{rice, beans & love}

Two weeks ago I wrote about a little girl who was admitted into Tytoo’s rescue program: Wishla, an 8-pound, 11-month old miracle baby. We have learned lots more about her in the past few weeks, but the Lord has been working in my heart a lot more.

We have learned that Wishla’s young mother had been neglecting her for the past 11 months of her short life. We learned her grandma was trying her hardest to take care of the babe, but she was also trying to provide food for her own family by serving food to workers at a local factory. We also learned Wishla is very sick. She is severely malnourished and is also HIV positive.

Three days before learning this, on a Sunday morning in church, I found myself weeping over the life of this child. I couldn’t figure out why I was crying and being moved so strongly. I knew God was calling me to take her in as my own, but I fought back with all of my human excuses: I was too busy, I am newly engaged, I need to plan a wedding, I have two kids of my own…my list went on and on as I tossed and turned at night not being able to sleep.

I cried as I told Webert what was happening in my heart. He said “no way” and I agreed. I felt like a crazy person thinking that I should take in this child. As I continued to cry and become more convinced over the days, Webert was still not so sure about the idea, but he told me that if this was truly on my heart he couldn’t hold me back from doing it.

But, I continued to argue with God. One night I was struggling with God because I didn’t know why He would lay this on my heart and make me feel so strongly towards this child, but not allow the same thing to happen to Webert. But, God responded…typical.

I’m reading a book called Unfinished by Richard Stearns, a sequel to his first book The Hole in the Gospel. I highly recommend both books!

As I was struggling and arguing this is how He spoke to me through the words in Unfinished:

“We are saved by faith, and we are saved for works. And God himself has prepared specific people for specific good works. He chooses us for a mission, and he chooses a mission for us.”

Ok. He’s chosen Wishla for me. He’s chosen her as my mission. I hear you, Lord.

The next page contained these three Bible verses:

“If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but in actions and in truth.” (1 John 3:17-18)

Let my love be shown in actions. Let my actions be obedient. I will take care of Wishla. I hear you, Lord.

“What good it is, my brothers and sisters, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such a faith save him? Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, ‘God, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,’ but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead” (James 2:14-17)

Let my faith not be dead. Let my heart not be callused. I will try to be faithful with your calling, Lord.

“Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for.” (Matthew 25:40)

Of course, my family’s theme verse since starting to serve in Haiti. The verse my little brother, Matthew, is named after. I hear you, Lord.

So, Wishla came over for her first sleepover last week and has been with us since. And we have seen her come to life. The new medications are surely making a difference and she is eating more and more each day. She’s truly a fighter, a survivor. As she bounces up and down, giving us a huge smile, I can’t help but feel like this is right. Jeffte and Loveson love loving on her, helping give her baths and giving her lots of kisses. I continue to see her melt Webert’s heart with her smile.

Please continue to pray for her health. She will be celebrating her first birthday August 4^th and will be returning back to the doctor on August 9^th.  Pray for my family as it continues to grow.

And the words from my mother, “we will have her healthy in time for the wedding to be the perfect flower girl.”

Love from Haiti.