I met my first family at the airport today. It was one of the most beautiful experiences of my life. I arrived at the airport with my colleagues and foster family and waited for about 45 minutes. The longer we waited for the plane to come in, the more nervous and excited we became. I felt butterflies in my stomach. The 18 year old son had his hands full of stuff animals to welcome his new siblings from Sudan. He was clearly nervous and excited, “Do you think they’ll want to play with me? Gosh, I hope they like me.”
When we finally saw the 5 children coming towards the gate, the dam broke and tears started to gush out. Laughing and crying, the foster family grabbed the small children and held them near to them while I tried to compose myself and snap pictures to capture this most beautiful moment.
The Mom turned to me and said, my children said to me, “Please Mom, no Christmas presents this year. Our new siblings are our Christmas present.” She wept, “I had no idea, I had no idea that they would be so beautiful”. She then turned to the children and said, “I want you to know, my husband and I have been married 23 years. Ever since then, we’ve been dreaming of you. Now you’re here and you’ll be safe with us.”
I have never experienced a homecoming like this before.
I cannot express how thankful I am to God for giving me this new job with the Lutheran Community Services, Refugee Children’s Program. It truly is my joy to be assisting these Unaccompanied Refugee Minors in their transition to their new home and lives in the States. I just pray I would be a blessing to them as they are to me.
{ 5 } Comments
Anita, when I read your email and your blog entry, I really got the sense that this is part of your calling and a good fit for what you may have longed for. I sensed and shared in your tremendous joy.
anita, what a true blessing to find a line of work where you can see clearly how the Lord wants to use you and that you love. i can only imagine how amazing it is to witness people adopt children, mirroring the same adoption we have as sons and daughters of God through Christ and the same homecoming we will receive when we finally see our wonderful Father face to face.
Thanks for sharing this amazing experience. I am just sitting here bawling my eyes out, so touched by this family and the work God has called you to. I can see God using you to help these families and their new refugee children. Praise God for his redemptive work in bringing love, joy and peace to these families.
Thank you Anita, for sharing this beautiful moment. Tears fill my eyes as I write this, and I have the strong impression that this is what true calling looks like in the Kingdom of God. God bless you.
thanks for sharing
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