Good-bye my little friend.

Yesterday I drove in to work and found out that one of our kids was being reunited with her family. This girl was brought to Beautiful Gate when she was around 6 months of age because her mother passed away and her dad needed to work and could not stay home with her. She has spent her life at Beautiful Gate for over 4 years, and her dad is ready to have her back in his life. I cannot imagine the shock she must have felt when she saw him for the first time yesterday. He was not in the office as their village is far away so our social worker was going to drive and meet him halfway.

We had the girl join us in a circle and 3 of us prayed for her before she left. After I prayed, I looked over at her and she was holding Karen's hand and looked confused (probably had no idea what we were singing and praying about). I walked over and grabbed her other hand and sat beside her on the floor. She laid her head against my face as the rest of the prayers were said, and it was a precious moment. This is one of the children I remember admitting into BG myself. She came in on a Saturday afternoon with a social worker from her village and Bryan and I helped get her settled into her new home. We had only been at BG for a few months. I have watched her learn to crawl, walk, and talk. I have played countless games with her over the years that she has been here, and it is so crazy to think that she will be gone. She has a very goofy smile that we will all miss around campus too.


I am happy for her though because she has some brothers and sisters that she has never met. They were placed in a care center near her village, but that care center did not have the ability to care for a baby so she came to BG. Our prayer is that this family will be happy and healthy. I pray this girl will remember the love and care from BG and that it will sustain her in the difficult  days ahead. Despite this being her family, currently they are strangers. Please join us in praying that her father makes wise choices for his family and that he will be able to care for them, for more than just physical needs. She has a loving spirit and I hope that her life will be blessed and amazing. God has plans for her that include her need to return home, and we are choosing to praise Him and be excited for this next chapter of her life. Good-bye my little friend, go well!