Our children ask me a lot about the little girls in our picture at home. Especially our 8 year old. One is of Philisia whom I have sponsored since 1995 from Africa and Alyona our host child from Ukraine. She asks me " Why does she have no food or water (regarding Philisia), or why does Alyona not have a Mommy and Daddy and does not get to have a bath like we do" Or why does Santa not come and visit them?" I have Philisia and Alyona framed and put on our wall so that they will not be forgotten.
Then comes the questions of our son whom we adopted from Russia in 2006. The girls ask about why he was born with a deformed hand. Or why did his Mommy leave him in the hospital and never come back?. Sophia went to Russia with us and she saw the children in the orphanage. She constantly asked "Why?" Like "Mommy, why can't that boy hold his head up, does that mean he will never get a Mommy and a Daddy?" The little boy was severely disabled.
No one gives us a book on how to answer these questions. Blake and I struggle a lot on the "Why" questions, especially when it comes to tragedy, unfortunate situations, etc. I was blessed going on Mission Trip in the youth of my life and saw things that I never expected to ever see. I try to speak from what I learned from those experiences.
We tell our children that God has a plan. We don't know what that plan is. But, He does have a plan.
About Nikolai....we tell them "God made each person in this world special, including you and you, and Nikolai is no different. He has a special hand that maybe one day, he will throw a wicked curve ball in baseball or find a cure for a rare disease...who knows?, But, God had this woman carry Nikolai in her stomach so that he may be born into this world so that he can meet his Mother and Father and family....and that is us. Sometimes, the family we are supposed to be with is not always in front of our eyes, or from our blood, or they may be half way across the world like us. But, God had a plan. It just may not be the kind you are used to seeing"
Or Philisia in Africa. "God has something just as special for her too. Maybe with our help and those of others, she can learn new things that will help her make a difference in her part of the world"
Or Alyona in Ukraine " God is watching over her. He knows where her family is. It isn't always the people that helped bring her into this world. God picked 2 people to be a vehicle to bring her to the parents that were meant exactly for her. And, blood does not always make a family. It resides in your heart. So, she may be 11 years old. But, God has a plan. And our job is to continue to pray and to support her in any way we can. We send money to help her learn English so that she may have more opportunities."
We don't have the right words. But, even as adults we ask "why". I just told this to our 8 year old lying in bed reading a book. "Mommy and Daddy don't always have an answer to your why's. But, I can tell you this much....we are put on this earth to serve. Not to just get get, get." Of course she said "Serve what? donuts?" Laughing..I say "No, we are put here to help others in anyway we can. So, when you ask us "Why did God let this happen?, how about next time, let us all ask him "What?, instead of Why?"
And truthfully, that is what I believe. We all ask 'Why?" and we may not get our answer today or tomorrow. But, God has a plan.
I say to all of us, especially to myself..."What can I do to help take away their sorrow or help with their burden" Isn't our time on earth about that?
Then comes the questions of our son whom we adopted from Russia in 2006. The girls ask about why he was born with a deformed hand. Or why did his Mommy leave him in the hospital and never come back?. Sophia went to Russia with us and she saw the children in the orphanage. She constantly asked "Why?" Like "Mommy, why can't that boy hold his head up, does that mean he will never get a Mommy and a Daddy?" The little boy was severely disabled.
No one gives us a book on how to answer these questions. Blake and I struggle a lot on the "Why" questions, especially when it comes to tragedy, unfortunate situations, etc. I was blessed going on Mission Trip in the youth of my life and saw things that I never expected to ever see. I try to speak from what I learned from those experiences.
We tell our children that God has a plan. We don't know what that plan is. But, He does have a plan.
About Nikolai....we tell them "God made each person in this world special, including you and you, and Nikolai is no different. He has a special hand that maybe one day, he will throw a wicked curve ball in baseball or find a cure for a rare disease...who knows?, But, God had this woman carry Nikolai in her stomach so that he may be born into this world so that he can meet his Mother and Father and family....and that is us. Sometimes, the family we are supposed to be with is not always in front of our eyes, or from our blood, or they may be half way across the world like us. But, God had a plan. It just may not be the kind you are used to seeing"
Or Philisia in Africa. "God has something just as special for her too. Maybe with our help and those of others, she can learn new things that will help her make a difference in her part of the world"
Or Alyona in Ukraine " God is watching over her. He knows where her family is. It isn't always the people that helped bring her into this world. God picked 2 people to be a vehicle to bring her to the parents that were meant exactly for her. And, blood does not always make a family. It resides in your heart. So, she may be 11 years old. But, God has a plan. And our job is to continue to pray and to support her in any way we can. We send money to help her learn English so that she may have more opportunities."
We don't have the right words. But, even as adults we ask "why". I just told this to our 8 year old lying in bed reading a book. "Mommy and Daddy don't always have an answer to your why's. But, I can tell you this much....we are put on this earth to serve. Not to just get get, get." Of course she said "Serve what? donuts?" Laughing..I say "No, we are put here to help others in anyway we can. So, when you ask us "Why did God let this happen?, how about next time, let us all ask him "What?, instead of Why?"
And truthfully, that is what I believe. We all ask 'Why?" and we may not get our answer today or tomorrow. But, God has a plan.
I say to all of us, especially to myself..."What can I do to help take away their sorrow or help with their burden" Isn't our time on earth about that?
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