The Lord's Hand

I find it important to record those moments when we see the Lord's hand working in our lives. I think it happens more often than we realize, but it sometimes goes unnoticed as we hurry through life or is forgotten if we neglect to put it down on paper. So here I want to record a very real answer to a very specific prayer.

I've been overcome recently with very tender feelings about the many children in the world who are abandoned, neglected, and alone. My sister-in-law showed us an incredible documentary on Netflix, The Drop Box, about abandoned infants in South Korea and a pastor who setup a method to save them. I highly recommend the film to anyone who wants to see true Christlike love in action. I've also recently read a few articles about heroic women who have set up homes and schools for children in developing nations (mother to 79 orphans, Nepal school and home). And then, there was the sad story about the little "witch baby" in Africa. I happened upon a video showing a little two-year-old boy who had been labeled a witch by his village, was completely abandoned by his family, and was alone and starving. It broke my heart.  

These instances prompted me to get on my knees in prayer. I just wanted to let Heavenly Father know that if there were any children in my sphere of influence who needed a safe place to be, my home and heart was open to receive them.

About three weeks later, I finally got around to inviting Hudson's best friend over for a playdate. They met in their kindergarten class and have been buddies all year long. I had been hesitant to invite him over because I didn't know his family and didn't have their contact information. I had only seen his dad once from a distance, and he seemed a little "gangster" to me. Additionally, I had seen this friend show some really aggressive behavior on the playground, so I felt a little wary about encouraging their friendship.

I kept thinking about it, though, and found the dad's email address. I asked if he'd be interested in getting the kids together. He was, so I invited their family over for pizza and a wii tournament for the following Friday. Almost as soon as I sent the invitation, he texted that they'd be able to come. The night of the get-together, I was a little anxious since I didn't know the family at all. The father and son arrived an hour late after a couple texts from me asking if they were still able to come or needed directions. The father was full of gratitude and kindness. He mentioned that this was the first get together his son had ever had. We got to talking a bit and Sebastian invited the dad to play church basketball sometime. This sweet father was delighted to find out that we went to church. He said it was an answer to his prayers. He was a single father to three boys and was often gone when his children got home from school. He had prayed that he would have help for his son if he ever got into a bind at work and was hoping to find someone he could trust. The thought that we were fellow Christians put this sweet daddy's mind at ease and he just spilled with gratitude.

The evening went very well - the boys had a great time and the dad was able to run some errands. I hope that we can have Hudson's friend over throughout the summer. I know that Heavenly Father brought our two families together as an answer to two prayers.