Goodnight Song

With the 12 1/2 hour time difference for me here in Rajamundry from Seattle time, it is now almost 8:30 a.m. here on Wednesday morning, but it is 8:00 p.m. there in Seattle. As Anna and Taylor are getting ready for bed right now on the night before school starts for them tomorrow, I wishing I could be there to tuck them in, give them blessings and sing to them.  

Last night, I got to be with some more girls to share with them the bags from the Days for Girls program.  It was really a sweet time because it was a smaller group of girls than the other time that we had with the large gathering on Saturday, and we sat in a circle talking together about the miracle of being a girl. As I was talking with them, I felt more comfortable in sharing as I had already been through the script before, but also because I knew more of these girls here. It was like sitting with Anna and talking to her about her body, about how she is fearfully and wonderfully made, and being a voice that lets her know that she is beautiful.  I asked Saroja if some of these girls were hearing some of this for the first time, and she said it certainly was.  I felt like it was the perfect way to spend our last night here as it was an intimate setting and as I felt like I could talk to them as a mother to a daughter. As I wrapped up the evening, I sang the song from Zephaniah 3:17 that I sing to Anna and Taylor and tried to look each one of them in the eyes as I was singing.  

Swapna, Devika, Tulasi and Suwarna 

a post below from two years ago about how I do feel so blessed to have these children entrusted to me here in India... 

October 7, 2012

Firstborn and Second born

When I was pregnant with Taylor, we loved our life as a family of three, and at the time, it was hard to imagine what life would be like as a family of four. I remember vividly that on the night that I went into labor that I called my friend Kerry Crockett, who was living in Scotland at the time. It was the middle of the night for me, but I knew that with the time change, she would be awake. She was so gracious and prayed for me on the phone that "God would expand our hearts as He was expanding our family."  That was exactly what I needed to hear, and we experienced the way that our hearts made space for Taylor as we were bursting with joy the next day when he did arrive.  

I have been thinking about this a lot on this trip because Kenya is like my firstborn and India is like my second. The relationships that developed from my first trip in 1994 to Kenya led to the birth of Children of the Kingdom.  Each year, more names were added to our growing list of students being sponsored, and then it seemed time to expand our hearts to India in 2010. 

It is hard to describe the joy that I have had in getting to see some of these children that we have invested in over the last two years here in India.  Our family's journey in considering adoption a few years ago ended up being a closed door in adopting a child into our family in a traditional sense. But it did end up being a confirmation of the work in Kenya and in India and a growing commitment to the children whom God has entrusted to us through this program.  

My friend Mary Young is going to Uganda this month to meet the children they are adopting. When she called to tell me the good news, we talked on the phone and remarked how sweet it was that I too got to come to this month to meet "my" children here in India.  

I am thankful for the fact that God gave me the gift of being a mother to Anna and Taylor. And He has been very gracious to give me the gift of family here in Kenya and India too... 

These girls are like daughters for sure... I hope they will remember from this night that one mother has sung over them and has reminded them of their beauty and their worth. 

Anna and Taylor, know that my heart is singing to you right now and giving you a kiss goodnight... Have a wonderful first day of school!!!!