This is my Africa

19 people from our church just returned from a mission trip to Africa where they did wonderful things for the people and "saw the face of God." (loved how one guy described that like this this morning!) It was such a great trip and I loved hearing about it today and seeing the pictures. It made me think back to my trip to Cambodia a few years ago. I love doing mission work and was tearing up listening to them talk about it.So neat to see God work in the lives of our church members as they are serving others. Blessings for both the giver and the receiver for sure!

After the service, my sweet friend hugged me and said, "What you are doing for {foster baby} is just as important as going to Africa." I had so wanted to go with the group, but decided to make my mission my backyard for this time. There are so many kids at the shelter here, less than 10 miles from me. I am only taking them one at a time, but we are pouring God's love into them with every meal, bath, playtime, and snuggle time. Teaching them that He loves them and we love them, when maybe they haven't known that anyone loves them before.

Tonight, little miss woke up at 11:30, after sleeping for four hours. She was a-w-a-k-e. She is so sweet though that she will lay in bed completely silently, as long as I was there with her. I'm not 100% sure on all the DHS rules just yet, but know that the kids have to have their own bed, so I was careful to not lay by her, but just to sit on the edge and rub her back. After 20 minutes of that, I was tired. But every time I moved, she would dart off the end of the bed (just a mattress on the floor until we figure out if she will fall out of a real twin or needs a toddler bed) and go for the door. Did I mention it was about midnight by now? I was tired! So I just laid on the floor between her mattress and Princess P's bed, which was about a foot or so wide. A few minutes later she had climbed off the bed and was snuggled up to me and started babbling. It was more sounds than she has made since she got here. I so wish I knew what she was trying to say.

I sang to her and she babbled more. I put her back in her bed and kept laying on the floor next to her and she reached out and took my hand. She hasn't held a hand or initiated any kind of contact really since she got here. It was some precious moments.

An hour later, I was still on that floor and she was still awake. Every time I tried to leave, she would jump up and follow and have me pick her up. I was putting her back in bed and saying nite-nite. over. and over. and over.

It might be the exhaustion but I just started to tear up thinking that only knowing me for a few days, she feels safe coming to me and snuggling up to me. I was praying for her and her family and finally, she settled in and allowed me to come downstairs.

Now, it is 1:10am and I am just thinking how much I already love this little blond hair, blue eyed "African" and if I have her for a week or a year, I'll keep trying to teach her how much God loves her and how important she is to Him and others.

And now it's 1:17am and she was just crying again. This is the first time I have heard her cry, and it is sad and quiet and heartbreaking. This time, I went up there and told her softly to get back in bed and she did. I didn't have to carry her or anything. I hope she starts to feel safe enough here to sleep peacefully.

So for now, I'll leave foreign missions to others and enjoy hearing all about their exotic adventures while I have my own little closer to home adventures here.

She is worth it!

PS...1:28am and it is quiet. Dare I attempt to sleep?