All for One
Serving with our field partners and leaders is precious. I always consider it a privilege to GO on trips and be a part of how God is using them to care for children who need family. After a few days, I get on a plane and come home. They stay in the grind, where dollars, languages, abandoned children, the church, guardians, government, culture, expectations, agendas, and personalities mix together to form the combustible cocktail that is orphan care.
Recently, I was reading a trip report from one of GO’s leaders (names removed or changed in this blog). Three pages, single spaced, detailing meetings, including some disagreements and disappointments mostly around dollars. These common blocking and tackling discussions don’t make for a good blog, but they have to be done and be done well. Then at the end of the write up was this sentence, “Little Kidani has been healed of HIV and seems happy and healthy.” What?
I remembered Kidani’s story from last year. She was the first HIV positive child in that church’s care. The local stigma and fear was so great that the pastors thought about sending her back to an elderly grandmother who was fading herself. She couldn’t care for Kidani when she was well. By God’s grace, He gave GO the opportunity to advocate for Kidani, to encourage the church that they could care for her! We have seen other partners do so…to send her away would be a death sentence. And in that sacred moment, the pastor said, “Yes.” The church said, “Yes.” And Kidani stayed in her new family, beginning a regiment of ARV’s, and of course healthy doses of love, prayer, and the Gospel.
Today, her blood levels are normal. The only explanation is miraculous, but even people who don’t believe in such things will acknowledge that the support of a family is a powerful part of the healing process. And, then my mind goes back to GO’s field leader who wrote the report, who walked the road most closely. All of the planning meetings, false starts, and missteps were part of what led to being able to help Kidani heal. Many others have benefitted and been blessed as well, but knowing our field leader’s heart, would she GO about all of that work for one?
Yes! And a thousand times yes…if need be, all for one, one sweet daughter of the King!
Matthew 18:12
Kidani’s Family