Timothy

When I woke up this morning I was running short on inspiration for a blog entry. Then e-mail from Rhita in Uganda came. This is always such a joy. Rhita might be the most amazing woman I know couple with Caleb, her husband, who is the most amazing man I know. Caleb and Rhita take in street children. Kids whose families can't afford to take care of them or who have abandon them. The kids turn to the streets to make a living for them selves begging. Some of the girls sell their bodies for food, not like a three course meal, I mean a muffin. When they get pregnant the cycle starts all over again. Caleb and Rhita are there breaking this cycle one child at a time.
In July of 2008 when I stayed with Caleb and Rhita Mirembe had just come to live with them. She looked not a day over two but she was four. She was abandon by her family because she has Sickle Cell Anemia. Mirembe captured my heart in a way no other child ever had. I fell in love with her. It was the moment I knew that adopted children would be in my future.

This morning I was introduced to Timothy via e-mail. He is also four but looks about 2. He has spinal cord damage and cannot speak or sit or eat solid foods. His parents just left him and my dear friends have taken him in. So here meet Timothy.
I should say yes this is a male child even though he is wearing pink socks and a princess jacket. In Africa if clothing fits you wear it, gender doesn't matter. This was proven by the man I saw walking around Burundi with the top of a cheer leading outfit on in place of a shirt.

So I am sitting here this morning fighting the urge to get on a plane to Uganda and swipe up little Timothy and love on him.

If you are like me you might have the initial instinct to say what kind of parent just leaves their sick child. I will say that is not something that is exclusively African. When I was a little girl and my baby brother had cancer we spent a lot of time in the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. My brother was 5 so he had a room but out by the nurses station were 5 little babies with IVs in high chairs that had been left there by their parents. I have often wondered about them. I was only 7 but it disturbed me then.

Join me today in praying for Timothy and Mirembe and my five mystery babies from CHOP back in 1989. Also for Caleb and Rhita as they truly do God's work.