It is a holy experience, when God brings a needy child into our path. There’s something in those moments, similar to a birth or an adoption, where the presence of God is tangibly felt as He entrusts the care of one of His seen children into our hands. Words aren’t enough because it’s deep and precious, and bold and outrageous. Thinking back, there’s a knowing, that God was there, and deep soul emotion stirs on remembering because of it’s significance on many levels. And over time, as that child becomes known, the significance grows.
That is how it was the day I met Anna, Sammi, and Eman*. The moment and the meeting was steeped in God’s favor. There wasn’t smiling, laughing or embracing, just an awareness that God was moving and that we were supposed to get involved. It was a holy moment.
Their story is heart wrenching and messy. They have the same mother, but unknown fathers. Hurting and broken, mama had turned to drugs and alcohol to mask her pain, and prostitution to support her addictions. In an unnatural moment she locked them in a house and left. Screaming with fear and hunger, the children were found by neighbors and brought to the hospital suffering from severe malnutrition and dehydration. Eight-year-old Anna was hungry, but physically ok. She had never been to school. Two-year-old Sammi and seven month old Eman were near death, weighing less than 10 pounds and less than 5 pounds respectively. They are lucky to be alive. The hospital social worker asked us to take the children to the Oasis home when the month long search for the mother came up empty.
We’re still looking for their mama. She also needs help. Further investigations are also ongoing to determine if there is other family who could or should be involved but until then, they will remain safely at the Oasis home.
Anna started school this month and was thrilled to have a uniform, her first new clothes ever. Her smile was radiant. The boys are improving slowly and have just begun smiling. What God will do with these three, only He knows but I am thankful to have been invited into their beautiful mess.
*names have been changed for privacy
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