Welcome to the Family, Cristian

I read Ann and weep. 

Max slips in beside me and sees this photo . . .

Oh, Momme, tey have a leak.  Sobode need to fix it.

Yes son, somebody does.

He slips away.

I keep reading, sometimes laughing, sometimes crying. 

Sometimes judging.  And I hate myself for that.  I touch my brain with my heart and remind that despair sets in.  People lose hope.

Compassion says these words,

Children in poverty are susceptible to believing poverty's darkest message: "You don't matter."

Adults believe that, too.

Hope.

My Shelby has had a sponsor child for years now.  But Shelby's gone, and so is the photo on the fridge and the letters in the mail.

There are these. 

Photos that came months back.  Photos of children needing sponsors.  Photos I placed on the side of our fridge so I could touch their faces and pray.

At the end of Ann's words is the link to sponsor a child.

I stare at it.  Can we do it?  Can we afford it?  How much help will the girls need in their new place?  What if work slows down - or stops completely? 

I click.

Flooding my eyes and heart is a page of three year old boys.  Why would it go straight here?  I think.  But I know the answer.

They all have hearts by their faces.  All waiting for longer than six months for someone, anyone, to want to sponsor them.  Love them.  Become their family close from far.

Adopt their hearts.

Oh, Momme, tey have a leak.  Sobode need to fix it.

Yes, son, somebody does.

Jesus speaks to me.  Let Max.  Let Me use Max.  Teach him now.

And I remember my promise.  I call my son.  A son we waited eighteen years for.  A son we didn't plan.  We were a finished family, we thought.

But we are not a finished family.  How can one ever be finished with Jesus?  Max is a blessing and he will now bless.  It starts now.  Right now our family grows.

He climbs into my lap and I try to explain how these little boys need someone to help them.  How they don't have their own bed or much food. 

How Jesus loves them.

I tell him we will pick one to help.  He points.  To the very first one.  I think, Oh, it's just because he's first.  I point to Juan, Luis, then Kilder.  What about this one?  I say.

No, Momme, go back up, says this little disciple sitting in my lap.

I scroll up and he points to the first one again.

I stare.  His name is Cristian.

I click. 

He likes to play with cars, baby. 

I ike cars, too.

Tell his momme to buy him a bed wi me mone.

Maybe he needs food more, honey.

No, a bed.

Ok.

If he here, he could share mine.

I click - Select this child.

Welcome to the family, Cristian.  We love you already.