There are Moments in Life that go down in your personal history book as 'extraordinary' -- both unforgettable and life changing.
Moments -- that are really pieces of time strung together -- when you are acutely aware that your involvement in something is bigger than "You"...
and your Life is forever changed by the experience of it.
Moments when you have no doubt that God orchestrated all the details of certain events and let You be part of what He is doing in the World.
One of the most extraordinary moments in my life came in the form of a little boy...
Daniel.
The Beginning...
Daniel's story is similar to a thousand other "abandoned children" stories that we've all heard, but for me...
his story was the beginning of a bigger story.
A story that is wrapped up in my story... God's Story.
His story was the beginning of what God was going to do in a whole lot of Lives.
His story is the story of Suubi. A story of Hope.
Happy Boy
Daniel was one of the first Children identified and brought to live at Suubi.
He was one of the first children that I thought about and prayed for as much as I did my own children.
I dreamed big for him. I was protective of him. I loved him as my own.
He was the first to be chosen by an adoptive family.
Receiving a photo of his Forever Family
He was the first child -- this little boy that I loved so dearly and called my own -- that I had to learn how to release and completely trust this family that God chose to be his forever family.
He was the first to ask me to hold him.
The first to follow me around holding onto my hand.
The first to hug my neck as if his life depended on the Love I gave back to him.
Worshiping together at Suubi Community Church...
He was the first to go Home to his forever family... a family that I had come to know and trust.
A family that I knew would love him as much as I did.
Daniel and his Dad headed Home!
Daniel's family lives within minutes from my Home and I get to see him often. What a sweet Gift from the Lord!
How can I possibly express the JOY of seeing this once lost, lonely little boy happily loved in a Family of his own.
Daniel and his Family!
Daniel was the answer to many prayers and his hugs often kept me fighting for the ones that came after him.
Sometimes having a physical answer right in front of you can give you the strength to keep going... Daniel was my "why" when the road was rough... he was my tangible reminder of the promises God made when He called us to start this "bigger than we can imagine" Project.
Daniel is part of my Story. An extraordinary story in my life.
I'm forever grateful that God found me worthy to walk this road... forever grateful for Daniel.
Although blurry... one of the sweetest moments of my Life.
Sweet Daniel... I'm so blessed to be part of your story. I anticipate you are going to do great things for the Lord and I'm excited for your future. I pray you will walk with Jesus all the days of your life. I'm so happy for you. It gives me great joy to see you happy and loved in your forever family. Your sweet hugs and precious smile have blessed my heart more times than I can count and I hope you will never be too big to give me hugs! Little D... I will love you forever.