Full Circle

No songs

A few nights ago, we were out at a Mexican restaurant, talking with fellow staff and friends over some great drinks and chips and salsa. The conversation turned to stories of trips overseas; in my case, the two trips I’ve made to Russia with Children’s HopeChest.

I remember vividly one orphanage my older sister, Shelly, and I were at. It was February in Russia…FREEZING cold. As guests, we were put up in the infirmary during our day/night visit there. As I went to bed that night, I was huddled in my sub 45 degree sleeping bag, every layer of clothing that I had brought on me. I had to pee so bad but held it all night because there was NO WAY I was going to get out of the cocoon I had made for myself.

Around 3 am, as I wished for the hours to pass quickly, it hit me like a ton of bricks. This was the INFIRMARY – the place these precious children go to when they are sick. AND it was this cold.

At that time, we had only Caroline at home (I found out I was pregnant with Tobin 2 days after returning home from this trip). When she got the slightest ailment, I had her in her favorite jammies, piled in our bed. I sang to her, read to her, made sure she had everything she needed to feel loved and comforted.

Not here. Not at this orphanage. There was no mommy to hold these children’s hands, the heat was around 45 degrees inside. There was no comforting song sung to them.

What hit was the absolute injustice in this world! When I start to think, “It’s not fair” or become caught in all the things I don’t have, I think back to that February night in 2004. I can’t hold on to those thoughts for too long because what’s not fair is their lives, their future.

Matt’s been working on something for Children’s HopeChest. It’s about Christmas. It’s about children.

I look across my table at night, and see three beautiful faces staring back at me; one in particular always grips me differently…because that little caramel face reminds me that my work isn’t done…that I need to keep my heart soft towards the things that really matter.

I don’t know…maybe you have never thought about another child’s comfort or lack thereof before. Why not sit on it for a moment? Be upset by it. Then DO SOMETHING! Maybe it’s with Children’s HopeChest. Great, go here for information. Maybe it’s a neighbor’s kid who seems be alone a lot of the time. Maybe it’s that homeless person you see EVERY DAY on that street corner. I don’t know. I don’t know your heart. I know my heart and I don’t want to ever forget that cold night.