For the past two weeks I’ve been in Maun, Botswana working at a home for orphaned and abandoned children. Most of the parents of these kids have passed away, are alcoholics, prostitutes, or have psychological issues, making them unfit to take care of their kids. Also, here in Botswana people with special needs and disabilities are looked down on and viewed as useless or annoying. In the past six years that this home has been open, only 8 kids have been adopted due to certain laws here, it’s really difficult to adopt kids in Botswana.
When I showed up on the first day I was greeted by a boy who was sitting on the floor and was screaming with laughter saying, “Hi!! How are you!?” He yanked me down on to the floor with him and began to examine my arms and give me hugs. I later found out that he was found in a trashcan when he was a few months old because he was born with Hydrocephalus, a condition in which there is extra water in the brain. Because of this he has an enlarged head and moves around by dragging his legs behind him. From that very first day, he was that one kid that God put on my heart to love hard.
The next day I was having some time of worship by myself and broke down in tears. I felt so much sadness that the kids at this home were not being loved like they needed to be loved, especially the boy who greeted me who needed extra care. My heart aligned with God’s, and in that moment I felt the same way for these kids as God does. I started to pray over all of these kids and asked God to please give this boy a family who would take care of him and love him the way Jesus does. I prayed for more qualified staff and volunteers to continue to come to the home and show the kids the physical love and affection that they need.
Every day I went to the home with the mindset that I was physically going to love these kids like Jesus would. I would hug them, tickle them, disciple them, hold them, and love them hard. I wanted to give them what I knew they weren’t getting from parents or the staff. This was not easy. Throughout the day I had to constantly pray for patience with my boy, who would have frequent breakdowns that not even the staff knew how to handle. Everyday I would get drooled on, snotted on, and sweat on by all of the kids. The more I went, the easier it was to put aside all of these physically uncomfortable feelings and love them anyways.
Throughout that first week of tears and tons of prayer, God reminded me that these kids were His. They were His before I met them and they would continue to be His when I left. He is such a good dad to them and He would always be a good dad to them, despite their earthly situations. They were more than taken care of with Him. Knowing this, the second week here I felt so much peace. I no longer cried or felt the burden that I did the first week because I entrusted the kids into His care.
After our last day of ministry with the kids, the founder of the home came over to our house to talk and to get to know us a little better. Randomly in the middle of the conversation she told us that she had a secret to tell us. She told us that there is an American couple that lives in Botswana that is going to adopt my sweet boy and his brother!! I instantly started crying and was so overwhelmed with joy! I was in shock that in just two short weeks I was able to see my prayers, which seemed impossible, come to fulfillment. God had been listening to my prayers, the founder’s prayers, and everyone else’s who cared for my sweet boy and his brother. He didn’t have to answer my prayers while I was here, but He did! And I’m so thankful.
He is not a good God because he’s providing parents for this boy and his brother. He would still be a good God even if none of those kids got adopted. He’s a good God because he has loved and will continue to love this boy, his brother, and all of the kids in that home. He is a good God because he has loved and will love every single one of us human beings on this earth with His whole heart. He is a good God and His timing is perfect.
I’ve been praying everyday that the rest of the kids at the home will also find families to love them, and I have so much hope and assurance that He will in His perfect timing. Please pray that God will align my heart with His, not just for the kids at the home, but for every person I come in contact with. Every person we see is one of His creations and His prized possessions that He wants us to love.
We aren’t allowed to post pictures of their faces, but here is me and my sweet boy 🙂
