Strength in the moment

Over the years I have seen and experience things I never thought I would have the strength to endure.  The amazing thing is that we don’t have the strength until the second we need it. Not a second before and not a second too late. I have seen children beaten and nursed their wounds. I have held them as they cried and sat with them as they confronted their abusers. I have taken little girls to the gynecologists and nursed their sexually transmitted diseases.   I have held a dying mom in my arms and promised to fulfill her dying wish.

Yesterday I held the hand of our littlest member of the New Hope Safe house, who lost her dad last year, and had tell her that her mom didn’t get better and that she had gone to be with God in heaven.  I prepared her for her mother’s funeral explaining that when we would go to see her today she would look like she was sleeping because her body was finally at rest.  And I had peace knowing that I was keeping my word to the mom making sure her little one would be OK when she “closed her eyes forever.”

During the day little Jo would repeat many times, in an effort to console herself, “My mom has gone to be with God, but I have lots of moms.”  Yes little one, you are very loved!  Most importantly with the supernatural love of a heavenly father who goes before you preparing a way for you to have family again.

While some only saw a dirty, stinky barrio kid—

The Chittenden’s saw a daughter of a king, their daughter, their princess.