The Baby who never smiled

We received two sisters, one of two years old and the other six years, who came from a home of sexual abuse. The two year old came to us at the baby house and reminded us very much of a little doll. Her eyes had a blank frightened stare all the time, she never smiled, and whenever we put her down , as soon as her feet touched the ground, she gave quiet little cry that was actually more of a squeak. Only God knows what all happened to her, and all of the pain that is hidden behind those eyes. Our monitors worked with her, cut her long hair that was in terrible condition, gave her gentle baths, which seemed to be something that she had never experienced. We held her, even though she was old enough to walk, as it seemed to comfort her. A few weeks after she came, when I arrived at work, I saw her laughing and running in the grass with her bare feet. Every day, we see a little bit more of her smile and personality. She is like a gentle little flower that blooms more and more every day.

Birthday party///

A week and a half ago it was a special day. It was the third birthday of one of the little girls who had stayed at the baby house who came when she was a baby. She had gone home to live with her mother and step father. We were invited to share her special day. The Brazilian women that I work with were excited with preparations, ordering a birthday cake, making candy, sandwiches and bringing presents. They were like an unstoppable train of love that continued with determination. We all loaded ourselves up in the van, all of the babies in their best clothes and shoes, and set out only to get lost around three or four times. We finally found the right exit when the rain started pouring down. We were slipping and sliding on the muddy dirt roads when we finally found a small little house with the happy family inside. It was good to see our little girl happy with her mom once again. We shared some smiles and tears and left part of our hearts behind as we left to go back home. Getting stuck in the mud, one of the women got out and pushed, and I was in admiration of the other woman who drove with nerves of steel. We made it safely home with laughter and songs in the van. It was most definitely a memorable Saturday afternoon, and I remembered once again the courage of the women I work with and their love.

Our wilderness--

On New Year’s Eve, we were invited by friends to the first farm where we first experienced Brazil. As we drove up the long overgrown driveway with tall trees on either side, we saw the small houses that had long been abandoned. The farm was in Guedes, our first wilderness experience in Brazil that would make or break us. When we arrived at the top of the first hill, we saw a table filled with blood, they were butchering a cow! Our friend, the caretaker of the farm waved a greeting to us, and we saw that they had many family members with them there to celebrate the day. We went further up the drive to the house where we first lived. It was a primitive house with no glass windows, nor floor, where we had found a poisonous snake, our first year. Even though it was the most difficult, painful time of our lives, we knew that God had called us to stay in Brazil. While we lived on this abandoned farm away from civilization, we found something precious. It was a friendship with the couple who were caretakers there who to this day remain friends. They were as poor as could be, and lived a simple life, but held such joy in their hearts not found in material things. The love of Christ flowed from this couple to the four of us, at a time when we didn’t understand any Portuguese, and didn’t know the ways of the culture. They are devoted to Christ in small and faithful ways that made a big impact. After we went home that new year’s day, we all four of us felt such a gratefulness for what we have now, and what we had learned during those difficult first years, our wilderness time.