One Step Forward - Two Steps Back

Today was a time of blessing. My friend, Donna, brought our little malnourished boy to our house today during tea time and we had some fun trying to get him to laugh. His smile is enough to just bring tears to your eyes as he is a child who has seen and felt pain that I could never begin to explain, but the smiles that come from him and his laugh, oh what a blessing! When Donna had to leave, I decided to keep him for awhile longer and my girls played peek-a-boo behind the chair where I was sitting. He laughed so hard he almost fell off my lap! Then the girls just got into fits of laughter and we were all having such a great time. Right now, there is no greater picture than that of this little boy's smile. There is no better sound than his sweet laugh. He is precious and I am in love with him. Right now, there is no greater mission that to show him and let him feel God's love for him so that he knows he matters in this world. He is important, a little prince whom God created and to whom God will provide a bright future.

Today was also a day with reminders of the harsh realities of the lives of the children here in Lesotho. A little baby boy was suppose to be returned to his mother today as she has served her 1 month jail sentence for abandoning her child. However, she and her husband are fighting over whose child he really is and the father doesn't want him. It is sad to think that he was thrown aside once and may have to be returned to a home that does not want him. How I wish we could keep him here and find him a family - we WANT him!!! We love him and we care about his life and his future, but we cannot determine his fate if he has a family.

And, as the day drew to a close I got to meet the newest addition to our Beautiful Gate family. She is perfect, and looks only to be a week old. She was found in a pit toilet and was just released from the hospital. Thank Lord God for sparing her life as well as protecting her from the acid burns many kids who have been found in the pit toilets suffer from. Why the mother chose to kill her, we will never understand. We can not think about it too much because it would bring despair. Life is hard for babies and young children in Lesotho, and it is hard for their parents and extended families. Please continue to pray for the Basotho people.