Wednesday, February 22, 2012

::The One in Control::

"Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world."
::James 1:27::

I'm the one on the far left!
Most Thursdays I go to a hospital here in Kharkov, to visit a ward for abandoned babies. These babies are in a state of limbo, waiting on paperwork and formalities before the government takes them to an orphanage. There have been as many as 8 or 9 babies, but right now there are only around 4. The oldest is 2 years old (we were there on his birthday), and the youngest is only a few months old.

I really enjoy getting to hold the babies and love of them and wish it was longer each week. It's a time when God shows me that He is the One in control. I can wish a better life for them, I can pray for a beautiful future, but only God can give it to them. I have NO CONTROL over what happens to them. I can't make it better. I can give them the only thing I can: love. They won't remember me, but I pray they remember the One Who IS LOVE.

A few weeks ago, a group of medical students came in to look at the babies while we were there. They were foreign students from all over the world: India, Pakistan, Nigeria and Morocco are the places I remember. Their classes are in English, and so after an awkward length of time when the teacher kept speaking to me in Russian (assuming I was Ukrainian), I initiated a conversation with the students. We shared where we were from, what we are doing here and contact information.

I have no idea what will come from this, but God seems to have an additional purpose for our time with these sweet babies. As much as I want to, I can't adopt each of these babies. I can only love them. But as I love them, God is showing His love to more and more people. He is the One in control!

-ej