"Why Not Me?"

Many of you know that I work in a school located in a children's home in Honduras.  What an absolute PRIVILEGE it is to serve here.  The children that I get to serve and work with are some of the most precious kids on the planet.  I get the joy of watching them succeed academically.  I get the joy of being in the trenches with the teachers day in and day out to provide the absolute best that we can for them.  We believe that a high quality, Christian education is going to change the trajectory of their lives.

So, before we left to go pick up Samuel, I shared with all of our students that we were going to adopt a child.  I explained that he was a from a different country and he needed a family....And then I braced myself, because I knew what was coming.

One child raised his hand and asked, "Mrs. Brooke, why didn't you adopt me?"

Every child longs for a family.  Life seems so unfair at times.  Why does one get the blessing of family and the other doesn't?  With as much confidence as I could muster, I assured each one of them,

"Babies, if the law allowed you to be eligible for adoption, each of you would have been snatched up by multiple families by now.  You are ALL precious.  I praise God that He has provided this amazing place for you to call home and I am honored to get to come here and love on you all each day. I am so grateful to all the missionaries, tias, teachers, and supporters that make this home possible."

The questions proceeded,

"Mrs. Brooke, what happened to Samuel?  Why does he get to be with another family?"

I continued with caution as I shared his story with them.  I shared that he was found on the streets of China and that no one knows where his original parents are.  Then the hand came from one precious little boy that I have spent so much time loving and teaching and helping to come up with coping mechanisms for anger,

"Mrs. Brooke, that's MY story."

"I know, sweetheart.  He has a story similar to many of you that live here.  That's why I know that YOU will understand so many his emotions when I bring him back here.  How do you think he is going to feel coming to a new place, learning a new language?"

Student #1:  "He will feel scared."
Student #2:  "He will be confused."
Student #3:  "He may feel some excitement."
Student #4:  "He will feel happy because this is a happy place."

"Well, I know that EACH one of you are going to help him feel happy here.  That you will teach him things about Honduras and that he will teach you things about China.  You guys are all going to learn so much from each other.  I am so excited that he gets to come and experience life together with you."

Life is not always fair, but I am grateful for Good Shepherd Children's Home.  I am grateful for Good Shepherd Christian Academy.  Its because of people in the states that generously give from month to month that these ministries exist.  So, there are many kids here in Honduras that will never get to share my last name, but I work hard because I love them.  I believe in them and I believe that the ministry God has called us to is making generational change.

Maybe God has not called you or your family to adopt, but there are multiple other ways to become involved in being a part of a child's life that needs to know stability and love.  You can help those that are asking, "Why not me?"  Consider giving to one of these ministries on a monthly basis to see that we can continue providing for them.

https://giving.bmdmi.org/bmdmi-schools

Photo Credits go to Billy Weeks