Case in point…our three new children who just arrived exactly four weeks ago from the date I am now writing this blog. In case you missed it, this is story of how they came to be a part of our Sunshine family, recorded in my previous blog … https://sunshineinafrica.blogspot.com/2024/09/
The children immediately took to life in our Sunshine family. From day one, seeing these three children has become a highlight of my days. They light up and greet me with the biggest of hugs. It is like the joy and love inside of them has been unleashed.
I must give credit where credit is due...their 30 new brothers and sisters have played a big part in their successful adaptation. They always do a great job of helping new children assimilate into our family. Children usually come with a “take” attitude, scarfing up anything they can lay their hands on. However they quickly learn there is more than enough to go around and that they need not feel like they must grab what they can when they can. Less than a week into their time with us, we were all at Escola Sunshine for our Friday afternoon program doing a craft project. They sat at a table with five of our other children. After explaining the craft we were doing, I began placing the materials (paper, scissors, markers, and glue) on the tables. Our children patiently waited and watched as I did this. But Tiara, Januario, and Percina immediately lunged at the materials, scooping them into their arms as they left their five table partners astonished, looking at me with the question of “What???” on their faces. Tiara, Januario, and Percina immediately picked up on the realization that they had done something wrong, and they sheepishly pushed the materials back into the middle of the table. From then on, the children modeled how to share the materials so that everyone could have fun.
Then came the day the next week when Januario was using my car as a jungle gym. I came out to hear the others scolding him and directing him that we DO NOT climb on Mama Terri’s car. Januario slid off my car, looking very remorseful.
By the end of their first week, we had them settled into school. Percina attends our Beacons of Light preschool program. Tiara and Januario started at Escola Tamwana. On their first day of school, it seemed like they had always been there. When I excitedly asked how their first day went, they matter-of-factly responded, “Fine.” And when I enthusiastically asked if they had made new friends, they looked calmly at me and said, “Yes. Lots.” They adjusted so quickly. On their third day of school, I stopped by to get photos of them. I arrived at dismissal time. As they skipped out of their classrooms, my mother’s heart was reassured as so many other children were saying goodbye to them and wishing them a good weekend.
Shortly after the children arrived, we noticed that the oldest child had a braided cord tied around her waist. This is known as a fetish, a cord placed on the person by a witchdoctor. It is believed to have magical healing or protection powers. Delcio and I pulled the three children into our office to speak with them. We shared with them that in our family, we trust in God alone to heal and protect us and that other religions put their trust incorrectly in objects that cannot heal or protect. We asked them if they had anything like that on their bodies. Tiara immediately looked up and with the sweetest of trust in her eyes said that she did. We asked her if she would like to cut the cord off and place her trust in God to protect her. She responded with a confident yes. I handed her the scissors, and she asked me to help her cut it off, so we did it together. This led to us asking the children if they knew who Jesus was. Their blank stares told us that they had never hear of Him. What a privilege it was to share the story of Jesus with them, and what a privilege it will be to continue teaching them in the years to come. We sent them home with a children’s Bible that has 365 days of stories covering the creation of the world to Revelation. Their house mother has begun reading these to them every evening.
Last week, the uncle with whom they lived came to visit them. He wanted to see how they were getting along. Three things from his visit really stood out to me.
The first was how taken aback he was by their appearance. His exact words were, “They are so different. They don’t even look like the same children.” We find this to be true with all of our children. They physically transform in a way that is difficult to put into words. They are brighter and just seem to shine. So much so, that I now keep what I call my “Before and After Book”. This is a small photo album where I put in a photo of the child when we bring them home and another photo taken one, two, or three weeks after they arrive. You would not even recognize that they are the same children!
For example, here is our first photo of the children after they climbed into my car to come home with us…
And here are the children only two weeks later…
See what I mean???
The second thing that happened when Uncle Frede visited was that he asked them if they would like to return home with him again. They looked at him and said, “Nah. We are good. You can come visit us here.”
Third, shortly after he arrived and we settled them onto the outside veranda to have some privacy, I came out of my office to find them back inside Escola Sunshine participating in the reading activity Celia was doing with the other children. I looked out the window and saw their Uncle Fred sitting by himself. I called the three children and told them that he had come all the way to visit them, and they needed to go be with him. They reluctantly left the activity and went outside with him. But they kept sneaking back into Escola Sunshine again and again.
After about an hour, Uncle Fred decided it was time for him to head home. He thanked us for the care the children are receiving, saying he was leaving fully confident that they children are in a good place.
We also are confident that they are in a good place. Our Sunshine Approach family now has 33 children in its care. Don and I often find it just incredulous that these children look to us for love, support, and care. I mean…33 is a lot of children! And more are on their way! This is humbling and a bit unnerving, and it would be overwhelming if we did not know that we have so many people standing with us…our staff with us here in Mozambique and countless people in other countries who support this ministry with their purchase of our Sunshine Nut Co cashews, financial gifts, and prayers. We appreciate and thank each of you.
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