With Open Hands: Yesterday Was a Day I Won't Soon Forget

Earlier this year I was put in contact with a couple of adoptive mama’s who were adopting kids from Home Again orphanage where a piece of my heart is currently residing J I’ve had a really neat opportunity to share stories about their new son’s and daughter’s and share all the pictures I’ve taken from my trips there the last couple of years.

After spending the summer in Uganda in 2011 I became quite attached to the younger children that were living at Home Again at the time. I would spend the mornings playing with them while the older children were at school. Like many of you have heard me say before … literally not a DAY goes by I don’t think about and pray for these kids. So imagine my surprise when I slowly began to find out not only 1 but over half of those 15 kids have been blessed with a forever family. A forever family to love them unconditionally … something which these children probably don’t yet comprehend because of the things they have endured in their young lives. A forever family to provide for them and allow them to grow to their full potential and realize their dreams and have the opportunity to go after them.

Yesterday I finally had the chance to meet one of the Mama’s that I’ve been in touch with through Facebook. Jody FINALLY got to bring her daughter Paige home after a long and seemingly endless journey. After several trips to Uganda and a lot of heartache, Paige is home with her forever family.

I had to fight back tears in the middle of the airport because I was so blown away at the work God has already done in this sweet little 4 year old girl’s life. In July 2011 Paige couldn’t walk on her own, she was in one of those baby walkers, but just didn’t have strength to stand up without support. When I went back in March 2012 she was walking short distances, dragging one leg, and tiring quickly. Yesterday at the airport she was walking on her own, she looked so much more grown up already, and she looked beautiful! Jody said she was even running, able to feed herself with a spoon, and was much more vocally expressive and using some familiar words. THIS is a HUGE transformation. God is moving mountains in Paige’s life … I absolutely cannot wait to see what is in store for this precious girl!!

It is incredible to me what the love and care of a family can do in a child’s life. I know the Mama’s at the orphanage love these kids like their own and I know it is hard for them to see these children go. But watching the transformation and progress these kids make when they have their own families, their own mom and dad, to nurture them and provide for them the life they deserve is absolutely amazing.