The Evidence of God’s Call

Today was the realization of a dream we didn’t even know how to put into words.  The little guy we met first, so, to be redundantly clear, the very first child with a disability we met in Lusaka’s name is Evidence.  We didn’t post his name before, wanting to be protective of his identity.  As we met with his family, and showed them exercises to do with his tight limbs, and gave them books to read to him to stimulate his mind, and found some little toys here to buy him so that he could play (little beanie babies, balls, and blocks), all that time, we had been working to find an ethical carpenter, who would build us an Adaptive Chair so that he would be able to sit up straight, breathe, work, and eat without needing to be held in someone’s lap, or slouched into a couch.  Sunday our wonderful carpenter Manasseh called to say the chair was ready, we went to pick it up, happily surprised at the tremendous workmanship (watch out, Rifton!), and then went to Evidence’s family’s compound to surprise them and drop it off.  They were happy beyond words, and the chair fits him well.  It will provide him stability, and so much more opportunity than lying prone on a couch all day would do.  We will have a tray for the top made, as well.

But more than this, God’s call on our lives was hard to see when we were on the other side of the ocean.  I couldn’t picture the need, and specifically how we could be used to meet that need. I could picture it in generalities, millions of kids who have cognitive or intellectual disabilities, and millions of those-orphaned or soon-to-be-orphaned. But in God’s most merciful grace, we are able to see in the face of one little boy, and more specifically, his name, what God has called us to, and why we are here.  This family hasn’t had any supports for their son, any therapies, any schooling, any welcoming to church, or any maids who will work in their home with them (a given here if you work, at $5 per day for a typical housekeeper/babysitter) and watch Evidence.  His parents said yesterday there were no words for their thankfulness to us.  So, thank YOU, our supporters, for giving this one boy and his family the gift of hope, of stability to sit and work and eat, and be an individual in this family that loves him so.  And, we thank God for the Evidence of His call on our lives at this point.