Whatever You Did

"Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.  For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in,  I needed clothes and you  clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’


'Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink?  When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you?  When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'


'The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’"

Our Mulligan Stew fundraiser continues to simmer.  These things take time.  

While we wait for our stew to cook, I want everyone to know whom our stew will be feeding: Who are the hungry, the thirsty, the sick?  Who are in need of clothes?  Who are sick, imprisoned, and in need of visits?  Who needs our help?

This, too, will take time.  There are stories to be told, explanations to be given.  

  It's not as if Rob and I are master chefs-- quite the opposite.  Our lack of culinary skill is notorious.  Whenever there's a big family gathering, Rob's Mom tries to spare our feelings by assigning us to bring bakery rolls, chips, sodas and napkins.  We're not exactly noted for our fundraising ability, either.  What makes us think we can make a good Mulligan Stew?

As I said, there are stories to be told.

Over the coming days I want to share some of these stories-- the reasons why we picked up our spoons and donned our aprons.

These stories begin with a whole host of children who are living in an orphanage across the ocean.  This particular orphanage is not in the same country where Aaron lived.  It is a place that has been under the radar for a very long time.   It is a place where children were neglected, starved and abandoned.  A place where, because of neglect, children grew in age, but not in stature.  A place of sorrow and despair, of corruption, secrets and lies.  A place of death.

But God heard the cries of those wee ones who lay dying in their faraway cribs.

And so He caused one little lost girl to be found.

Katie.

  

Tiny, starved, nine-year-old Katie.  

Found.  

And because Katie was found, the shadowy doors of that sinister place have been flung wide open.  The darkness is being forced to flee.  The secrets, lies and corruption that held those poor lost children captive are being exposed. 

The 240 starved babes lying in those cribs now have hope, and some are even finding families.

Every single child from that terrible place who was listed for adoption after Katie's family found her HAS ALSO FOUND A FAMILY.

EVERY SINGLE ONE.  Praise be to the Father of the Fatherless for hearing those babies' cries.

There are many more who still need to be listed for adoption.  We are praying that they will all be listed.  We are praying that God will continue to raise up families to go and bring them home.

But for now, we rejoice: Every child who is available already has a family coming!!

There are currently12 families working hard to cross the ocean to rescue 17 wee ones out of that orphanage.  How can we not don chef's hat and apron for them?  How can we look away when these families are sacrificing so much to get 17 of the LEAST OF THESE out?  How can we go about our days carelessly when we know that they desperately need our prayers, our support, our encouragement?  

These are precious, precious kids. Before we start serving out our Mulligan Stew, we'd like to spend some time introducing the little lost babes who need our help. 

Meet Keith (4).

Keith's Papa just met him a few weeks ago.  In that country, the process entails crossing the ocean to meet the child, spending a week in country, then going home and waiting for several months before returning to bring the child home.  Keith's Papa got to meet him, hold him and love on him.

This wee one is almost five years old, but is still too small to fit into an 18-month-sized sleeper.  He has been completely isolated for the last two years.  Just Keith and the four walls.  It tore his Papa's heart out to leave him.  Soon, little guy.  Soon.

(Keith's family is adopting not only Keith, but also FOUR other children from different orphanages.  Keith's condition is by far the worst.)

   

Meet Teddy (7), Val (7), and Steward (8 1/2).

Three little boys who are soon to be brothers.  Their Mama and Papa are waiting to cross the ocean for the first time so that they can snatch them out of their cribs and hold them and love them.  We are praying that this happens soon.  

  

Meet Angelina Mariana (5).

Teeny tiny at five years old.  Like Kevin, she's already met her Mama, and is just waiting in her crib for the day when the law allows her Mama to return and carry her out of there for good.  

  

Meet Samantha (7)

Seven years old and tiny.  Her Mama is going to meet her soon.  Soon, baby girl.  Soon.

 

Meet  Kelten (12) and Teagan (4 1/2).

These two boys are going to be meeting their Mama and big sister for the first time this week!!

Yes, the picture of Kelten is current.  He really is twelve years old!  They are tiny and desperately needy!  They are going into a special family with a very special sister... Her name is CARRINGTON and she knows what it is to be abandoned and alone in a crib all day.  But now she is a chubby, sassy little girl and soon her brothers are going to join her.  What a bunch of fun chaos that is going to bring!!

 

Meet Ian (2-1/2). 

Isn't he precious beyond words???  Goodness gracious, I know his Mama and Papa want to get him SOON.  They are just starting out though, and really need our prayers as they wade through the process.

Meet Makayla (10).

She is almost 11 years old.  Seeing her standing there in that tiny crib just completely breaks me down.  Her family is still plowing through the initial paperwork.  I know their hearts long to cross that ocean and hold this precious one.

Meet Kolina (9).

What can I say?  The desperate need of this little one is just beyond words.  She is nine years old and weighs 19 lbs.  She was recently in the hospital fighting for her life.  Dear Lord. Kolina's family is also adopting another girl from another orphanage.

 

And these three: Liliana (11), Pam (15) and Butler (5).

Their parents are heading over there right now for their first trip.  Liliana and Pam are so wasted away that they are wearing 6-month-sized clothes.  Like Kolina, they have been in the hospital, fighting to stay alive.

Liliana, Pam and Butler's family is also adopting a little boy from another orphanage.

  

 

 Meet Annie (5)
Her family just came back from meeting her for the first time and it was all they could do to not want to bring her home!!  She is so tiny and needy!  Hurry Mama Hurry!!
Annie's family is also adopting two other children from other orphanages.

BABY N (3)

(no picture)

There is one more family who is also adopting from this orphanage, but they are not adopting from the US and because of privacy issues, we are unable to share their story.  Please pray for Baby N and his family!!

Seventeen orphans who are coming out of the darkness and into the light.

Twelve families who need to know that they are not alone.  Twelve families who are stepping out in faith to bring home a total of 25 orphans.

25 reasons for our Mulligan Stew Giveaway.

We are making the stew partly for these children and their families, because they NEED our support.  We are also trying to raise awareness so that when the door opens for all of the other children from this dark place to be listed for adoption, we can all raise our voices for those kids as well.  They need the world to know about them.  They need families to step up.  They need rescue.

We are not in a position where we can adopt right now, but we can pick up our soup spoons and try to stir hearts to action.  The children who are waiting in that dark orphanage need us.

And theirs is a story that needs to be told.

But they are not the only reasons why we have ventured into the kitchen. They are not the only reasons we are gathering items for our pot.

"The King will reply, 'Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’"

.....to be continued....