adoption paperwork because he had been available for so long and no one had chosen him.  


The orphanage staff agreed that if I could find him a family, they would reinstate his paperwork.  I requested that they allow him to be in the physical therapy program so that he could get stronger in the meantime, and they agreed to this as well.


As I held him on my lap one morning, I prayed that that the Lord would give me an English name for him to use when I shared his story.  In that very moment, the Lord whisper, "Seth," but I wasn't sure it was from Him.  Not until I looked up the meaning of this name.  Seth means "appointed one."  
  
This whole time I had been asking God, "Why him?  Why this little boy out of so many beautiful precious children in this place?" 

Now I knew.  He was the appointed one for me.  
I was supposed to tell Seth's story.


So, I am telling it.  

This video of Seth on one of our last days together is such a treasure for me.  Words cannot adequately describe this amazing boy, but this video catches a glimpse of what I experienced with him. 

This beautiful six-year-old boy needs a family.  This boy who has waited 5 years for someone to choose him needs to be chosen.  Seth, so full of life and light, whose laugh lights up the room, is the "treasure hidden in the darkness," and he is waiting to be a son. 

1 John 5:14-15 says:

"And this is the confidence we have towards Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.  And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of Him."


Would you join me in crying out for Seth to the Lord, who is the "Father to the fatherless?"  To the One who delights to set the lonely into families, that He may place Seth into a family soon?  

I believe He will hear and answer.

"O Lord, You hear the desire of the afflicted; 
You will strengthen their heart; 
You will incline Your ear 
to do justice to the fatherless and the oppressed, 
so that man who is of the earth may strike terror no more."
Ps. 10:17-18

In the Arms of Jesus Now

"For it was You who created my inward parts

You knit me together in my mother’s womb.

I will praise You because I have been remarkably and wonderfully made.

Your works are wonderful, and I know this very well.

My bones were not hidden from You when I was made in secret,

when I was formed in the depths of the earth.

Your eyes saw me when I was formless;  all my days were written in Your book and planned before a single one of them began."

Psalms 139: 13-16

My heart is grieving.  Our team is grieving.  Our Baby Hope has passed away.  

Our Baby Hope who we love so dearly, who captured our hearts with her hard-earned smile.  This one whose giggle was like the sweetest music ever.  This one who we have prayed for, longed for, fought for...

...is in the arms of Jesus now.

She no longer lies in her crib the corner, halfway around the world, 

seemingly forgotten.

Her legs are no longer lifeless and limp.

She no longer cries when touched or held.

So, through our tears, we rejoice.

Knowing that she is healed and home.

Knowing that her body is now whole.

Knowing we will see her again one day soon.

I have such a deep, profound gratitude that the Lord allowed me to be part of her life, even for such a brief time.

She is loved, she is valued, she is remembered.

I am thankful that she is known and that she will be mourned.

If ever I would doubt whether it is worth "going"

all I have to do is remember my Baby Hope.

She was worth it all.

I will never forget you, my sweet Baby Girl.  

So so glad you are with your Daddy now.  

I'll see you soon.

"So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you must endure many trials for a little while. These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world. You love him even though you have never seen him. Though you do not see him now, you trust him; and you rejoice with a glorious, inexpressible joy."