Marcia...

Dear Readers,

  

     So many thoughts are going through my mind right now...

I just read a blog post about the horrible reality of institutions for people with special needs in Eastern Europe. As I think of beautiful Marcia, I shudder to think of the bruises and black eyes she might have, as the author of the post I read's daughter did. What kind of world do we live in that sends five year olds to a life sentence of imprisonment in an institution? Many children die after their first year in the institution. Marcia has been there for about a year, but I have reason to believe that she is still alive. 

This week Mason and I were blessed with the opportunity to volunteer with some of our friends at Vacation Bible School. I had a group of four kids, ages ranging from three to five years old. They were rambunctious and silly, and although I'm exhausted after it's over, I loved getting to shepherd them all week.  I want Marcia to be able to go to VBS, I want her to get to play and laugh. I want her to be in my MiniMoez class, dancing and singing. I want her to be able to go swimming and have her nails painted and wear princess dresses...

I want her to be a little girl, with all the joys my four little kids from VBS get to experience. 

I don't have a way to tie this up in a bow, because her story hasn't been tied up in a bow yet. But I do know that it will be. Someday she will be in Heaven with Jesus, and all of the pain she experienced on this earth will be forgotten. 


Well, I sat down to write a completely different post than I ended up writing. Marcia was just on my heart...and these words came out. So here you have it. 


Please remember to pray for little Marcia, and all the orphans. 

Added after I wrote this post: After writing this, Cate and I walked outside to get the mail. We saw two little baby birds (and by little I mean itsy bitsy) running along the road, frantically chirping. It was easy to see that they were lost from their mother. One little fella took shelter under a car. It broke my heart to see them lost, and I just wished their mother would find them. As I looked at the one under the car, this Bible verse came to mind: 

"Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows." Luke 12:6-7

I was comforted to think that this little bird was not forgotten by God...and as I thought of that verse and how special that bird is to God, I knew Marcia was worth much more than that little creature. God has not forgotten her, either. 
Your blogger,
 Claire